11 Food Trends You’ll Be Seeing Absolutely Everywhere This Summer

Ever wonder what the next avocado toast will be?

We’ve done a little digging and found out what exactly you should be spotting on menus all around the country, and world, over the coming months. It’s an eclectic mix, but all are definitely, definitely edible. 

And that’s the whole point, right?

1. Tacos 

As we’ve seen so far in 2017, hyper-regional is the flavour of the year – with authenticity being the order of the day.

This Mexican dish is set to be all over your Instagram – due to sheer ease, versatility and absolutely whopper taste. 

2. Cauliflower 

The otherwise forgotten vegetable that is cauliflower has been given a second chance at life, as it’s now being substituted for carbs, mostly rice. 

Simple to make and full of goodness – you can’t go wrong with a cauliflower side-dish. 

3. Amaro

Never heard of it? Us neither. 

Amaro is an Italian digestif. It’s bittersweet, served at room temperature and can be made with artichokes and cardamom. 

Don’t knock it ’til you try it. 

4. Sea vegetables

Vegetarian and vegan cooking has received a massive boost over the years, with the ilk of a Vegan Butcher being found just off Camden Street in Dublin city centre. 

Did you ever think you’d see the like?

Sea vegetables (such as seaweed) are now being used to add a salty tang to food, the same way bacon does in meat dishes. It can be eaten raw, used to roll foods up in, or crushed and sprinkled on top. 

5. Filipino Food

Last year we saw a huge rise in Korean food, with several tasty spots popping up all over the country. Well, this time, Filipino food is the one stepping up to the plate. 

Most dishes involve some sort of fried meat, with the most popular of these being: lechón (whole roasted pig), longganisa (Filipino sausage), tapa (cured beef), torta (omelette), adobo (chicken and/or pork braised in garlic, vinegar, oil and soy sauce, or cooked until dry), kaldereta (meat in tomato sauce stew) and mechado (larded beef in soy and tomato sauce). 

6. Chilled red wine

Yep, this is becoming a thing. And no, it’s not blasphemy. 

More and more vino rouge‘s  especially lighter-bodied ones, are being served chilled. In fact, back in the day when red wine was supposed to be served at room temperature, room temperature was a lot colder than it is now – so we may have in fact been doing it wrong for a very long time. 

Put it in the fridge for 20 minutes before you sip next time, and let us know how you get on. 

7. Street-food

You may have already spotted restaurants advertising themselves as ‘gourmet street-food’ pop up all over the country – but this trend is just starting, and is following on from the ‘authenticity’ trend nicely. 

Think tasty festival food, such as dumplings, tempura, bao or kabobs. 

8. African flavours 

Africa’s rich food culture is only really being discovered now, with ethnic flavours and ingredients increasingly pop up on menus across the country.

Think sun-dried fruits, roobios tea, powerful fruit cakes like mango and orange, and a big emphasis on peanut dishes. 

9. Coconut 

Soon enough it won’t just be coconut milk and water taking up space on your shelves – now coconut tortillas, sugar and even beauty products are getting involved into the coconut game too. 

The sap is turned into coconut sugar as an alternative to refined sweeteners, the oil is used in a growing list of natural beauty products, and the white flesh of the coconut is now in flours, tortillas, chips, ice creams, butters and more. 

10. Creative and home-made condiments 

Move over ketchup and mayo… For now, once deemed ‘notions’-y products are now the actual flavours of the month.  

Check out new side-tastes such as black sesame tahini, habanero jam, ghee, black garlic purée, sambal oelek or piri piri to spice up a boring meal. 

11. And finally, Adaptogens

Derived from plants, herbs, and mushrooms, adaptogens are a ground natural supplement that is supposed to rid the body of stress. Have you ever heard of Maca Powder? That’s an adaptogen. 

While these may look dodgy and unorthodox, these powders are actually proven to dilute your body of stress, help out your immune system and support your blood flow. 

Stick them in a smoothie, sprinkle on popcorn or stir into your porridge and treat yo’ body out.

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