# What food trends have you noticed? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 8, 2010, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-food-trends-have-you-noticed/528187 "2010-02-08T20:23:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Haunted\_Pasta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/94ad74/32.png) [@Haunted\_Pasta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Haunted_Pasta)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2010, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-food-trends-have-you-noticed/528187/61 "2010-02-09T18:07:08Z")
Where were all the portabello mushrooms before 10-15 years ago? Was the government hoarding and hiding them in a military fort somewhere or something? Mushrooms have never seemed particularly exotic and portabellos seem to be liked by many (including me), so it’s weird to me that they stayed hidden for so long. ---
**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2010, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-food-trends-have-you-noticed/528187/62 "2010-02-09T18:20:15Z")
> [@Haunted\_Pasta](#): > > Where were all the portabello mushrooms before 10-15 years ago? Was the government hoarding and hiding them in a military fort somewhere or something? Mushrooms have never seemed particularly exotic and portabellos seem to be liked by many (including me), so it’s weird to me that they stayed hidden for so long. We were eating them when they were young and pale. The common white mushroom, the portobello, crimini, baby bella, etc, are all the same mushroom - Agaricus bisporus. > **[Agaricus bisporus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agaricus_bisporus)** > > Agaricus bisporus, commonly known as the cultivated mushroom, is a basidiomycete mushroom native to grasslands in Eurasia and North America. It is cultivated in more than 70 countries and is one of the most commonly and widely consumed mushrooms in the world. It has two color states while immature – white and brown – both of which have various names, with additional names for the mature state, such as chestnut, portobello, portabellini, button, cremini, and champignon de Paris. > Some poisonous... ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2010, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-food-trends-have-you-noticed/528187/63 "2010-02-09T19:05:12Z")
> [@Motorgirl](#): > > We were eating them when they were young and pale. > The common white mushroom, the portobello, crimini, baby bella, etc, are all the same mushroom - Agaricus bisporus. > > [Agaricus bisporus - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agaricus_bisporus) Same species, different strain. Creminis & Portabellas come from the brown strain. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2010, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-food-trends-have-you-noticed/528187/64 "2010-02-09T19:19:42Z")
Black people don’t seem to like sushi. ---
**Author:** ![Ichbin\_Dubist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/51bf81/32.png) [@Ichbin\_Dubist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ichbin_Dubist)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2010, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-food-trends-have-you-noticed/528187/65 "2010-02-09T19:41:13Z")
In the Northeast, the last 10-15 years have seen an explosion of (a) Mexican and Central American restaurants that cater to an immigrant clientele, in large and small cities; and (b) Asian restaurants that cater to an immigrant clientele, in the suburbs. When I was a kid in the NJ suburbs 30+ years ago, I can’t recall seeing any Indian restaurants outside of NYC/Jersey City; 15-odd years ago my hometown had a typical “Moghul”-style Indian restaurant, a sushi place, and a Thai place; now within 10 miles of where I grew up there are quite a few regional-cuisine Indian restaurants, Vietnamese places, Indonesian places, and probably a bunch of others I don’t know about. ---
**Author:** ![maladroit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f475e1/32.png) [@maladroit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maladroit)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2010, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-food-trends-have-you-noticed/528187/66 "2010-02-09T19:50:06Z")
I’m seeing lots of sliders on menus, tiny little hot sandwiches - burgers of course, but also crab cakes and others. Just a side note: here in Flint we actually had an Eritrean/coney restaurant for a little while, until a fire put them out of business. That was some good food. ---
**Author:** ![deball](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@deball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deball)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2010, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-food-trends-have-you-noticed/528187/67 "2010-02-09T21:43:57Z")
Bacon. Not that it ever went away, but now it’s everywhere and in everything. Lesser cuts of beef. I think it’s directly related to the Food Network. I loves me some skirt steak, round roasts or short ribs. However, like the way chicken wings were probably more popular for cat food makers than grocery stores before buffalo wings, I’ve been watching these cuts get more and more expensive as demand goes up. Round roast not as much, but the other two, man! My only solace is that chicken thighs, or whole chickens for that matter, are still reasonable since everyone is still hepped-up on boneless chicken breasts (bleh). Soon enough, demand for chicken flavor will set in and the price of dark meat cuts or whole chickens will skyrocket. ---
**Author:** ![CircleofWillis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/54ee81/32.png) [@CircleofWillis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CircleofWillis)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2010, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-food-trends-have-you-noticed/528187/68 "2010-02-09T23:04:47Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Chipotle peppers. Up through about the mid 90s or so, only Mexican food aficionados had heard of these smoked jalapenos. Now if you want to sex up any kind of sauce or spread, just add chipotle to it. Mayo too boring for you? Try mayo with chipotle! Barbecue sauce doesn’t quite have that zing you need? Try BBQ with chipotle! Don’t get me wrong, I like chipotles, but they seem to be in everywhere these days. This is what I came in to mention. They are pretty much in everything. …and to me they aren’t that great. Pomegranate also seems to be the "IT’ fruit recently. ---
**Author:** ![maplekiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@maplekiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maplekiwi)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2010, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-food-trends-have-you-noticed/528187/69 "2010-02-09T23:57:28Z")
I’m in NZ & back in the 70s butter was considered good for you & most food were smothered in richy creamy or buttery sauces. Thats rare these days. In NZ the big restaurant trend seems to be Thai food & sushi bars. In Auckland there seems to be one or the other on every street corner. ---
**Author:** ![MitzeKatze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ad7895/32.png) [@MitzeKatze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MitzeKatze)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-food-trends-have-you-noticed/528187/70 "2010-02-10T00:01:09Z")
> [@CircleofWillis](#): > > Pomegranate also seems to be the "IT’ fruit recently. Very much so, along with Acai Berry. (And Pomegranate Acai berry blends are all the rage here for smoothies, yogurt, juice, etc.) ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-food-trends-have-you-noticed/528187/71 "2010-02-10T00:27:04Z")
A little more nascent as far as fruit and vegetable trends go, I’ve noticed that Meyer lemons seems to be popping up all over the place, along with persimmons, and purple potatoes. I’m not sure if these are all quite mainstream yet, but I think they’re on the cusp. Also, there seems to be quite an uptick in places that offer house-smoked meat. Oh, and cooking in wood- or coal-burning ovens. Those have been popping up everywhere the last few years. And when I mentioned charcuterie upthread, not only do I meaning offering old world charcuterie, but also putting house-cured items on the menu. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-food-trends-have-you-noticed/528187/72 "2010-02-10T00:35:17Z")
Shoot, missed the edit. Also, pickling (either in homes or restaurants) is coming back into its own. Lots of places offer their own house pickles. High-end cocktail bars with very specialized recipes and an array of house-made bitters. I guess if I could sum it up, there’s a general trend towards personalization of many more ingredients–a drive away from mass-produced to completely home made. ---
**Author:** ![meanoldman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@meanoldman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/meanoldman)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-food-trends-have-you-noticed/528187/73 "2010-02-10T01:07:38Z")
Breaking it down to an actual variety of a fruit may be outside what was meant in the OP. But, Honeycrisp apples. Literally did not exist anywhere several years ago. Then started showing up in a few places. Can now be found (in season) in lots of stores. ---
**Author:** ![MitzeKatze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ad7895/32.png) [@MitzeKatze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MitzeKatze)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-food-trends-have-you-noticed/528187/74 "2010-02-10T01:37:52Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > …I’ve noticed that Meyer lemons seems to be popping up all over the place, along with persimmons, and purple potatoes. I’m not sure if these are all quite mainstream yet, but I think they’re on the cusp. > … I hope you are right. I have scoured the grocery stores, super markets and farmers’ markets looking for persimmons and purple potatoes (not at the same time though ;)) but can’t find either of them anywhere around here. I hope they become mainstream enough to buy them soon. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-food-trends-have-you-noticed/528187/75 "2010-02-10T02:38:01Z")
> [@sandra\_nz](#): > > I don’t quite know how to describe it, but presenting the food in the form of another food. > > For example, instead of getting a pea soup, you get a pea cappucino, which is basically a pea soup but frothier. Excuse me? Did you just say _pea cappucino_? :eek: > [@YogSosoth](#): > > Black people don’t seem to like sushi. On what do you base this? ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-food-trends-have-you-noticed/528187/76 "2010-02-10T03:33:22Z")
> [@Green\_Bean](#): > > On what do you base this? Black people, and people who know black people. It’s hard to find one who likes it ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-food-trends-have-you-noticed/528187/77 "2010-02-10T05:45:38Z")
> [@meanoldman](#): > > Breaking it down to an actual variety of a fruit may be outside what was meant in the OP. But, Honeycrisp apples. Literally did not exist anywhere several years ago. Then started showing up in a few places. Can now be found (in season) in lots of stores. Honeycrisp apples were developed by the University of Minnesota, from a cross between Macoun and Honeygold trees, The original tree was planted in 1962 in Excelsior, MN, and began producing fruit a few years later. The high quality of the produce was recognized in 1974, and orchard growers started planting Honeycrisp trees in quantity. They started producing for the commercial market about 1980. So it’s only been available for the last 30 years. ---
**Author:** ![Mahna\_Mahna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47c2d/32.png) [@Mahna\_Mahna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahna_Mahna)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-food-trends-have-you-noticed/528187/78 "2010-02-10T14:44:38Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Shoot, missed the edit. Also, pickling (either in homes or restaurants) is coming back into its own. Lots of places offer their own house pickles. High-end cocktail bars with very specialized recipes and an array of house-made bitters. I guess if I could sum it up, there’s a general trend towards personalization of many more ingredients–a drive away from mass-produced to completely home made. I’ve always thought of the whole revival of preserving/pickling as being part and parcel of the Slow Food movement - in most of North America, if you want to emphasize locally-grown seasonal foods, you’re going to have a real problem come mid-winter… which is where house-made pickles and condiments come in. One of my favourite restaurants (The Gilead Cafe) is famous for its [wall-o-preserves](http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3591/3555179961_438012df7e.jpg?v=0), and rotates their entire menu seasonally. It’s run by one of the big players in our local Slow Food scene, Jamie Kennedy. It’s kind of funny to see the rows of jars that normally belong in grandma’s cellar being elevated to restaurant decor, but they’re actually quite pretty to look at on a sunny day. Kind of on the same tip… I’m seeing a lot of interesting house-made jams showing up on cheese plates recently. Flavours like blueberry-lovage, serviceberry or blackcurrant-lavender, instead of plain blueberry or apricot. (We can also thank Slow Food for the resurgence in heirloom fruits and vegetables in the past few years… it’ll be a while before the big supermarkets catch on, assuming they ever do, but at least the farmers’ markets, greengrocers and upscale gourmet grocers are definitely paying attention) ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-food-trends-have-you-noticed/528187/79 "2010-02-10T15:34:50Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Also, pickling (either in homes or restaurants) is coming back into its own. That reminds me – I’m starting to see fried pickles on more and more menus. ---
**Author:** ![mariposalabrown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ad7895/32.png) [@mariposalabrown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mariposalabrown)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-food-trends-have-you-noticed/528187/80 "2010-02-10T18:48:08Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > That reminds me – I’m starting to see fried pickles on more and more menus. Fried pickles have been on most pub menus I have seen for the past ten years. Man are they good with ranch! This might just be local, but in Austin the big trend is selling food out of Airstream trailers. Hot dogs, gourmet doughnuts, crepes, tacos, cupcakes, you name it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-food-trends-have-you-noticed/528187.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-food-trends-have-you-noticed/528187.md?page=5)