6 Calgary Food Trends We Love
We hope these food trends don’t go out of style any time soon.
Pickled goods and preserves at River Caf.
Brining & Pickling
Brining was big – love pickled cauliflower – but look for fermenting to be the big trend in 2015. And smoked cabbage could be a big hit this year. -J.G.
Brittle
Macarons, donuts and cupcakes have had their day. It’s time to bring on creative brittles. -J.G.
Brussels sprouts
Many restaurants have embraced Brussels sprouts for their complex nutty-bitter flavour. Anju’s version is made with Chinese cured pork sausage. A version fried with duck fat appears semi-regularly at The Brasserie and many other chefs regularly cycle it into their daily specials. -G.H.
Custom beer brewing
Local restaurants and chefs had fun partnering with breweries like Big Rock and Wild Rose to come up with unique beers solely for their own establishments. It’s fun hopping around town to try them all, so here’s hoping this trend continues. -D.C.
Pork
The protein of 2014 was pork, and it was good to see pork that wasn’t all belly or bacon; it’s a versatile meat that flavours so well. The Black Pig’s take on pork and beans is delightful. -J.G.
Ramen
Japanese cuisine is so much more than seafood. Like sushi, ramen is simple, but the flavours are so much more rich and complex. Now if only we could get Japanese curry trending here, too. -V.T.