At Home Cooking Flavors
The increasing popularity of food delivery services has consumers looking to take a leaf out of the pros’ book and add some seriously savory flavors to their at-home menus! Here’s a quick peek at some of the not-so-secret ingredients we’re seeing on the shelves from professional chefs.
Sriracha
Sriracha has recently become the go-to hot sauce, dipping sauce, and condiment for many, often standing in for the once-ubiquitous Tabasco. Sriracha is perfect for spicing up deep-fried munchies or spiking mayonnaise and mayo-based sauces and dressings. We’re seeing meat for tacos seasoned with sriracha, sriracha mixed into mashed potatoes, sriracha-laced marinades for grilled ribs or chicken… the list goes on and on, and there’s plenty of room for new ideas.
Anchovies
These tiny silver fish are an open secret from many a professional kitchen. Anchovies add umami flavor and depth to many dishes from sauces to soups to stews and more. Whether they are used whole or used in smaller amounts in Worcestershire sauce or Asian fish sauce (which both contain anchovies), these savory and salty little fish are right at home in pasta dishes, on sandwiches, in salads, on pizza, and much more.
Balsamic vinegar
We love balsamic vinegar for its sweet-sour essence and its ability to add an endearing kick to a wide variety of dishes. Pro chefs use it to make sauces, marinades, dressings, and sticky glazes tangy; you’ll also find it used alongside olive oil as a bread dip or sprinkled over a salad for low-calorie, low-fat flavor. We’re even seeing it used in dessert dishes, such as those containing berries and ice cream — there several different ways to experiment with this versatile vinegar.
Cinnamon
You might be surprised to find cinnamon on a list of flavors used by the pros, but cinnamon is far more versatile than you might have imagined. While it’s a delicious flavor in sweet dishes such as pastries and hot chocolate, cinnamon also works extremely well in Indian and Mexican cuisine or to lend a fragrant note to braised meats. Anywhere you want to add depth and aroma, cinnamon’s warm, the pungent flavor may be just the right touch.