Food Trend Spotlight: Heritage Cooking
Heritage cooking is a concept that highlights the recipes of first-generation American and immigrant chefs. Traditional flavors and recipes passed down through the generations narrate the cultural heritage and give a voice to chefs that are often marginalized by mainstream media, while giving foodies an opportunity to experiences unique and authentic dishes. Food lovers will be able to try cultural food beyond conventional staples, and first-generation chefs will gain much deserved representation in the culinary world. Today we at Advanced Biotech take a look at the flavors and cuisines that are taking the spotlight as heritage cooking continues to trend in the food scene.
Spices
The use of spices is deeply ingrained in the narrative of heritage cooking, as chefs around the globe have been utilizing those native to their home countries for centuries. Star anise, clove, and cinnamon are popular choices for Vietnamese dishes, and are used to season everything from soups and stocks to proteins like chicken and fish. Burmese cuisine is based on the idea of balancing sweet, sour, salty, and spicy flavors so spices like coriander, cinnamon, ginger, peppercorn, and curry leaves are common additions to many recipes. Ethiopian food features rich flavors and heavily spiced dishes using garlic, ginger, fenugreek, nutmeg, and dried chili.
Herbs
Herbs are also provide heritage cooking with unique and defining characteristics, as unfamiliar and flavor herbs give cultural dishes unique flavor profiles and health properties. Herbs are used as more than just seasoning in Filipino cuisine, as anti-inflammatory ingredients such as turmeric and galangal, a type of ginger, is known to boost immunity. Chinese culture also places an emphasis on healing through food, and utilizes a wide number of beneficial ingredients such as goji berries, coriander, lemongrass, and fennel to create flavor dishes while also healing all types of aliments.
Fruits
Not to be forgotten, fruits also play an important part in cultural traditions and heritage recipes. Brazil is rich with superfruits such as acai, guarana, soursop, and passion fruit that are used in everything from beverages and desserts. Jujube, Korean melons, and persimmons are important ingredients in many Korean cultural dishes and traditional events, while camu camu, cherimoya, and aguaje fruits are native to Peru and are beginning to gain recognition around the world for their unique and natural health properties.
The recent rise in heritage cooking gives consumers a holistic look into cultural cuisines as well as gives the chefs behind these delicious dishes the credit they deserve for shaping the industry.