Travel FOMO Flavors
Due to ongoing pandemic restrictions, many consumers are having serious travel FOMO – fear of missing out! While many are missing the sights, sounds, and experiences of foreign countries and cultures, we at Advanced Biotech have found that we miss the local foods and flavors the most! Join us as we discover ways to recreate the dishes, we miss from around the globe right in our own kitchens using natural flavors and wholesome ingredients.
Asia
Asia is a popular destination for many travelers looking to experience unique and beautiful scenery, cultural heritage, and food! Yuzu is a citrus fruit that is native to Japan that has a taste comparable to grapefruit with a hint of mandarin orange. This aromatic fruit can be paired with proteins, used as the base for beverages, and is a popular flavor of candy, among many other applications. Calamansi is another citrus fruit with origins in the Philippines. Small with a deep green peel and vibrant orange yellow flesh, calamansi is intensely tart, comparable to a combination of lemon, lime, and orange. Calamansi’s strong flavor compliments both sweet and salty dishes, and its juice is popularly paired with a famous Filipino deep-fried snack called turon, bananas encased in spring roll wrappers, fried, and dusted with cinnamon sugar.
Latin America
Latin America is bursting with fresh tropical fruit flavors and uniquely spicy flavor elements. Low in calories and loaded with beneficial fiber, guava is a popular fruit that taste like a cross between a strawberry and a pear. Guava can be eaten fresh and also processed to create beverages, jams, and is used as a filling in pastries and cookies. Chamoy is a variety of savory sauces and condiments in Mexican cuisine made from pickled fruit, traditionally apricots or prunes, and chili powder. Coming in both paste and liquid form, chamoy is often served with fresh fruit like mango, or coating gummy candies for a sweet and spicy flavor sensation. Also used as a garnish for drinks like micheladas and spicy margaritas, this savory and spicy sauce can be purchased in most international supermarkets and used to give anything from tacos to pineapple a nostalgic taste of Latin American flavor.
Mediterranean
Reminiscent of the sea, sun, and down-to-earth and unpretentious cooking, Mediterranean flavors embody the environment and place an emphasis on fresh, high-quality ingredients. Brilliantly ruby red, blood orange tastes a bit different than a traditional orange with a hint of tangy grapefruit, raspberry, and cherry. Used in everything from salads to sauces and beverages, blood orange is a versatile and delicious ingredient. Dates and figs are two fruits that play a part in many Mediterranean dishes ranging from savory to sweet. Dense and sweet, these two fruits pair well with everything from mascarpone cheese to cured meats and other frits like melons and strawberries, making them the perfect addition to any charcuterie board and the remedy to FOMO.
Despite lockdown restrictions, our taste buds are only as limited as our pantries. With many international ingredients available in specialty stores and online, recreating a globally-inspired dish with fresh and natural flavors is sure to prevent travel FOMO.