Fancy food experts pick top five specialty food trends

A panel of food experts at the Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco has identified its top five specialty food trends for 2011.

The panel included Cindy Hatcher of Cooking Light; Tanya Henry of Marin Independent Journal; Nancy Hopkins of Better Homes & Gardens; Kara Nielsen of the Center for Culinary Development; Amy Sherman of Blackboardeats.com; Margo True of Sunset Magazine; Tina Ujlaki of Food & Wine; and Joanne Weir, PBS television host.

They chose:

  • Chocolate for breakfast: Tea, Belgian waffles, granola and hot chocolate on a stick.
  • Foods for healing: Ancient healing teas, Blackwater with 77 minerals, aloe and cucumber drinks, and micro-batches of healthful beverages.
  • New noodles: Yam, kelp, farro and spelt.
  • Heat with flavor: Ghost peppers, yuzu-wasabi sauce and piquillo almond glop.
  • Creative chips: pinto bean, naan, peas, mung beans, kale and wild rice.