FOODTRENDS
Fermentation
Kimchi
already quite popular, bold fermented sauces and seasonings are also gaining traction, says Garth Mercer, director of national accounts at Korea Food Trading, a Canadian importer and distributor of major Korean food brands that targets both Asian and non-ethnic consumers. “With the mainstream population taking very well to things like Huy Fong Sriracha, many are looking to other Asian sauces and seasonings to enhance the flavour profile of their foods,” says Mercer. These include, gochujang, a fermented hot pepper paste; doenjang, a fermented soybean paste; and ssamjang, a mix of fermented bean paste and red pepper paste. An increased focus on digestive health is also putting fermented foods — particularly lacto-fermented foods — in the spotlight. Lacto-fermentation naturally preserves food without the use of vinegar, sugar or pasteurization. These live cultured foods are packed with beneficial probiotics, digestive enzymes and nutrients that aid digestion. Packaged Facts notes that the probiotic goodness of foods such as kimchi, lactic-acid fermented craft pickles and miso in particular are appealing to those looking to boost digestive health. Aside from the health benefits, many people are gravitating towards fermented foods simply because they taste good, says Robert Belcham, chef
Even traditional varieties of fermented foods pack a pungent, zesty punch, which appeals to the maturing palate of today’s consumer. and owner at Vancouver restaurant Campagnolo. “It all starts with how it tastes and a lot of fermented foods are absolutely delicious,” he says. Belcham has been making fermented sausages for the better part of a decade, coinciding with the charcuterie trend that has swept restaurants across the country. “Fermenting meat is like the holy grail of fermentation because it’s very difficult to do properly,” he says. “But when it’s done properly, it’s an amazing product.” Toronto restaurant Borealia, which draws inspiration from the historic foods of Canada’s First Nations, early settlers and immigrants, also makes house-cured meat. For its popular Bison Bresaola dish, the meat is inoculated with a mould called Bactoferm 600, which grows around the exterior of the meat. “[The mould] protects it from light and causes it to age a little bit slower, but at the same time gives it that nice salumi flavour,” says chef and co-owner Wayne Morris. “People really like that one. A lot of people don’t realize it’s mould on there. But whether you’ve been eating [cured meat] your whole life or even trying it for the first time, if it’s good, it’s good.” In its report, Packaged Facts notes that chefs and consumers are also taking a deeper culinary dive into umami — the salty, savoury taste profile also known as the fifth taste. That means fermented ingredients like fish sauce, dried shrimp and shrimp paste are seeing larger roles as ingredients in restaurants.
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APRIL 2015
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