Emerging Trends: Marshmallows, maple and more

The latest dispatch from the Center of Culinary Development highlights the latest emerging trends in the culinary world, including gourmet marshmallows and the use of maple as a luxury ingredient.

According to the trend analysts, fast food outlets are thinking outside the box to cater to their market. For example, 382-unit Philly cheese steak chain Charley’s Grilled Subs will be offering Korean-inspired sandwiches while a Kosher Subway restaurant is opening in North Miami Beach, making it the first glatt kosher restaurant of its kind in the Southeast and one of only nine in the country. The Subway will be offering Mexican turkey, soy cheese and corned beef and pastrami instead of its usual pork and cheese products.

Canadian maple is also being used by our neighbours to the south as a luxury ingredient because of its rising price. According to SideDish "Maple is being used in ice creams at Huckleberry in Santa Monica, CA; to braise cippolini onions for burgers at Village Whiskey in Philly; and glazing shrimp at Sonsie in Boston."

Meanwhile in our own backyard, marshmallows have replaced cupcakes as the childhood favourite to get a makeover as an upscale sweet treat. Across Canada, handmade marshmallows are appearing in high-end bakeries and gourmet shops with flavours such as violet, poppy, coffee, banana, pecan-cinnamon, strawberry and toasted coconut.

We'll know marshmallows have truly hit the masses with Starbucks finds a way to feature them as part of their drink menu, like when salted caramel crossed over into the mainstream.