The Explosion and Fusion of Ethnic Flavors

Food brings people together, is an important part of celebrations, and a way to experience culture. Americans have become obsessed with ethnic cuisines. Their culinary fusions hypnotize our palates. Spices and blends are ever-changing and constantly being used in new and different ways. Iconic foods and spice blends from around the globe have skyrocketed our palates to exciting, more complex global, culinary mashups and we want more.

Mexican and Asian foods have influenced American cuisine for centuries. They are now in every corner of the United States and have emerged into our culinary mainstream. Common Mexican herbs and spices coriander, allspice, cloves, thyme, Mexican oregano, Mexican cinnamon (Ceylon), cumin, citrus, cilantro, and cacao demonstrate the scope of Mexican food. We see this today as Latin chefs delve deeper into their regional culinary heritage.

Common Asian spices include basil, cassia (cinnamon), cilantro, coriander, chiles, cloves, cumin, galangal, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, spearmint, star anise, and turmeric. What is amazing about the blending of Asian and Mexican cuisine is the flavor profiles are similar, and attributed to our obsession for heat. A example of the fusion of these two cuisines is Potstickers with puerco pibil (seasoned pit-roasted pork), served with pineapple salsa and pipián verde (green pumpkin seed sauce). The very nature of Caribbean cuisine makes it profoundly dynamic. It is a fusion of African, Creole, Cajun, Amerindian, European, Latin American, Indian/South Asian, Middle Eastern, and Chinese settlers who brought their foods, spices, and traditions to their then new homes in the Caribbean.

Today, the residents of Caribbean countries have created styles that are unique to the region. Most common in island dishes are rice, plantains, beans, cassava, cilantro, bell peppers, chickpeas, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, coconut, fruits, and meats that are locally available. This includes beef, poultry, pork, or fish. Modern tropical flavors can include items like coconut chutney, pineapple-habanero glaze, cilantro chimichurri, and passionfruit barbecue sauce to a spiced rum-guava glaze, jerk brine, and caramelrum syrup. With mood-boosting, vibrant colors, ingredients, and a feeling of island-escape, tropical flavors uplift and energize us. While our nation continues to crave comfort food, these tropical flavors and ingredients served with many a chefs’modern touch, answer another important need right now: joy.

Spices and Blends

Today, 21 countries are considered Mediterranean as they border on the Mediterranean Sea. Spices are unlimited. Most widely used are basil, bay leaf, black pepper, cloves, coriander, cumin, dill, fennel, garlic, lavender, lemon, and apricot. Also included are marjoram, mint, oregano, parsley, paprika, rosemary, saffron, sage, savory, sumac, tarragon, thyme, and turmeric. Combining these herbs and spices is what gives regional expression to Mediterranean cooking. They make a dish Greek or Morrocan, or Italian, depending upon the herbs and spices used.

The increasing popularity of Mediterranean and African cuisines has led to a rise in the demand for their various spice blends. These traditional blends are being used in American food preparation. Baharat used in Eastern Mediterranean cooking, is savory, slightly sweet, and has subtle heat. It flavors rice pilafs, couscous, soups, and stews. It is often used as a dry rub for meat (especially lamb), and vegetables. Za’ atar spice is a mixture of sesame seeds, dried sumac, and other herbs. Excellent in hummus, yogurt dips, in olive oil for dipping flatbreads, and just about anything else. Ras el Hanout translates to ‘top shelf ‘in Arabic, referring to the best spices a store has to offer. The blends vary from regions, towns, and even from family to family. From France, quatre épices is a blend of four spices, typically ground black and/or white pepper, cloves, nutmeg, and ginger. Considered the “French allspice,” the spice blend is quite different from the French blend, herbs de province.

Garam masala is a spice blend popular in the countries of Southeast Asia and in Northern India. In India, garam masala is well known for its use in the spicy chicken dish, tikka masala. The spice blend consists of cinnamon, cardamom, cumin, coriander, and pepper. Bafat is a traditional Mangalorean blend of ground spices such as red chilis, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, peppercorns, mustard seeds, and turmeric. Each spice is dryroasted until fragrant, slightly browned and ground.

Barbecue, The Spice of America

Barbecue is a staple seasoning blend in American cooking. Some culinary historians feel barbecue is the original American cuisine. It has evolved into what it is today through the blending of cultures (and other influences), reflecting the melting pot that is this America. The cuisine began during the Colonial Era in Virginia as colonists learned smoking and drying meats over an open flame from Native Americans. British settlers then put their own twist on it basting with butter or vinegar, to keep the meat moist while grilling over an open flame. Years later, as slaves from the Caribbean were brought to the U.S., they also brought their own flavors, spices, and techniques. transparency transparency knowledgeor knowledgeor appealing to a appealing to a products. Lack products. Lack a business less a business less environmental environmental environmental environmental American barbecue was born.

A popular all-round barbecue spice is made of brown sugar, paprika, black pepper, salt, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper. There are also four main regional varieties of barbecue in the United States Carolina, Kansas City, Memphis, and Texas. Barbecue spice blends reflect the flavors of the settlers of the regions.

Today varieties of trending barbecue blends have increased as our plates have grown. Americans love for coffee continues to grow as does coffee spiced barbecue seasoning. With the consumers concern for good health, cinnamon with its’ antibacterial, antifungal, and antimicrobial properties is added to spice blends. Apple lovers can add pulverized dried apples to their spice rub, (delicious on pork). Adding smoked salts and smoky peppers such as chipotle, can take an apple spice barbecue seasoning in another direction. Add five spice and Sichuan peppercorns for a Chinese rub. To give it an Indian flavor, add curry and anise to an all-round favorite blend.

FACTS: Here is what you need to know

Eastern Mediterranean, North African, and Indian cuisines are among the top influencers for Gen Z consumers leaning toward the complex layering of flavor from countries that border the Mediterranean. With the growing popularity of competition barbecue, a Mintel survey showed 87% of consumers displaying interest in BBQ flavors, such as Kansas City Style BBQ, Sweet Southern Heat, and Nashville Hot. Consumer and category research also found that “seasoned” flavors appeal to a broad audience. Hot and spicy heat will continue to rise in demand with jalapeno being the number one pepper. There is a growing interest in varietals that add heat and depth of flavor, including aji amarillo, guajillo, habanero, Hatch, ancho, serrano and poblano.

There is also interest in spicy-and-sweet blends, with combinations that provide multidimensional heat as the sweet heat builds. This includes profiles like honey siracha, mango habanero and peach hatch.

THE PROS: What they are saying

“Our biggest growth area has been our blends at Spicewalla, and you can pretty much time it to the pandemic starting. Our business quadrupled since the pandemic started, and the majority of that business has been blends.” Chef Meherwan Irani, Spicewalla, September 2020 “The fun, bright and refreshing notes of tropical flavors present an opportunity to breathe a ‘feel-good vibe’ into menu development. Tropicals can add allure to both vegan and vegetarian dishes. Chef Rob Corliss, ATE culinary consultancy, January 14, 2022 “Tropicals can add allure to vegan and vegetarian dishes. Desserts with a tropical flair engage the palate with new levels of sophistication. Tropical flavor descriptors on menus make beverages come alive with excitement. Consumers are drawn to ingredients with a perceived health halo, and in this category, tropical delivers big.” Chef Rob Corliss, ATE culinary consultancy, January 14, 2022

“When you look at a blend, and what they chose to put in that blend, it lets you know about the people, the way they cooked, what grew there, what immigrant influences arrived there that brought with them these new types of spices, and how it all came together. A really good blend, to me, is a melting pot of cuisine that lets you understand the history of that region and that food.” Chef Meherwan Irani, Spicewalla, September 2020

“The trend in tropical today is about adding elements that lift up the whole profile. You’ve got the sweet with the heat, the sweet with warm spices like cinnamon and allspice. Most importantly, you have the essential part of the tropical experience, the flavor of fire. Fire you get it with the jerk pits in Jamaica and the charring and grilling of all of exotic fruits. The spices are not just added to the pineapple or the mango or the tamarind—they’re caramelized. And it’s the caramelized aspect that happens with fire that really brings the ‘tropical escape’ to a new level.” Pam Smith, nutritionist and culinary consultant Flavor&the Menu, January 14, 2022

IN CONCLUSION

From exotic to comforting and even with holistic characteristics, this upcoming year will provide excitement and innovation in the spice world. Chefs are delving deeper into using global spices and blends for all meal applications from beverages to entrees, to desserts pushing through the culinary boundaries previously created. With the concern for good health, adding spices as nutraceuticals to foods are gaining is consumer curiosity. We see these spices used alone and in seasoning blends. This year will be a growing one in the world of spices and new ethnic fusion.