The experts tell us what we'll be eating in 2009

December 2, 1:20 PMFood ExaminerEric Burkett

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Assuming projections are correct, you'll be seeing the funky
looking starfruit in more than just your drinks.

Food trends, like fashion, come and go and there’s a lot of money to be made on well-informed guesses. Every year, London-based market research firm, Mintel offers up its projections for popular flavor trends over the upcoming year. The new projections are out. If Mintel’s guesses are correct, we’ll be seeing a lot of these flavors in 2009:

1. Persimmon: Long a popular fruit in Japan and among Japanese-Americans, persimmons are sweet and tart and lend themselves to a wide range of uses.
2. Starfruit: Also known as carambola, this must be the starfruit’s second go at trendiness in the US. The funky looking star-shaped fruit grows in tropical climates. I seem to recall its first big appearance in this country back in the 1980s.
3. Lavender: Popular for its supposed soothing qualities, it’s often an ingredient in bath oils and lotions, but it makes a wonderful addition to many dishes, as well. Try roasting pork or chicken with this herb. I know a baker in San Francisco who uses it to make lavender-and-salt-flavored shortbread.
4. Nopales: Also known as cactus paddles, nopales has long been a favorite ingredient in Mexican cooking, showing up in everything from stews to salsas to ice cream.
5. Chimichurri: When you think of foods from Argentina, you probably think of beef, and chimichurri is the classic accompaniment. Chimichurri is a tangy sauce made from parsley or cilantro and – depending upon which region of Argentina you’re from – any number of additional ingredients.
6. Peri-peri: Chili-heads should be on the lookout for this one. Peri-peri is a chili eaten widely throughout southern Africa, particularly in Angola and Mozambique – both former Portuguese colonies – and has been making inroads into Great Britain with the help of a restaurant chain called Nando’s. The chili’s heat can measure up to 175,000 Scoville Units.
7. Masala: The Hindi word for “mixture”, masala is probably best known as garam masala, a classic Punjabi blend of spices. Masalas can contain any number of different spices and are usually added to dishes just before they’re served. It's also a great radio station in Trinidad and Tobago.