EHL Ingredients has launched six new organic and conventional herb and spice blends which, according to the company, offers “an international twist on traditional Christmas recipes.” Tasneem Backhouse, Joint Managing Director, also predicts the flavor trends we can expect to see riding the waves in 2019, including Timut pepper, a Nepalese pepper variety, edible flowers, botanicals and flavors from across the globe.

The company is offering food manufacturers and caterers a range of blends for beef, game, fish and vegetables, a sweet mixed spice seasoning and a gluhwein mix for wine, cider and alcohol-free beverages. 

The sweet mixed spices are ideal for Christmas puddings, stollen and fruit loaves as well as modern recipes, such as spiced orange and cranberry cake and mince pie variants, says the company.

The blends are also vegan and can be used on meat-free foods, such as squashes, as well as pulses, nuts and alternative roasts. 

The blends include the following ingredients: 

• Beef – black pepper, chili, cumin and coriander 
• Game – fennel, black pepper and juniper
• Fish – lemon, pink peppercorns, dill, paprika and cumin
• Vegetable – cumin, paprika, turmeric and black pepper
• Sweet spice – cinnamon, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, black pepper and ginger 
• Gluhwein – cassia, ginger root, nutmeg, star anise, allspice and black pepper 

The festive blends are an addition to the seasonal range already offered by EHL Ingredients, designed to add alternative flavors and textures to Christmas dinners and tap into consumers’ growing love of world cuisine. 

EHL Ingredients also offers a range of stuffing mixes in organic and conventional formats, including a spicy cranberry and a nutmeg, cassia and black pepper mix to be incorporated into main course meat dishes, such as prepared turkey or beef joints, or used in dry formats to create stuffing mixtures and balls. 

Kath Davies, New Product Development Manager at EHL Ingredients, explains: “We know that not everyone chooses a turkey for Christmas dinner, with many consumers now opting for beef, game and whole fish, such as salmon or sea bass, as well as vegetarian and vegan alternatives.”

“Modern tastes are changing and people are looking for variety and new and interesting flavor combinations. Food manufacturers and foodservice outlets should offer alternatives to traditional turkey dinners over the festive period and these new blends allow them to develop appealing dishes to suit modern palates,” she says. 

“Christmas is always a significant period for food manufacturers and dining outlets. It’s important to stay one step ahead and use interesting, quality products that consumers will love and enjoy over the festive period,” Davies notes.

Tasneem Backhouse, Joint Managing Director at EHL Ingredients (pictured), tells FoodIngredientsFirst: “We have introduced new seasonal blends and spice mixes incorporating fennel, cumin, ginger, dill, pink peppercorns and star anise to bring new flavor combinations to Christmas foods and dishes.”

What flavor trends can we expect to see in 2019?

According to Backhouse, Timut pepper, a Nepalese pepper, is expected to be “the” ingredient in 2019. 

Timut pepper is a hot, spicy pepper with citrus notes and can be used in traditional dumplings, noodle soups and broths and marinades, but it’s more frequently seen in alcoholic drinks, including gins and cocktails. 

She says: “It’s a zesty spice from Nepal with a grapefruit-like flavor and is a great addition to condiments, chutneys, sauces and in Indian and Asian cuisine.”

Turmeric is also set to continue its rise in popularity, claims Backhouse. “Turmeric is loaded with nutrients, vitamins and minerals and is used widely in Indian and Chinese medicine and cookery. It can be used in tea and smoothies, in Asian breads and curries, as a meat, fish or vegetable marinade and within soups,” she explains. 

Edible flowers and botanical flavors are expected to become more mainstream, according to Backhouse, not only as food decorations for visual appeal but also within dishes for an aromatic addition. 

In terms of foods from around the world, consumers are looking for international foods from specific regions now, not just countries. wher once cuisines might have been grouped as more generally Middle Eastern, Caribbean, Indian or Asian, consumers are now open to more distinct, unusual flavors with exotic sounding names. 

“Ras el hanout and harissa are examples of spice blends that have gone from being relatively unknown in the UK, to spice cupboard staples and we’re expecting a similar pattern of availability and demand for seasonings such as Zhug (Yemeni), Mimita (Ethiopian) and Bezar (Arab Emirates),” she continues. “We have also developed blends such as our Korean BBQ seasoning and Vadouvan curry powder – a specialty from Pondicherry (India) – to meet the demand for regional specialties and create a point of differentiation in the marketplace.” 

Mexican food is set to continue its popularity and Backhouse predicts that Peruvian, Brazilian, Lebanese and Levantine cuisine will appear more frequently on supermarket shelves and on food service menus, as people become more familiar with the flavors used to create different meals and accompaniments. 

“Popular high street restaurants and chains, as well as pop up market stalls, are driving the popularity of these cuisines and now shoppers want to recreate these dishes themselves at home so retailers should stock up on meals, kits, herbs, spices and seasonings to ensure shoppers can access the right ingredients,” she adds. 

It is also important to consider free-from world foods to include vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free options to suit modern consumer lifestyle choices and health conditions, says Backhouse.

“Vegans of all ages are embracing an animal-free diet, so it’s important to provide tasty and nutritious foods to meet this demand. Adding spices and blends brings color, flavor, texture and taste to dishes, accompaniments and on-the-go snacks, so it’s essential to offer quality, authentic foods for today’s well-traveled and culturally diverse consumers.”

Alternative flours, using pulses, pulse powders and vegetable flours, are a growing and noticeable trend, Backhouse notes. 

“Pea, beetroot and lentil flours and powders can be used in vegan and gluten-free baking as an alternative to the usual wheat flour. They bring color and enhanced visual appeal to finished products, such as low carb, vegetable-based bread products.”

“Vibrant red, pink and green wraps, pittas, loaves and bread rolls will certainly appeal to today’s health-conscious consumers and the Instagram generation. It also means consumers are getting one of their five a day with their morning toast or lunchtime wrap,” she states.  

2019 looks set to bring more exciting food trends as tastes and preferences develop, according to Backhouse. “Social media influencers, bloggers, health and fitness enthusiasts, and celebrity chefs play a huge role in encouraging consumers to follow certain diets and food trends,” she concludes. 

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