Jim,

In my neck of the woods, after years of grilled skinless boneless chicken breast offerings accomplanied by steamed (virtually raw) broccoli, there's a strong comeback towards general comfort food on restaurant menus. Things like meatloaf & smashed potatoes, pot roast w/roasted veggies, we've even got a place here locally offering patty melt & French dip sandwiches. Those are two items I haven't seen in 20 years.

Disappearing are garlic mashed potatoes. They are being replaced by either old-fashioned plain or buttermilk, sour cream, & some with bacon and/or cheese.

Dessert offerings are also changing. Almost gone are the fancy chocolate creations & pies, that had basically disappeared, are once again on the menu.

There is an exception. The Food Network's Robert Irving came into town a couple months ago & re-did the Floodtide's menu. Irving took what he considered an "old-fashioned" menu & replaced it with the stuff I noted above as disappearing from other local restaurants. They even removed the locally infamous lobster crepes. (The Floodtide has already returned the crepes to the menu!)

Oh, we're also seeing HUGE stress on local organic ingredients. "Local Organic" seems to be the industry buzz phrase around these parts.

Panini sandwiches are another menu item that seems to have lost its luster.

/tricia

Without even thinking, it's the gawd awful green bean casserole.:-) I have never made it. Never understood what caused it to resurface. I know others love it and it's just my opinion. Like why they make brown shoes and black shoes.

And...without question I'm sure some things I love, others would turn up their nose at.

With nothing particular in mind there are many things I hope never go away.

Interesting thought...

-With food prices on the rise, I have a feeling home cooking may make a comeback. Along with that they'll make frugal use of foods and a comeback of old-fashioned dishes using simple ingredients - bread pudding anyone?

-Home canning is back in vogue. It seems like it comes and goes during each stretch of inflation when money is tight.

-Cupcakes are everywhere, but what happened to muffin tops?

-Folks into gardening are using more heirloom varieties.

-The thread asking about making divinity made me wonder if old-fashioned homemade candy wasn't making a comeback (dust those recipes off - lets have a taffy pull - LOL).

-Grainlady

Jim - I think you need to tell The Creperie at Reading Terminal Market that they are "waiting in the wings". Every time I go past they are packed with customers and have been for several years.

The comfort food resurgance has been going on for a couple of years and thankfully that silly fusion fad was gone as quickly as it started.

The other thing I will be happy to see go is those aweful cupcake places that create those gorgeous fondant works of art placed ever so artistically and are completely inedible. There is a new "caketeria" that just opened a couple of months ago here in my little town, and they have beautiful cupcakes that taste like cardboard. I would rather have cupcakes from Betty Crocker with the kids smearing homemade buttercream and sprinkles than another one of those monstrosities that tasted like dried out play-doh on top.

I dont have a culinary crystal ball, but IMHO I would like to see a return to some of the elegant classics. Chicken kiev, chateaubriand, beef wellington, etc.... but that's just me.

Alexa

Le plus ca change le plus c'est le meme chose.
Places like the dipping Pot and La Creperie will always be good....but things like cold duck and Mateus Rose are best left wherever they landed!
Linda C

Alexa,

"...I would like to see a return to some of the elegant classics. Chicken kiev, chateaubriand, beef wellington, etc....". I so agree with you.

That's the type menu our local Floodtide offered before Robert Irvine arrived in town. Now, the chateaubriand is gone as is the beef wellington. They've been replaced by this:

From the Floodtide menu...

"FILET MIGNON
Gorgonzola portabella crust, peppercorn demi glace, cajun roasted sweet potato $31"

I'm sorry, Mr. Irvine, but I don't believe many people come to coastal New England searching for a cajun seasoned sweet potato! (sigh)

I wish we had a restaurant serving crepes (to go)! I love crepes & I don't think DH will be making them anytime soon. :(

/t

I had thought about including home canning on my list of things making a comeback. But then I wondered if it might be on it's way out again. I think its popularity will continue with those who make specialty items like jam, jellies and sauces: not so much with those canning large quantities of fruits and vegetables for economic reasons. I could be wrong if food prices continue to rise.

I had the same reaction as grainlady to that thread on divinity. Is there an old-fashioned homemade candy trend developing? Today I saw a fudge "kit" at the grocery store.

It's interesting to hear that there is still a crepe restaurant. For a brief time ca. 1970 they were everywhere. There was at least one chain of crepe restaurants. I remember eating at one in downtown Philadelphia -- Walnut Street I think.

Perhaps cold duck and Mateus will not make a reappearance. American wine knowledge and tastes have progressed very far since the time they were in vogue.

Tricia, that menu description makes me cringe. We need a "back to the classics" movement. Things are out of control. I think your husband could learn to make crepes. They are quite easy. Nothing tricky about them at all, IMO. Crepes can even be made ahead and filled just before serving. If I'm right that they were once a fad, it's a fad worth reviving.

Jim

Jim:
I've seen many things come and go. Maybe it has to do with the Trend.

People try different things but it seems to always comes back to basics. ( home style cooking ).
Add a few little touches to that and you have your fancy dishes.

I have a 1930's Cookbook my wife used and wore it out.
It has so many great Photo's of Fancy foods.
They have faded in and out many times thru the years.

I would rather eat down home cooking and every once in a while have a good Dinner,in a nice Restaurant.
That's just my appetite.

Saves on the waistline too.
Lou

"They have faded in and out many times thru the years."

This thread was started on the assumption that all foods go through those cycles, like hemlines. If I had given it just a little more thought I would have realized that, when some things go, they are gone for good. And good riddance too! The truly good stuff continues to make an encore every now and then. It's time to dig out my crepe pan.

Jim

I think grainlady nailed it. Many trends are economically driven.

For instance, there has been a 10% increase in Spam sales recently.

I see two major food trends in the coming years. One is in healthier eating habits, motivatd by the awareness of the alarming obesity problem. The other is the continuing of fusion type of innovative cooking, buoyant by the popularity of cooking related TV shows.

dcarch

Grainlady wondered where the muffin tops have gone. I see them all the time, but on people, not muffins! lol

Sally

When I read my old cookbooks now I notice how simple the ingredient lists usually are. No pomegranite seeds, no fennel pollen, no Panko crumbs..so many of the new foods use ingredients unknown to us even 20 years ago..or if not unknown just not available. I like trying out the new stuff but I always return to the tried and true!
Joann

That's a good point, Joann. Today's trends point out how the food market and availability has expanded. Nearly everything is available every day, and lots of new stuff, too. But then, that brings up the question, is that going to change if the local food movement continues, or are people only going to use local ingredients as long as it's convenient, but opt for the imports if it suits their needs or wants at the time? I'm certainly guilty of the latter. (I type as I sip my coffee.)

Sally

Just by talking to people in our cooking store and seeing what they are buying I would say Fondue, popovers, cappuccino/espresso drinks, cocktails, and home made baked doughnuts are making a big come back. Fried things are going by the wayside. Home canning is also growing. Alas we don't carry items needed for that so I send them to the hardware store. More and more people are shopping local produce and going to farmers' markets also. Very happy to see that. NancyLouise