2013 Food Trend: Americans Love Cheese
No matter where you go in the world, there is something in international cooking schools that unites us all – cheese. Food trends have come and gone in the past, but the cheese, quite literally, stands alone.
Americans are loving cheese more than ever, according to the International Dairy Foods Association. The per capita consumption of natural cheese increased by 0.36 pounds per person from 2010 to 2012, resulting in one of the highest amounts on record. That’s a lot of cheese, folks, and chances are you are going to run into le fromage more than once in your culinary arts programs.
Many of the cheeses that are consumed in the United States are your standard varieties of mozzarella and cheddar. However, processed cheeses are actually becoming less popular among Americans, showing the influence of the the country’s growing desire for fresher, all-natural products.
Artisanal, old-world cheeses are also a staple for many chefs in fine-dining establishments. You’d be lucky to open a world-class cook’s fridge and not see at least one type of fancy cheese, no matter what country you’re from. Although old classics like cave-aged Swiss cheeses, pungent blues and smoked varieties are still loved all over the world, cheesemakers are beginning to get more experimental with the production processes.
According to The Huffington Post, some of the biggest trends in 2013 for cheese include various infusion stages. Everything from herbs to fruit to spicy elements are being added to cheese to give an extra edge. Like so many other components of the food and drink industry, small-batch cheeses are all the rage.
Where can you find America’s best cheeses? The regions along both coasts are known for their exceptional skills with queso. However, new companies in Colorado and Texas are also beginning to make names for themselves in the cheese industry.
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