The New American Pantry
Recently, I was looking through old files, trolling for recipe inspiration for a Twitter campaign. It was a revelation.
When you’ve worked in the food business as long as I have, you’re aware of the constant evolution, of course. We try to anticipate where food is heading and to catch the wave for our clients.
But it’s only by looking back over decades that the true magnitude of change becomes evident. Old recipes often called for bouillon cubes instead of chicken or beef broth. A daring cook added a bit of curry powder, garlic powder or a touch of paprika. “Parsley” meant curly parsley, not the flat-leaf Italian kind. Nuts were pretty exclusively for desserts and baked goods.
Being in PR, we help to instigate or accelerate change. A walnut campaign I worked on as a mid-level account writer many years ago included a brochure of recipes from chef Joyce Goldstein, acclaimed at the time for her Mediterranean restaurant, Square One. It featured such dishes as Caramelized Onion, Walnut and Gorgonzola Pizza; Fettuccine with Goat Cheese, Swiss Chard and Walnuts; and Baked Fish with Walnut-Coriander Chutney. At the time, it was groundbreaking for a nut to be so central to a meal. Today, it’s expected.
Take a look in your pantry. Did you always have coconut milk, balsamic vinegar, wasabi, fish sauce, kalamata olives, sriracha sauce, hot chili oil, Thai curry pastes, harissa or green cardamom pods? When did these ingredients find their way into your cooking?
It’s not just the ingredients we use today, but the frequency that speaks to changing habits. I go through cumin and thyme faster than any other spices on my spice rack. And I buy olive oil by the two-liter bottle, when before, a even a pint went rancid.
Most of us first encountered ingredients new to us at mom and pop restaurants with formica table tops. White tablecloth chefs began to experiment and incorporate these ingredients, and brought us fusion cuisine. Mixing and matching disparate flavors had shock value or a novelty factor, but more often than not, met with dismaying culinary results.
But time heals all. Through the years, we’ve become familiar with the ingredients of many countries, learning what they can contribute to a dish — saltiness, sweetness, heat, tartness, umami. We have learned to use these ingredients thoughtfully to make them our own. This isn’t just happening in foodie spots like New York or San Francisco, I see it everywhere in restaurants around the country. And we are using these ingredients in our own home kitchens, guided by food magazines, food blogs and TV cooking shows.
Today’s global influences have enriched American cuisine. We still love our burgers and fries But we want our tortas, sushi, bruschettas, shawarmas, banh mi, tapas and samosas, too.
