As the year ends, we revisit some of our favorite products of the year.

They’re all Top Picks Of The Week, but they’re the ones that we can’t stop eating. If you’re looking for something new and special, we strongly recommend them. In alphabetical order, we present:

 
BETTER-FOR-YOU FOODS

Better Beans

Most of us should eat more beans, a good source of protein and nutrients. Ready-to-eat better beans can be used as a dip, spread or side.

Here’s the review.
 
 
Superseedz Flavored Pumpkin Seeds

Seeds are better-for-you snack foods. Superseedz seasons them so deftly, that whether you want sweet or savory, you’ll fall hard. They also make great garnishes.

Here’s the review.
 
 
DRINKS

Casa Noble Tequila

We taste a lot of fine vodkas, but the one that stands head and shoulder above the rest is Casa Noble Tequila. It’s a fitting name.

Here’s the review.
 
 
SNACKS

Farmer’s Pantry Cornbread Crisps

If you love cornbread, these crisps satisfy the longing. They’re crispy instead of crumbly, room temperature instead of warm, but they hit the spot.

Here’s the review.
 
 
SWEETS

Cookies From Jane Bakes

These cookies (photo #2), which are of a softer style, are so satisfying that they substitute for our first love, which is cake. There are two gluten-free flavors.

Here’s our review.

[3] Chili chocolate chunk halva is just one of some two dozen irresistible flavors (photo courtesy Seed + Mill).

Halva lovers, look no further. This halva (photo #3) is heavenly, in more flavors than you’ll have time to eat.

Here’s our review.
  

[2] The oyster is in the drink, which is garnished with the Bloody Mary’s classic celery stick (at Seviche | Louisville).

[3] Decorate a serving plate for passing the shooters, with coarse salt, black, green and pink peppercorns (photo courtesy James Beard Foundation).

[4] The Murph’s Famous Bloody Mary mix (photo courtesy MurphsFamous.com).

January 1st is National Bloody Mary Day. Here’s a great way to start the year: Bloody Mary Oyster Shooters.

It’s a charmer of a drink that also helps with that inevitable New Year’s resolution: lose a few pounds. The are fewer than 75 calories per shot, including the oyster.

We adapted this recipe from one on Chowhound. Instead, you can use your own Bloody Mary recipe, or a good mix like The Murph’s Famous.

Or, simply make a tall Bloody Mary and serve with an oyster or two.
 
 
RECIPE: BLOODY MARY OYSTER SHOOTERS

Ingredients Per Shooter

 
Preparation

1. COMBINE all ingredients in a shot glass. Stir lightly and top with the oyster.

This technique works for 4 to 6 drinks. For a larger number, consider mixing in a pitcher.
 
 
THE MURPH’S FAMOUS BLOODY MARY MIX

The Murph (Stephen Murphy) was a stockbroker living on Long Island when he started to think of businesses to start.

He hit upon his “famous” Bloody Mary mix, developed years earlier. Putting on the mantle of entrepreneur, he got it into bottles (no easy task) and it’s now sold in 28 states in the eastern U.S.

Discover more at MurphsFamous.com.

We are very fussy about our Bloody Mary recipe. We enjoy several of Virgin Marys during the week and like our seasonings just so.

While we typically mix our own, The Murph’s Famous has a pleasing combination that only needs for us to add some more Worcestershire sauce (we like a lot of it).
 
 
THE HISTORY OF TOMATO JUICE AS AN APPETIZER

In our grandmother’s time, a glass of tomato (pronounced toe-MAH-toe by fashionable people) juice started off almost every dinner.

The glass, four to six ounces, was served on a small plate, on top of a paper doily.

A silver salver was passed, containing Worcestershire sauce, prepared horseradish and lemon wedges. The big treat, for a child, was the bowl of oyster crackers.

Nana was not wealthy, but in those days, even a middle class household could be elegant. If you chance to see menus from top restaurants of yore, you’ll notice tomato juice under the appetizers.

It was popular for decades, on the menus of American and Continental restaurants through the 1960s and into the 1970s.

Tomato Juice Turns Into Tomato Juice Cocktail

Tomato juice was well known and available in cans in the 19th century, but it came into vogue—a fashionable drink—in the 1920s.

A chef at the French Lick Resort Hotel in French Lick, Indiana is said to have been the first in the U.S. to include a tomato juice appetizer on a restaurant menu in 1917 (tomato juice does not seem to appear on American menus prior to World War I).

As the idea spread, chefs created non-alcoholic tomato juice cocktails with the addition of Tabasco sauce, paprika, sauerkraut juice, clam juice, etc. (mix well, shake until foamy and pour over crushed ice). (The Bloody Mary was created not long after.)

Restaurants tried all sorts of combinations, according to Restaurant-ing Throughout History:

 
Today, that early tomato juice cocktail made with Worcestershire, hot sauce and/or horseradish, lemon or lime juice, and perhaps other seasonings (celery salt, paprika, pepper) is known as…the Virgin Mary.
 
 
MORE BLOODY MARY RECIPES

Sustainability and health/better-for-you choices are two major 2018 trend. Look for:

 
Here are the top 10 food trends.
 
1. PLANT-BASED FOODS

Plant-based options are proliferating in many categories beyond meat substitutes. Categories like cheese and frozen desserts are enjoying growth in plant-based subcategories (plant-based typically means dairy-free).

As for meat alternatives, algae is winning fans. 2018 will bring more plant-based convenience foods, too.
 
 
2. UPCYCLED PRODUCTS

As consumers become more aware of how much food is wasted in the U.S., upcycled products—made from ingredients and scraps that would have otherwise be discarded—will have more appeal.

We’re already seeing pressed juice made from imperfect fruit, chips made from fruit pulp, and snack bars made from spent grain from the beer-making process.

Check out these “spent grain” foods: everything from baked goods to granola.

Expect more products to hit the market in the coming year.
 
 
3. FILIPINO CUISINE

Overshadowed by other Asian cuisines, the foods of the Philippines have not yet captured a broad U.S. audience.

That’s shifting, as American palates have become more sophisticated and attuned to the complex flavors and bitter or sour notes of Filipino dishes.

Chefs and tastemakers are taking to this cuisine, which has been called “the original fusion cuisine.” The dishes draw from Spanish, Malaysian, Chinese, Japanese, Indian and American ingredients and recipes.
 
 
4. GOTH FOOD

Possibly a reaction to the 2017’s deluge of rainbow and unicorn foods, black is the new black.

Activated charcoal—produced by heating coconut shells to extremely high temperatures until they are carbonized—is gaining superfood status for its reported detoxifying attributes.

But it’s also fashion food: It’s being used to make black-hued food, in everything from pizza crust to lemonade to ice cream.

We’ll see the trend spread in the coming year.
 
 
5. ALT-SWEET

With sugar topping the list of dietary watch-outs, consumers continue to look to alternative sweeteners for lower glycemic impact, fewer added-sugar calories, intriguing sweet flavors and sustainable footprints.

Syrups made from dates, sorghum, and even yacon and sun root, will join monk fruit on the market as emerging options for sweet.

[2] Watch for more dairy-free, plant-based cheese, a.k.a. vegan cheese (photo courtesy Blissful Basil | Brit.co).

[3] Goth food—so-called because it’s black—is made with activated charcoal. Look for everything from croissants and waffles to ice cream (photo courtesy Twigg Studios).

[5] If your state has legalized recreational marijuana, expect lots of products and cookbooks (photo courtesy Wake And Bake Cookbook).

More is more when it comes to product labeling. Consumers will seek greater on-label visibility into the farms, ingredient sources, and supply chain of each item in their shopping basket.

GMO transparency is among the most prioritized details. Shoppers want new depths of information across the spectrum, including Fair Trade certification, responsible production, and no animal testing.
 
 
7. ROOT TO STEM

Between nose-to-tail butchery and reducing food waste, a few forces are combining to inspire root-to-stem cooking.

That means utilizing the entire fruit or vegetable, including parts like the peel, stems or leaves, that are less commonly eaten in the U.S.
 
 
8. CANNABIS CUISINE

The legalization of marijuana—first for medicinal purposes, then for recreational purposes—has created an industry in marijuana-enhanced foods and beverages.

As more states legalize recreational marijuana*, the varieties of pot-enhanced foods will increase.

Look for continued interest, availability and acceptance in a host of snacks, treats, and beverages with “a little something extra.”
 
 
9. MORE MIDDLE EASTERN FOODS

Foods like hummus, pita, and falafel have become mainstream; but consumers are ready to explore the deep traditions, regional differences, and classic ingredients of Middle Eastern cuisines.

Look for more Israeli, Lebanese, Moroccan, Persian and Syrian influences, in restaurants and on the shelf.
 
 
10. TRADITIONAL BREADS

Although recent attention has focused on gluten-free options, the traditional side of bakery has been elevated by the same sourcing and fine-tuned production processes we see with proteins and vegetables.

Artisan bakers are using local grains, milling the day before baking, and incorporating long proofing times, re-inventing what good bread means.

The Trendspotter Panel says we’ll see even more:

 
It looks to be another exciting year in food!
 
 
________________

*It’s important to note that Federal law prohibits the possession, sale or distribution of marijuana; but its sale and use is declared legal under some state laws.

In the American South, a New Year’s Day meal of black-eyed peas and greens, such as collards, is considered good luck. The peas symbolize coins and the greens symbolize paper money.

A dish that combines both is the popular beans-and-rice combination, Hoppin’ John. Other favorites are black-eyed peas and ham, the peas often combined with collards (photo #3).

The custom is actually a lot older than the U.S., and began in the Middle East. Here’s the history of black-eyed peas as a good-luck food.

(Here are more foods that symbolize good luck.)

Some black-eyed peas trivia from the Library of Congress:

 
WHY ARE THEY CALLED PEAS?

Black-eyed peas are clearly beans, so why are they called peas?

Both peas and beans are both legumes with edible seeds. Each a separate genus in the Fabaceae botanical family. Some key differences:

 
If you’re still curious, here’s more on the differences.

Back to why black-eyed peas are called beans:

Bean is a term loosely applied to any legume whose seeds or pods are eaten. Black-eyed peas are in the bean genus, not the pea genus; but in the old days, most farmers didn’t know the difference.

Other beans popularly called “peas” are the chickpea and the pigeon pea.
 
BLACK-EYED PEAS RECIPES

There are endless recipes online; typically sides (with or without greens), green salads and bean salads.

[1] Black-eyed peas, which are beans. Depending on the variety, the beige color ranges from off-white to light tan (photo by Viktor Lugovskoy| IST ).

[2] Growing on the vine (photo courtesy Jesus Jazz Buddhism).

[3] In and out of the pod (photo courtesy Cheryl D. Lee | Zester Daily).

If you search for “black-eyed peas” online, the first zillion pages are for the music group called Black Eyed Peas (no hyphen).

We like the group, but they cause us to refine our search to black-eyed peas bean, food, etc.

The search-hogging band originally incarnated as rap group, Atban Klann; then Black Eyed Pods; and then the Black Eyed Peas.

[2] Filling the well with ice cream (photo courtesy Proud Italian Cook).

[3] A simpler take: no frosting needed. Here’s the recipe from Vincenzo’s Plate | Huffington Post.

In past years, we’ve offered ways to turn panettone and pandoro—Italian holiday breads—into foods from fondue and tiramisu to PB&J and Nutella sandwiches.

 
This year’s tip: Turn your your panettone into a holiday ice cream cake (the difference between panettone, pandoro and panforte).

It couldn’t be easier. Just cut the panettone in half, scoop out a well in the center and fill it with ice cream. The sweet, yeasty dough, filled candied fruits and nuts, is a delicious complement to ice cream.

You can:

 
We adapted this recipe from Proud Italian Cook.
 
 
RECIPE: PANETTONE ICE CREAM CAKE

Make this recipe one or two days in advance, so the ice cream can harden.

Ingredients

1. CUT the panettone in half horizontally with a serrated knife (if using two pints of ice cream, make the cut higher, at the 2/3 mark). Hollow out the lower portion, leaving a 1-inch base and sides.

2. BRUSH the cut surfaces of the panettone with the optional liqueur.

3. FILL the well with the first flavor of softened ice cream, packing it down firmly (photo #2). Add the optional layer bof brandied cherries. Top with the second layer of ice cream and firmly add the top layer.

If using frosting you can frost the cut rim on the bottom layer as “glue” to help adhere the top (but you won’t be frosting the top until the next day).

4. WRAP the entire panettone in plastic wrap and place it in the freezer until the ice cream hardens. To serve…

5. REMOVE the cake from the freezer, place on a serving platter, and garnish the top as desired (photo #1). Slice and serve.
 
Want a fast hack?

 
 
PANETTONE & PANDORO HISTORY

Who first created these sweet holiday breads, and when? Here’s the scoop.