Will broccoli be the new kale, or will cauliflower stand in the way of its glory?
Will we all go out to eat just to sit there in silence?
Will Akron finally legalize food trucks?
These are pressing food questions that face us as we enter 2014.
But before we get to those, let’s take a few minutes to look back at 2013 and all of the things the food year brought us.
Nationally, the cronut, that New York City pastry hybrid that’s one part doughnut and one part croissant, took the country by storm. Folks waited in line all day for one. They even forgot about cupcakes for a while.
Coconut oil found its place in the sun as our new healthy oil of choice, the pretzel bun was everywhere, and kale continued its ride on top of the produce pile. Thankfully, the bacon crazies seemed to fade a bit.
Locally, the food year had its high times and low points.
Akron City Council agreed to work on legislation to legalize food trucks in Akron, after truck operators began lobbying. Unfortunately, by year’s end, that was still a work in progress. Please, council, make this happen in 2014.
Sadly, Ninni’s on Tallmadge Avenue baked its last cannoli, and Akron farmer Don Bessemer stopped growing corn. We lost some other favorite haunts, too. The Crooked River Herb Farm in Wadsworth, Steak on a Stone in Copley, House Gourmet Chinese in Akron and Great Harvest in Fairlawn all closed.
The Caribou Coffees in Akron, Hudson, and Solon closed and reopened as Peet’s, while locations in Macedonia and Jackson Township weren’t as lucky. Neither were the Hattie’s Cafe locations in Hudson and in the Stubbs Justice Center in Akron, which closed in December.
Fortunately, the openings outweighed the closings.
Gourmet fare came to Solon and Green when Giant Eagle opened new Market District stores. A third is planned for Cuyahoga Falls. The Acme Fresh Market in Bath Township got a major facelift in 2013 and the company is building a brand new store in Green, making local shoppers the beneficiaries of an ongoing grocery store war.
There were plenty of new places to eat.
Gervasi Vineyards in Canton opened its newest eatery, the Crush House; Beau’s on the River came to the Sheraton Suites Akron/Cuyahoga Falls, replacing Piatto Novo; the Burntwood Tavern opened in Cuyahoga Falls; and Nicoletti’s Park Place opened in Coventry Township. Piscazzi’s Merchant Tavern came to Akron’s Merriman Valley, while the long-awaited Cellar 59 wine bar opened in Stow.
Nautivine Winery opened on the banks of Miller Lake in Green, and Cana Valley Winery opened in Atwater Township in Portage County. Akron’s West Side Bakery opened a second location in Green.
In 2013, we marked the passing of Isabelle George, 101, matriarch of the family who founded Akron’s Tangier Restaurant. She died Jan. 17 and was followed a day later by Mel Todaro, 84, longtime Akron caterer and owner of Todaro’s Party Center.
In October, Kent State University students and staff mourned the passing of chef John Goehler, senior associate director of dining services and campus executive chef, and a fixture in the student dining scene for more than 30 years.
Some of our local favorites celebrated landmark anniversaries in 2013. Belgrade Gardens, the restaurant that originated Barberton chicken, celebrated 80 years in business, as did the Peanut Shoppe in downtown Akron. Fiesta Pizza marked 50 years, and the Italian Center in Akron’s North Hill celebrated 25 years of hosting its spaghetti dinners.
There’s more to look forward to in 2014. Ray’s Place from Kent is expected to open its Fairlawn location later this month, and Nuevo Modern Mexican and Tequila Bar is also slated to open downtown soon.
Neither place has plans to adopt the newest food trend that is expected to take hold in 2014: dining in silence. New York restaurants, where all food trends begin, have begun offering meals where talking is prohibited. The idea is to enhance the dining experience by channeling greater focus to the food.
We’ll see if silent dining makes it to Akron. Of course, with as many folks as I see in restaurants with their noses in their phones, we already have a form of silent dining going on.
The trend spotters have done their best to tell us what to expect in the new food year.
The marketing firm JWT predicts that edible packaging for foods will become hot this year, along with ugly vegetables. Heirloom, organic vegetables that look less than perfect are expected to grow in popularity.
A survey of 1,300 chefs by the National Restaurant Association revealed that locally sourced meat and produce, and environmental sustainability will continue to be major driving forces behind their menu choices.
Look for gluten-free choices to grow even more, and new cuts of meat (Denver steaks, pork flat irons) to make their debuts.
The restaurant association survey also revealed that Peruvian foods will be on the rise in ethnic cuisine, while McCormick Spices’ annual Flavor Forecast predicts the obsession with chile peppers will continue, along with Indian, Mexican and Brazilian foods and flavors.
Finally this year, broccoli will continue its efforts to overtake kale as the “it” vegetable. Unfortunately, the green crucifer is expected to receive quite a challenge from its cousin, cauliflower.
Something tells me this battle could get smelly.
Happy Food Year, Akron! We have a lot of eating ahead of us.
Lisa Abraham can be reached at 330-996-3737 or at labraham@thebeaconjournal.com. Find me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter @akronfoodie or visit my blog at www.ohio.com/blogs/lisa.