LOS ANGELES (AP) – Cacique® Inc. – one of the country’s top authentic Mexican food brands – is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month by partnering with some of the most respected voices in the culinary industry to unveil What’s Next in Mexican Cuisine. Spotlighting the profound influence Mexican cuisine has in America, the company’s second annual forecast includes food and beverage trends to watch for in 2020 alongside trend-inspired recipes developed by the panelists.
Cacique curated a panel of top culinary talent to develop this year’s predictions. Led by the company’s long-term partner, award-winning chef and TV personality Aarón Sánchez, the panel also includes the talents of James Beard Best Chef West semifinalist Chef Claudette Zepeda and Chef Thomas Ortega of Amor y Tacos in Los Angeles, as well as the unique perspectives of James Beard award-winning food writer and author Bill Esparza and Mixologist Alex Valencia of La Contenta in New York.
“We created What’s Next in Mexican Cuisine to extend our brand values – Family, Integrity, Quality and Authenticity – beyond the products that we craft every day, and shine a light on the impact Mexican cuisine has in our country during an important time for our community, Hispanic Heritage Month,” said Gil de Cardenas, Chief Executive Officer, Cacique, Inc.
The top Mexican food and beverage trends for 2020 include:
- Mexican herbs like hoja santa, epazote and marjoram will rise to the top as a flavor trend, showing up in cocktails and dishes alike
- Nixtamalization – an ancient process that transforms corn into masa – will enter the spotlight as a revered culinary technique when it comes to making fresh, homemade tortillas and tamales
- Interest in plant-based cooking will extend into Mexican cuisine as chefs swap meat for popular and regional vegetables in traditional dishes
- From chapulines to escamoles, more people will begin embracing insects as ingredients, particularly when incorporated into sauces
- The Yucatan Peninsula and Central Mexico will stand out as hot spots influencing Mexican cuisine as a whole, and as culinary destinations
- The Valle de Guadalupe will pick up steam as one of the world’s hottest up-and-coming wine regions
- Pulque, tepache and Mexican whiskeys will heat up as trending cocktail ingredients
- As access to more fresh and regional ingredients grows, home chefs will be more empowered to cook from scratch in their own kitchens
- Young chefs will take inspiration from their family and regional heritage, but modernize these Mexican traditions with their own twists
- Mexican cuisine will be more recognized as complex and layered – rather than always spicy and heavy
Each of the panelists designed a recipe that embodies their predictions, so that anyone can experience next year’s top Mexican food trends right in their own kitchens. The recipes include
- Tamales with Jackfruit “Carnitas” by Chef Aarón Sánchez,
- Celery Root and Potato Taquitos by Chef Claudette Zepeda, a
- Short Rib Birria QuesaTaco by Chef Thomas Ortega, a
- Mini Brefas Tlayuda by Bill Esparza and a
- Chorizo Old Fashioned by Mixologist Alex Valencia.