BIG NEWS IN FLAVOR

Top 10 Flavor Pairings For 2007 Announced

HUNT VALLEY, Md. (January 2, 2007) – Tangerine and thyme, crystallized ginger and salted pistachio, wasabi and maple.  What do these flavors have in common?  Spanning sweet, hot, tangy, bitter, sour, and everything in between, they are just three of the trendy, tantalizing flavor pairings featured in the just-released McCormick^® Flavor Forecast 2007.  An annual look at the tastes that will define the year, this latest report reaches a whole new level, exploring 10 tempting pairs.  Teamed together, these intriguing combinations will be influencing the foods we eat in restaurants and at home. 

The mouth-watering, top 10 flavor pairings of 2007 are:

• Clove and Green Apple

• Thyme and Tangerine

• Tellicherry Black Pepper and Berry

• Sea Salt and Smoked Tea

• Lavender and Honey

• Crystallized Ginger and Salted Pistachio

• Cumin and Apricot

• Toasted Mustard and Fennel Seeds

• Wasabi and Maple

• Caramelized Garlic and Riesling Vinegar

“In creating this report, we examined two overarching trends influencing flavor,” said Laurie Harrsen, Director of Consumer Communications at McCormick.  “The first is the ever-expanding breadth of choices, specifically within individual ingredients.  Even staples like salt are now available in a diverse palette of flavor, color and texture.  Also, global cuisines, particularly those of North Africa, Asia and the Middle East, continue to drive our exploration of new foods and flavors.” 

Along with the flavor experts at McCormick, some of America’s top chefs, television personalities, and cookbook authors contributed their thoughts to the Flavor Forecast.  Visit www.mccormick.com to explore some simple, delicious recipes that showcase this year’s top flavor pairings. 

Since 2000, McCormick has forecasted the flavors and trends that will be on Americans’ plates. With an extensive network of researchers, trend experts, chefs, home economists, food technologists, and sensory analysts, McCormick & Company, Inc. keeps its finger on the pulse of flavor.  McCormick was founded in 1889 in Baltimore, and today is the largest spice company in the world. McCormick sources only the finest ingredients from around the globe to bring the highest quality flavors to consumers.