2010 food trends

Expect to see a resurgence of family dinner and dinner parties according to the pundits who are also predicting an industrialised food backlash and with it the growing voice of consumers; the rise and rise of locally-sourced food, especially farmers markets; moves to ‘keep it simple’; more comfort food, in particular, baked treats; individual health agendas promoting less protein on our plates and more veg; a change in our drinking habits; more top notch street food (which fits in nicely with TV presenter Richard Johnson’s street food awards); and an increase in plant-conscience eating such as Fair Trade, ethical eating, sustainable fish and so on.

So, let’s start 2010 in trend-setting style with some timely suggestions from our Checkout contributors … Comfort food, especially in the grip of winter, has to be stews, casseroles, pies … and when the ingredients are on special offer, you can expect an even more delicious taste sensation.

Plumgarths at Kendal has Low Foulshaw (Levens) stewing beef on at only £8.49 for 3lbs, and braising steak at £9.49 for 3lbs. Get into ‘cocooning’ mood by serving in a giant Yorkshire pudding with a pile of mashed carrot and swede for an economical family meal.

Richardsons at Bowness also has several good deals on at the moment including a £10 meat pack comprising 1lb mince, 1lb any sausage, and a Cumbrian chicken.

While Hutchinsons at Coniston has my favourite oxtail on at only £2.50 per 500g (pop in a slow cooker with a tin of tomatoes, diced carrot and swede, plenty of black pepper and cook on low for about eight hours).

Mop up all those lovely juices with a sun-dried tomato bloomer or cheese and onion bloomer (£1.82) from Grange Bakery and serve with some seasonal greens which you will find in the ‘standard veg box’ (£9) from Growing with Grace at Clapham.

If you can’t visit either of these shops in person, then check them out at www.beelocal.co.uk, the Kendal-based on-line independent retailer shopping service.

Meanwhile, we have more comfort food courtesy of Kendal Fisheries including its famous fish pie mix (cod, haddock, hake, smoked haddock, salmon) at £5.50 per lb; and its own natural smoked haddock (£5.89 per lb) which is divine in a risotto with sliced leeks. Add some diced bacon for an even richer flavour.

You could also make a risotto with those same sliced leeks and a chunk of Colston Basset Stilton (Artisan, Kendal, £1.72 per 100g), or bring a whole new dimension to your cauliflower cheese sauce with a bit of blue (remember to add a teaspoon – or to taste - of English mustard to any savoury white sauce.) This week’s trend-setting baked treat has been devised by Sedbergh butcher Garth Steadman who has come up with an amazing ‘beef stroganov’ pie – fillet steak in a rich, creamy sauce encased in puff pastry. Baked fresh every day these individual pies cost £1.30 each.

To Greenbanks in Kendal for a sweet treat – dates at 55p per pack (2 for £1), which are, of course, the magic ingredient in the comfort food to end all comfort foods – sticky toffee pudding.

Finally, I want you to imagine a roaring log fire, and your chair in front of it. In your hand is a glass of ‘No. 9’ barley wine from Coniston Brewery, now on sale at Cartmel Village Shop. This heady brew (£2.25 / 275mls), which has an abv of 8.5 per cent, packs quite a powerful punch so sip slowly as you contemplate the foodie year ahead.

Here’s to a tasty one!