A WEEK into the new year and the latest lockdown has seen supermarket shelves emptied of stock.
While people panic buy and stockpile as a long stretch inside looms and a hard Brexit sinks in, what are we planning to eat?
If last year was the year of banana bread, then 2021 is tipped as the year of the banana skin.
According to a new report by leading chefs, fancy eggs, posh waffles and retro puddings will also hit the mark.
With veganism on the rise and the need for food waste to be reduced, the banana skin is emerging as a substitute for pork.
The report’s authors, who are behind the Young British Food And Drink Awards, also predict we’ll look back to comforting retro foods as well as innovative, environmentally friendly recipes over the next year.
Nostalgia plays a key role in the food trends which are expected to be prominent this year. Old-school desserts such as sticky toffee pudding and cherry pie are on the rise, as well as trifles – a pudding which saw a 35% increase in sales at Waitrose last year. It’s also expected that waffles will be in the spotlight in 2021, with #waffle gaining five million likes on Instagram.
Social media is also driving a new passion for eggs. The “tornado omelette” TikTok trend that involves twisting a whisked egg mixture into a camera-ready whipped tower has contributed to a spike in egg sales, according to Waitrose.
The supermarket’s annual food and drink report reveals that sales in eggs jumped 22% last year – a dramatic increase from the 3% annual rise witnessed since 2016.
The Quarter Master, however, has his own plans. I hazard a peek into supplies at The Store while he’s down in The Shed whittling sticks.
An industrial supply of pinhead oatmeal and a sack of broth mix confirm a wholesome approach to 2021. This is fine, as long as he goes easy on the Aldershot stock. Meanwhile, I have my hair shirt ordered on Amazon.
He might, however, be open to a few nostalgic puddings, as long as I don’t run down the dried egg and UHT milk supplies.
I consult my old friend Molly Weir. The recipe book, which my mother received as a gift in 1965, has seen better days. The pages have departed company from the spine and come in no particular order. To augment the culinary chaos, the leaves – many adorned with my toddler scribbles as I “helped” my mum bake – are stuffed with hand-written recipes acquired over the intervening years.
I eventually find most of the index, although it jumps erratically.
There’s a rather grand sounding “ground rice souffle” and a “party pudding”, which pushes the boat out with breadcrumbs, suet and candied peel. There is also much to do with bananas – “banana fluff”, “banana whip”, “banana custard pudding”, “banana trifle”, “bananas baked” and “banana sweet (simple)”.
There is no mention of banana skins, although I’m sure Molly could have turned her hand to something creative if required.
Maybe I’ll try the recipe for “steamed tapioca pudding”. It’s bound to look glam on Instagram.
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