Page 69 - Healthy (March - April 2020)

FOOD

Sour brings distinction and clarity, and we beneit – not just because
it ofers balance and contrast, but
and pulls flavours out from a fog satisfaction, too. ‘Sugar gives instant
gratiication, but sour is more quietly,
deeply rewarding,’ says Diacono.
Transforms Your Cooking (Quadrille, agency The Food People (thefoodpeople. As well as making your cooking
from £12.50, otterfarm.co.uk). ‘I’ve co.uk). ‘Everything from sour beer and better, sour can also make it healthier.
always loved sour, but my diet had dairy, to tart fruits and tangy spices, ‘You tend to cut down on both salt and
sweetened over the years,’ he explains. have illed our baskets and adorned sugar, and use them in better balance,’
‘I started playing with sour and realised menus.’ THP, who provide content and says Diacono. And there are plenty
how many brilliant options there are, social media services to marketers, of options, from sharp citrus, rhubarb
and how healthy they are for us – either agree. In their 2020 Flavour & Trend and cherries, to spices like sumac,
because they’re packed with vitamin C Forecast, tartness came second on the ingredients like dried barberries, and
or beneicial bacteria, or they make list. ‘Sour foods are growing in popularity condiments like pomegranate molasses.
more nutrients in food available to us.’ because of exactly what they are not: ‘Consumers have a growing interest in
Many of us already have a sour tooth sweet,’ they asserted. cuisines where sour proiles are more
– as a nation we buy 65,000 tonnes of As well as helping us move away dominant,’ says Edwards. ‘Think of tart
lemons a year to sharpen everything from sweet lavours, tart or acidic tamarind in Asian dishes and preserved
from salad dressings to pancakes, but ingredients are a must-have for balance. lemons in Middle Eastern cuisine.’
we want more. Food producers have ‘Adding a squeeze of lemon or a capful Want more proof of our collective
gradually added sugar to every foodstuf of vinegar at the end of making a soup souring? Among supermarket food
from the obvious (chocolate, biscuits, separates out all the ingredients,’ says trends for 2020 was Middle Eastern
cake) to the ridiculous (soup, bread, Diacono. ‘It brings distinction and food cooked at home, with increases
cereal), and now we want a break. clarity and pulls favours out from in sales of sour spices like sumac and
‘It’s like we have a load of craving chips a perfectly pleasing fog, to make them za’atar. Meanwhile, the global vinegar
– like gambling chips – and we’ve spent more distinguished, so “leekandpotato” market reached a value of £1bn in 2018.
them all on sugar,’ says Diacono. ‘I love soup becomes leek and potato soup.’ ‘We’re able to access more ingredients
sweetness, but it’s like only playing Chef Samin Nosrat’s book and Netlix and foods of so many more cultures,
music from your favourite artist – after spinof, Salt Fat Acid Heat, also lauds from chaat masala to black limes,’ says
a while, it’s not enough – you need sour’s transformative impact. ‘Acid Diacono. ‘You won’t ind many recipes
something else, and for me that’s sour.’ makes food mouth-watering,’ she says. across the whole of Asia and the
His experience of wanting to move ‘It lifts lavour and sets of chemical Middle East that don’t use an element
away from cloying sweetness is one reactions that change food’s colour and of sourness. Once you’re through the
many of us can identify with, and it’s texture.’ According to Nosrat, you use door, you won’t look back.’
pushing the trend for tartness. ‘The salt to enhance, but acid to balance.
demonisation of sugar over the past 10 We do it instinctively when it comes
years has seen the rise in more savoury to things like dressings, which always
lavour proiles, and in particular, tangy, include a sharp element, whether from Three to try
sour notes,’ says Olivia Edwards, head vinegar or lemon juice. But broaden
of foodwatching at food trend spotting sourness across more of our cooking Kombucha
1 Not ready to make your own?
This one is ready to drink. Captain
Kombucha Original Bio-Organic
E M B R AC E T H E T R E N D Drink (£2.99, 400ml)

l SPRINKLE CHAAT MASALA Apple cider vinegar
‘It’s an amazing spice blend. The sourness comes from amchur, which 2 Made from organic cold-
is made from sliced mango laid out in the sun to dry, then pounded into pressed Spanish apples. Drink
it or use it in dressings. Tree Of
a powder. Season your sweet potato fries with it, sprinkle it on scrambled
Words Laura Potter. Photograph Stocksy l ADD VINEGAR With The Mother (£2.29, 500ml)
Life Organic Apple Cider Vinegar
eggs – it works with everything,’ says Mark Diacono.
‘A few drops of vinegar on apricot halves before roasting both brings out
their glorious acidity and amplifies their sweetness.’
Pickling spice
3 Use this for added spicy
l DRINK TART
sharpness. The Vital Ingredient
‘If you want to investigate the fermented stuff, but you’re slightly nervous
Pickling Spice (£2.99, 100g).
dealing with bacteria, start with drinks like water kefir and kombucha.
All at hollandandbarrett.com
They’re easy to find, easy to make and impossible not to love.’
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