Move over kale. Cheese – as a food and as a flavoring – was named one of five food trends at the Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco in January. 

The show organizer, the Specialty Food Association, asked leading food writers to identify what’s hot in the world of upscale packaged foods. They named “Cheese Twists” as one of the trends. The others are Breakfast Served all Day, Time for Turmeric, Cruciferous Crusade and Vanilla Bean-anza.

Representing the cheese trend are products from Yancey’s Fancy (its Grilled Bacon Cheeseburger Artisan Cheese), Sonoma Creamery (Mr. Cheese O’s, also named a top product by Dairy Foods readers; see page 14), Silva Regal Spanish Food (Manchego-Style Cheese Flavored Olive Oil) and Angie’s Boomchickapop (Caramel & Cheddar Mix).

Vanilla appeared in a Cheddar cheese from Heber Valley Artisan Cheese and in Choctal’s single-origin vanilla ice creams. The Breakfast trend is represented by a Strawberry Waffle Wild Milk Chocolate from Chuao Chocolatier, among others.

The spice turmeric appeared in tea, rice, ginger ale and almonds. Cruciferous Crusade refers to vegetables, including broccoli, cabbage and Brussel sprouts which are used in snacks, such as chips.

 The trendspotters were Emma Christensen, Sarah  Fritsche, Christine Gallary, Kara Nielsen, Denise Purcell, David Sax, Nancy Hopkins, and Ashley Koff.