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Trendy Foods

         Remember when TV dinners came in metal pans and had to be cooked in the oven? You have to be a senior to say yes to that.How about fondue? Maybe you still have a fondue pot at your house. Oh, there is still that expensive chain restaurant that sells fondue of all kinds. Back in the 60's and 70's, it was mostly cheese or chocolate fondue. Then there was quiche. I still make an excellent quiche.(Real men do eat quiche, by the way.) I'm very fond if it. But you won't find it in the restaurants of the upwardly mobile any more.

         Oh, yes, let's not forget crepes. I still imitate a mandarin orange salad with spring onions that came from The Magic Pan restaurant. They were everywhere, but they're out of business now. And no one makes crepes at home. Too much trouble. Right now, frittatas are still popular. I've mastered that, too, thanks to Martha Stewart's directions.

         A few years ago, pomegranate became the healthy, life-giving fruit that every store sold, fresh and in juice form. It's not really better than other fruits, but some rich family started growing them on one of their farms, so suddenly every magazine or Internet article raved over it.

         I've noticed lately that chard is very popular and is written about extensively. It's not being promoted, however. I have looked very hard to finally find some in the grocer. It's very expensive and bitter. I'm pretty certain I won't put it in the Magic Bullet and add some fruit for a smoothie as suggested.

         Jicama is also hot right now. All the magazines and recipes on the net rave about what a great healthy vegetable it is for the family. I've been looking for a month and can't find it. Chocolate fountains may have run the wave of popularity, but maybe not. I haven't been to any wedding receptions lately. Maybe a few are still around.

         Dainty crustless sandwiches are a thing of the past. Chicken livers are not served at receptions any longer. Handmade mints are out. If you look at old cookbooks your mother or grandmother had, people don't eat those foods any more. We don't have those ingredients available to us, or the utensils. The kitchen evolves like everything else. Tastes change. Food producers try to generate new sales by inventing new things.

         This may be good news or bad news, depending on your view. Meat loaf is here to stay.