Fried Chicken Is The New Pork Belly

Momofuku's fried chicken.
Photo: Gandhu & Sarah

Food trend prognosticators Baum and Whiteman have a few juicy predictions to lob out for 2010, including this: fried chicken is the new pork belly. (I hope this is not an either/or situation.)

"Fed up with globs of pig fat from undercooked pork belly?" the report asks. "Say hello [to] new-fangled fried chicken — crisped in all sorts of inventive ways by lowly diner cooks and exalted chefs alike."

The report cites as evidence the fried chicken nights at Ad Hoc in Yountville and Locanda Verde in New York, the $100 fried chicken dinner at Momofuku, and the rise of Korean fried chicken.

For your DC fix, check out this previous post for tons of ideas in the comments on where to get excellent fried chicken — from Henry's to Central.

And then chew on this, the food buzzwords for 2010, according to Baum and Whiteman:

Authentic Neapolitan pizza. Lamb riblets. Too many food trucks, not enough curb space. Latino street food. Farmed trout creeps up on farmed salmon. Curry- and Indian-spiced fried chicken. Vietnamese sandwiches (banh mi). Gelati. Global comfort food. Artisan hot dogs. Made-to-order ice cream. Chefs turned butchers. Casual comfort. Touch-screen kiosks and home delivery in fast food outlets. Wood oven cooking. More energy drinks and adulterated waters. Mood food. Backyard and rooftop bee hives. Stevia. Kimchee. Urban farms. Griddled burgers. Free food. House-made everything, especially in sandwiches.

I'd add sustainable sushi, cow-pooling and coconut oil. Other additions?

(Thanks to The Food Section's tweet to the report.)