Cheese is “now the main event,” according to “Food Flavors and Ingredients Outlook 2008,” published by Packaged Facts, a division of MarketResearch.com.
Looking broadly at Chinese cooking, the flavor secrets that stand out are soy, garlic, ginger, onion, white pepper, rice wine and sesame oil (from black sesame).
Today, the foods of some North African and Middle Eastern countries are attracting more attention, as chefs have expanded to use their ingredients in modern Mediterranean fare.