Looks like the trend of coming up with some of the most bizarre food pairings is not dying any time soon. While some turned out to be great inventions that got us drooling, others were nothing less than a food crime.
Here are a few food trends we want to see banished in 2023, never to see daylight again.
Butter boards
Our question is how did this ever become a thing? Dips served in group settings have always been in a bowl, with a spoon, allowing you to dolly up as much as you want onto your plate.
This way, you're not forced to hover around the table every time you want to dip. But, with butter boards, you’re almost forced to circle the table like a starved vulture.
It’s almost as if the world was never shut down due to an easily contagious virus. We can do better.
Grilled ice cubes
A Chinese street vendor recently went viral for a peculiar trend: grilling ice cubes. According to the video posted by @cathychen95, it is a street food treat that is trending in China.
The ice cubes are grilled over charcoal and then covered in spices and sauce. The grilled ice cubes, which are served in a small cardboard tray, can be eaten with a spoon or chopsticks.
I have so many questions about this dish. Does the ice not melt? Is ice indeed a dish best served hot?
With this one, it appears that we have hit rock bottom when it comes to bizarre food trends.
Pasta chips
Pasta chips are one of the popular pasta-based food trends that deserves special mention as one of the items that should not be back in 2024.
Unsurprisingly, the pasta chips hack was first promoted on TikTok. If you are one of the lucky ones who has never seen the video, it is precisely what the name says: pasta turned into chips.
However, the reality is far different from this straightforward description. Though it sounds good on paper, do not expect much from this viral trend.
Pasta is usually too thick and simply cannot compare to classic chips. If you believe this is a supposedly healthier version, you also might be wrong because it seems that potato chips may even score better on the health test.
All in all, pasta chips are a trend best left forgotten.
Go for that bag of chips if you are craving one, and leave your pasta to be the soft and chewy delight it was always intended to be.
Drinking vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is a trendy ingredient that is often credited with a bunch of miraculous healing properties despite the fact that there is not a whole lot of evidence proving that it really can cure all (or any) ills.
No matter how many times cider vinegar myths are debunked, though, there are still numerous people who are willing to down shots of the stuff for the sake of their health, but we doubt anyone is doing it because they enjoy the flavour.
Savoury ice cream
Savoury desserts appear to be having a moment. But I just cannot imagine devouring a lobster-flavoured ice cream with the same enthusiasm as my beloved mint chocolate chip.
I do not know if my semi-sweet tooth would allow me to eat salty ice cream.