Asian ethnic … now for everyone: "Asian" food today defies definition more than ever. Like the size of the continent to which it refers, this category is huge, with a cuisine that is as diverse as the countries that call Asia home

Prepared Foods, Nov, 2003 by Eric Carre, Dari Carre

Americans are ready to experience bolder and more exciting flavor combinations, whether dining out or eating in. Other significant trends included discovering regional ethnic cuisines, and varying degrees of heat in spicy but flavor-packed combinations. In addressing where the Asian prepared foods category is heading, an explosion into more regional foods is evident--and we will be learning as we go. The name of a dish, such as Shrimp Bangkok, will tell us more about its origins than we realize. It becomes a marker--a means of identifying the food and customs of a town or region where it originated. These foods and dishes will become "cuisine from Asia," not "Asian cuisine."

Asian ingredients are playing a major role in this category's growth, for they already are merging into and influencing other cuisines. Today, you can make a beef bourguignon, and add soy sauce. In essence, these distinctive ingredients will become a faster-emerging and -growing category than the food and cuisine itself.

Website Resources:

www.funfresh.net--Fun Fresh Concepts' Deli Dashers www.kahiki.com--Kahiki Foods Inc.'s consumer recipes, using their products http://yancantook.asianconnections.com--Chef Martin Yan site on Taiwan cuisine www.PreparedFoods.com/archives/1998/9809/9809asianflav.htm--Trends in Asian cuisine

Eric Carre is founder and R&D chef of ErdaTek Inc., a global food development company soon to expand its services to include a USDA pilot plant in the Chicago area. lie has traveled end worked extensively throughout the Far East with the CIA (Culinary Institute of America) and Club Med.

Daft Carre is director of creative services at ErdaTek Inc. A writer and chef by profession, she specializes in consumer recipe development, editorial and marketing, and has contributed to many industry publications.

Eric and Doff can he contacted at erdetek@erdutek.com or at 847-229-8192. See also www.erdatek.com.