15 Food Trends That Kept Us Busy In 100 Days Of Quarantine

1. Dalgona Coffee

Named after a type of Korean candy, Dalgona coffee is just instant coffee, sugar and water mixed in equal parts, whipped into a froth, then gently poured over chilled milk. Easy to make and very photogenic, it became a social media sensation. Who can resist this affordable, delicious, perfectly Instagrammable version of your everyday coffee?

Photo Credit: @dalgona_coffee_hub

Soon there were many variations, like this Dalgona matcha latte which combines frothy coffee with silky whipped matcha. Dalgona coffee requires a steady hand and some technical finesse. For example, it can be a challenge to whip up matcha powder into a beautiful, weightless cloud like this, but you’ve got to admit the result is gorgeous.

Photo Credit: @almamatcha.cl

This shot of Dalgona ube on natural rose quartz coasters is a beauty. I think Dalgona coffee is so therapeutic because it's all about creating a little piece of everyday art (that you can drink). It's creative, and and it takes your mind off your worries. And then you get to share your masterpiece with the world.

Photo Credit: @decordelaloire

2. Soufflé pancakes

Air is the secret ingredient of the soufflé pancake. They're made with basically the same ingredients as American pancakes, but the batter must be beaten until it’s so well-aerated it resembles meringue. The result is a light, ethereal pancake that tastes like a dream.

Photo Credit: @fufupancakecafe

Suddenly we were all craving jiggly pancakes for brunch. Imagine a stack of ethereal pancakes draped in whipped cream and strawberries to enjoy with sips of champagne. Or serve with hefty servings of bacon, eggs and sausages.

Photo Credit: @thrillist

We love the endless possibilities of soufflé pancakes. This Tiramisu Soufflé Pancake is made with mascarpone cheese whipped cream, espresso sauce made with Kahlúa, almond chunks, dark chocolate curls, espresso flake ice cream and dusted with cocoa powder.

Photo Credit: @fufupancakecafe

3. Restaurants and chefs shared signature recipes

We became emotional when chefs and restaurants began to share recipes of their signature dishes, and The New York Times called them “postcards” from life before the pandemic. If you'd been missing Burger King’s Whopper, Cheesecake Factory’s Chinese Chicken Salad, or hoped to travel to Japan for a taste of Shiro’s Sushi’s iconic ginger pork recipe — you could now make them at home. Disney World's iconic Dole Whip is recreated here in strawberry.

Photo Credit: @thedisneydinks

People had fun putting their own twists into these recipes. @dianemorrisey, for example, took inspiration from McDonald’s Egg McMuffin recipe to create her very own version with Taylor ham, cheese, avocado, tomato and sriracha.

Photo Credit: @dianemorrisey

4. Stress baking

Stress baking is a response to our collective distress, wrote Amanda Mull in The Atlantic. It's "a salve for the ambient anxiety of being alive." As a form of self-care, it's cheap, easy and deeply satisfying on visceral level.

Photo Credit: @kneadandknow

This explains why people who'd barely spent time in the kitchen before the pandemic were suddenly making cookies, cakes, bread, pies. The simple act of baking is so soothing, and the comfort you take in eating what you've baked can feel like a warm hug.

Photo Credit: @kneadandknow

5. Banana bread

When the supermarket shelves became stripped bare of baking essentials, we rediscovered banana bread. And, we realized how much we love it. Easy to make with just a few simple ingredients, the end result is a moist, cake-y bread that is terrifically versatile: eat it with ice cream, a dollop of whipped cream, or chocolate syrup. Bake it with walnuts, bits of chocolate, even cheese. Banana bread is ultimate comfort food.

Photo Credit: @livewellbakeoften

6. Instant noodle hacks

When a grocery run is not viable, you learn to be creative with the contents of your pantry. One of our heroes: instant noodles, saving us from long hours of cooking. Soon the next challenge was: how can you elevate instant noodles into something better, more nutritious, different? We loved watching how people all over city tackled this problem.

Photo Credit: @genesismistica

This bowl of noodles is the quintessential quarantine dish. It's instant Korean jjapaguri noodles transformed by a slab of leftover pork belly reheated in a toaster oven, and the addition of classic and white kimchi to give acidity and two kinds of heat. The result is this sexy, delicious meal.

Photo Credit: @chinkee_koppe

7. Sourdough

Making sourdough is a contemplative, sensory experience that takes a lot of focus. It takes practice to perfect, so working on one's sourdough game became a goal that provided a sense of routine. Home bakers began to obsessively make sourdough over and over again, changing variables a little at a time until they got it just right. The bonus, of course, was a loaf of beautiful, crusty bread.

Photo Credit: @sourdoughcafedeli

Experimentation resulted in lots of sourdough variations, like these plump sourdough pandesal. Social media became a catalog of sourdough bread you could buy or imitate. We never ate so much sourdough before, which proves that carbs are comfort.

Photo Credit: @pinabakes

8. Creative uses for canned goods

If you want to boost creativity, introduce a constraint. Like a a very limited pantry, for example. The result were some pretty fun and original ways to cook with canned goods. Like this dish which takes the idea of Japanese musubi, a ball of rice covered with nori, but instead of the usual fermented fish, it uses Spam. Quirky!

Photo Credit: @june

9. Kori kohi

After Dalgona coffee came Kori Kohi. This Japanese-style drink is a lot easier to make: just warm milk poured over coffee ice cubes, with sugar syrup (if you like). Elegant and easy, it was the perfect caffeinated drink for the scorching hot days last May. And you didn't even have to worry about watered-down coffee.

Photo Credit: @asagao.coffee

10. Sushi bake

A crowd favorite that's actually perfect for potluck parties, the sushi bake is a deconstructed sushi roll. Japanese rice, salmon, kani and tobiko are arranged in layers in a pan, then baked for a few minutes. You can torch it, aburi-style, before serving. This trend inspired variations, including sisig rice bake, and even a pork samgyup rice bake.

Photo Credit: @tasteandtellmnl

To serve the sushi bake, you cut it up into tiny squares that people can scoop up. These are laid onto pieces of nori, rolled, then eaten like mini tacos. Deliciously creamy with a slight crunch, it's a nice change from all the home cooking we've all been eating.

Photo Credit: @whattoeatph

11. Basque cheesecake

This rustic beauty comes from the Basque region of Spain, and is traditionally baked crustless so that it cracks and burns in the oven's high heat. Its exterior caramelizes into a beautiful golden brown. Once only available in select restaurants, Basque cheesecake is now ubiquitous in Manila, and even comes in flavors like ube or chocolate.

Photo Credit: @foodnotestories

12. Doughnuts

Manila's doughnut game has become pretty strong, but the quarantine threw the spotlight on these irresistible fried treats. An easy standout are @flourpotmanila's vanilla-glazed doughnuts made with fresh strawberries and a custard filling. It's sexy and decadent and just so good.

Photo Credit: @flourpotmanila

We love the blending of ingredients, techniques, trends and cultures that we see in doughnuts. This box has @poisondoughnuts hybrid sourdough-brioche doughnuts in unique flavors like champorado and fresh blueberry glaze. Another new favorite are @milkydustdonuts inspired by Korean kkwabaegi.

Photo Credit: @poisondoughnuts

13. Focaccia gardens

Focaccia is the blank canvas for beautiful "gardens" made with vegetables and herbs, like cherry tomatoes, black olives, mushroom, onions, rosemary. The designs are unique, the bread is fragrant, and it's a great way to make use of leftover vegetables.

Photo Credit: @elisabetaskarra

This trend was started by home baker Teri Culletto, says The New York Times. The ultimate therapy, some focaccia gardens are designed with nutrition in mind (not just visual appeal). For example, making use of vegetables and herbs known for their strong anti-inflammatory benefits.

Photo Credit: @elisabetaskarra

Focaccia gardens come in all shapes and sizes, and can be blissful to make. If you've mastered your sourdough, this might be the next baking project for you.

Photo Credit: @larisbakes

14. Virtual happy hour

After a full day of Zoom meetings and household chores, it's time for virtual happy hour. Born in the first week of quarantine, virtual happy hour takes advantage of video-chat technology to let you enjoy a momentary escape from routine. Set it up, pop open a bottle of wine, relax and catch up with your girls.

Photo Credit: @ariannafranciacorta

The next best thing to your own virtual happy hour with people you love? Watching celebrities do virtual happy hour. We loved Meryl Streep, Christina Baranski and Audra McDonald belting out "Ladies Who Lunch" for composer Stephen Sondheim's 90th birthday, all while pouring drinks for themselves: Streep had a martini, Baranski drank red wine, and Mcdonald a whiskey. They didn't miss a bit or spill a drop, and it was my favorite boozy performance of all time.

Photo Credit: Screencap from YouTube

All you really need are these basics: a device with a stand, your favorite drinks, and snacks. Choose a corner of your home with nice lighting and a comfortable chair, slip into a blouse with a nice collar, and just like that... it's happy hour.

Photo Credit: @styled.by.angels

15. Bottled cocktails

Of course you can make your own drinks at home, but there's something pretty special about a cocktail that's been mixed with that special flair by a pro. Cocktails bottle really well, and are made with craftsmanship and passion. @hola.bombonph's bottled Old Fashioned and Marianito make it really easy to get ready for happy hour. Just break out some cheese and charcuterie.

Photo Credit: @hola.bombonph

I love how bottled booze is available in a range of sizes: a big 1 liter bottle to share with someone, for example. Or just a small single-serve bottle that you can pop into the fridge. At the end of the day, just pull it out, pour into a glass, then sip your way to relaxation.

Photo Credit: @thecurator