FoodWire offers a monthly update on what’s cooking on
The Food Channel®, as well as a quick preview of what’s coming soon to our menu. The latest recipes, the hottest trends—it’s a quick and tasty buffet you can scan at a glance.

Top Food Trends for 2012

Yes it’s that time of year again, when we stick our necks out and make our fearless food predictions for the year ahead. Our annual top ten foodie forecast includes the following tidbits for you to chew over.

• Black Market Foods. Nothing illegal, just an abundance of intentional scarcity to makes us want what we can’t always get.
• So THAT’S What It Tastes Like! Fresher, locally-sourced ingredients, less sodium and other additives, fewer smokers on the premises…it all leads to an interesting byproduct of the health movement: We’re tasting foods as they were meant to be experienced.
• Groovin’ On Peruvian. Ready for the newest, hottest ethnic food trend? Flavors from the land of Machu Picchu are coming at you!

That’s just a little taste. Head over to the home page for the complete top ten, which includes evidence links.

12 Days of Foodie Gifts

Still have people on your holiday gift list—those hard-to-buy-for folks, we’re guessing? Well, we’ll bet they like to eat. With that in mind, the editors of The Food Channel have put together a list of our favorite foodie gift ideas for the season. We’re rolling out a new one each day up until Christmas. From fancy breads to bruschetta, from cookies to cookbooks, you’re sure to find something that will appeal to Uncle Joe, Cousin Sue or Co-worker Connie…all nice, nothing too naughty.

You Could Be the Next Online Food Star

Think you have what it takes to be the next Food Channel online star? We’re introducing a new show called “Pitch Place.” If you’ve always wanted to produce your own food show, now’s the time to give it a shot! You can do a cooking demo, a tour of your food haunts, or even a food-related drama or comedy show.

Here’s what you need to do in your “pitch”: Create a 2-3 minute video show demonstrating to us what your show concept is. Have fun with it—do your cooking demonstration, or show us your comedy or dramatic skills. We’re looking for something entertaining, about food, and different than other things out there. We’ve even thrown in an extra incentive to try out: the chance to win a Coby Kyros 10″ Android Tablet Computer, retail value at $349.99!

So, pull out your camera (be it video camera, Flip, iPhone—any of them can work) and start shooting, because all show concepts must be submitted by January 9.

Here’s a link to the story with all the details, including a video featuring our own online star, Christen Nehmer. For the official rules, see our Facebook page, or email us at pitchplace@foodchannel.com with any questions.

Big Bite Chicago: Inside the NRA

The National Restaurant Association puts on one of the biggest conventions of any kind at McCormick Place, Chicago, every spring. Food vendors, manufacturers, and restaurateurs of all stripes converge to try out new products, share ideas, and grapple with industry issues. The Food Channel has been covering the annual event for years, and now we’ve put together a documentary series designed to give you a behind-the-scenes taste of what goes on there, hosted by Emmy Award-winning news anchor Joy Robertson. Be sure to tune into this five-part video series.

Recipes: Christmas Cookie All-Stars
		This holiday season, we’re seeing stars. Our glittering galaxy of Christmas cookie recipes is sure to send you into a holiday mood. Leading off are our Scandinavian Spritz Stars. They’re buttery, delectable and so simple to make.
Cookie Cutter Sugar Cookies Creating cookies in holiday shapes is a wonderful family experience. This classic recipe will get you started.	Star Linzer Cookies with Jam These are two cookies put together with a layer of jam. A cutout at the top lets the jam shine through.	Meringue Stars Highlighted by a “star” of chocolate candy in the middle, these cookies will truly melt in your mouth.
Get the very latest on what’s happening and what’s going to happen. • Forecast: Great Chance of Meatballs • Life in the Slow Lane • Carrotmob Rewards Restaurant’s Sustainability
Surfing The Channel
	Spill: Tips for the Holidays In this new video series, host Joy Robertson spills the beans on some of our favorite holiday tips from the Kitchens of the Food Channel.
	An 11-Year Old’s Perspective Eleven-year old Isabel Lai is one of The Food Channel’s newest (and youngest) contributors. You can check out her review of a new cookbook for kids, B is for Baking, or her interview with Jackie Fu (her mom) about holiday meal planning. And look for more insights in the year ahead from our middle school foodie.
	Getting Ready for the Holidays This new video series will help you to retain your holiday spirit all through the season with great meal-making and gift-giving tips. It features lots of ideas both delicious and practical.
	See How It’s Done: Holiday How To’s Check out the first episode in our new video series that lets you see how it’s done, using the First Person shooting technique. You’ll visualize yourself creating the DeNogginizer Martini.
	Back Issues To view previous editions of the FoodWire, click here.
	Feeding Your Facebook Appetite Network with fellow foodies from around the world. Check out the Food Channel’s Facebook fan page.