1. Koji
With fermented foods and beverages like kimchi and kombucha gaining wide acceptance with consumers, chefs are exploring new ingredients that can add a funky, slightly sour edge to preps—and koji, an edible mold that has long been used in Asia to ferment beans and grains, is showing up in dairy and meat applications. At Elske, an edgy Danish-influenced restaurant in Chicago, cultured koji butter accompanies sourdough bread, while koji ice cream with apple, cranberry, persimmon and maple crisp is on the menu at Departure Restaurant + Lounge in Denver. On the meat side, koji-marinated slow-roasted pork belly is featured at Han Oak in Portland, Ore.