McCormick Declares Tamarind 2024’s Flavor of the Year

Things might be busy with the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, but with December nearing its halfway point, this time of year is also for closing out the year and looking forward to the next. Believe it or not, we’ll be saying goodbye to 2023 before we realize it and while the coming new year is a time for making resolutions and plans, it’s also a year for fresh starts and new adventures — and that includes flavor adventures as well. Now, with the new year just around the corner, McCormick has announced their 2024 Flavor of the Year and it’s one that might surprise you: tamarind. The brand recently declared the flavor it’s next Flavor of the Year and they’re kicking things off with a new seasoning and limited-edition menu items at Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer as well.

“For nearly 25 years, McCormick has forecasted global flavor trends through our Flavor Forecast report,” Tabata Gomez, chief marketing officer at McCormick said in a statement. “After all this time, there is still no shortage of trends to uncover which allow us to continue to shake up the way people cook, flavor, and eat.”

Tamarind is set to bring a global flair to things in 2024. The spice is native to Africa, India, and the Middle East and has long been a part of Latin, Caribbean, and Mexican cuisines with its acidic, tangy-sweet flavor. People can get in on the flavor adventures with McCormick’s new Tamarind & Pasilla Chile Seasoning, which is available online now.

“This year, we’re thrilled for people to experience the taste, versatility, and tang of Tamarind,” Hadar Cohen Aviram, executive chef and senior manager, culinary development, US Consumer at McCormick, said in a statement. “It is the perfect ingredient to incorporate in savory and sweet dishes, which is evident through the creative, flavorful, limited-time dishes we are proudly co-developing with Black Tap.”

As for that collaboration with Black Tap, customers can visit locations nationwide starting on February 1, 2024, to experience Tamarind. The menu items will include a chicken burger, fries, and milkshake that infuse the seasoning.

“Given Black Tap’s global footprint, we try to be truly thoughtful in leveraging global recipes, spices, and techniques to ensure we continually bring innovation to our craft each and every day,” Stephen Parker, corporate executive chef at Black Tap said. “We love to tap different regional influences for our recipes — Tamarind inspired us to borrow flavors from Southeast Asia, the Iberian Peninsula, and Latin America for this exciting collaboration. We look forward to inviting everyone into our restaurants to experience these new creations this February.”

You can check out McCormick’s latest edition of the Flavor Forecast and explore recipes here. As for the new Tamarind & Pasilla Chile Seasoning, you can check that out here.

What do you think about the 2024 Flavor of the Year? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section.