Tamarind Named as McCormick’s ‘Flavor of the Year’ for 2024

Tamarind may not sound familiar to many, but it’s set to take the culinary world by storm, according to a leading spice company — McCormick & Company. Known for its exceptional blend of spices and seasonings, McCormick has announced a unique and tangy-sweet fruit, tamarind, as its “Flavor of the Year” for 2024.

Since 2000, McCormick has published an annual report that highlights trending seasonings and spices. These are predicted to make their way into the kitchens of professional chefs and home cooks alike, popping up in restaurant menus and popular recipes. They might even dethrone the reigning favorite, pumpkin spice.

Originating from trees that flourish across Africa, Mexico, Asia, and India, tamarind is a pod-like fruit renowned for its unique acidic yet sweet flavor. Its wide-ranging applications can be seen in foods as diverse as potato chips, ice creams, and even jazzing up your coffee.

McCormick employs a diverse group of around 50 individuals, including chefs and food technologists, who are spread across the globe to discover trending tastes. This team is led by Executive Chef Hadar Cohen Aviram, who bears the responsibility of selecting the flavor of the year. The exhaustive nine-month journey to determine tamarind as the leading flavor involved a comprehensive examination of global food trends. McCormick’s international team embarked on a journey that spanned from South Africa to China and even included Poland. Their method involved careful analysis of restaurant menus, consultation with culinary specialists, and the application of data to interpret global food preferences.

“All of those trends that we saw this year, we see them projected through this one flavor.”

Hadar Cohen Aviram, McCormick executive chef, via CNN

McCormick is also set to collaborate with Black Tap Craft Burgers, a restaurant renowned for its extravagant dishes, to highlight tamarind in its menu offerings. Starting on Feb. 1, 2024, for a limited duration, Black Tap will feature tamarind-infused milkshakes, burgers, and fries across its seven U.S. locations.