Taste the world in 10 tantalising flavours

1. MAPLE: CANADA

[caption id="attachment_13977" align="aligncenter" width="650"] Sticky maple-glazed BBQ ribs[/caption]

The lowdown: True maple syrup is made by reducing the sap of maple trees and "is woody, sweet and earthy, complementing almost any meat,” says Woolies product developer Nhlaka Mtshali.

Look out for: Woolworths’ free-range maple-and-mustard chicken wings and Brooklyn Brine Co.’s sweet maple bourbon pickles.

TRY THESE RECIPES:

Sticky maple-glazed BBQ ribs

Roast lemon, maple and cider chicken

2. SUMAC: THE MIDDLE EAST

The lowdown: This spice is made by grinding sumac berries. “It has a nutty texture and a tart, citrusy flavor with a hint of berry,” says Woolworths product developer Maylene Matthews. “Sumac pairs well with honey, dates, yoghurt, cucumber, orange and pomegranate.”

Look out for: Woolworths’ honey, sumac and orange hot-smoked salmon.

TRY THESE RECIPES:

Fresh garden shavings with sumac-and-yoghurt dressing

Easter-style focaccia

Almond-andmaple cakes with salted maple caramel

3. SALTED CARAMEL: FRANCE

[caption id="attachment_13134" align="aligncenter" width="650"] Milk-chocolate salted caramel, pear and Camembert toasted sandwich[/caption]

The lowdown: “Salted caramel offers the perfect balance of saltiness and caramelized sweetness and can be used in savoury or sweet dishes,” says Woolies product developer Nhlaka Mtshali.

Look out for: Woolworths’ sriracha and salted caramel free-range chicken.

TRY THESE RECIPES:

Milk-chocolate salted caramel, pear and Camembert toasted sandwich

Salted caramel pork shoulder

Salted caramel and fennel tarte tatin

4. SMOKY BBQ: THE USA

The lowdown: The sweet and tangy flavour of smoky BBQ is a natural fit for braai-loving South Africans. “Authentic southern barbeque is having a revival overseas and we want our customers to be in on the trend,” says Woolies product developer Carol Weideman.

Look out for: Woolworths’ smoky BBQ pulled beef naanwich.

TRY THESE RECIPES:

Sticky barbecue pork spareribs with chunky triple-cooked chips and crispy onion rings

Texan-rubbed BBQ wings with blue cheese, Texan-style BBQ sauce and Texan dry-rubbed sweet potato wedges

5. CHIPOTLE: MEXICO

[caption id="attachment_12852" align="aligncenter" width="650"] Braaied marrow bones with chipotle butter[/caption]

The lowdown: These are smoked and dried jalapeño chillies. “During our travels through the USA, this subtly hot, smoky chilli was all over, especially in street food,” says Woolies product developer Amber Hofmeester. Soak the dried chillis and blitz with a little tomato paste to add a smoky kick to meaty dishes.

Look out for: Woolworths chipotle butter with lime.

TRY THESE RECIPES:

Braaied marrow bones with chipotle butter

Honey and chipotle glazed pork sausages

6. LIME: IRAN

The lowdown: With roots in ancient Persia, limes are more tart than sour and are sweeter than lemons. “Limes are more fragrant than lemons and lend a refreshing top note to dishes and drinks. The lime we use in our ginger lemonade is locally sourced,’ says Woolworths’ product developer Pueta Tshehla.

Look out for: Woolworths’ lime oil-free dressing, and coriander, chilli and lime pesto.

TRY THESE RECIPES:

Cucumber-and-lime jelly

Avocado-and-lime loaf cake with lime drizzle

Scones with lime curd

7. ROSE: THE MIDDLE EAST

[caption id="attachment_15097" align="aligncenter" width="650"] Rose harissa with labneh[/caption]

The lowdown: Rose imbues food with a heady, sweet, floral flavour. “In high doses, rose can be overpowering, so in Woolies’ pink lemonade, for example, we use just a little rose oil to cut through the raspberry tartness and the acidity of the lemons,” says product developer Pueta Tshehla. (See page 68 for recipe inspiration).

Look out for: Woolworths’ handcrafted rose-flavoured Turkish delight, and raspberry- and rose flavoured nougat.

TRY THESE RECIPES:

Coconut cake with rose-water icing and candied rose petals

Rose harissa

Rose-petal preserve

8. MISO: JAPAN

The lowdown: This deeply savoury paste is made with fermented soya beans, salt and a fungus called koji, and adds a hit of umami to everything from Asian soups to mayo. “Miso is popping up in street food and restaurants far and wide,” says Woolies product developer Aimee Pleass.

Look out for: Woolworths’ miso-and-maple flavoured full-fat cream cheese.

TRY THESE RECIPES:

Sweet miso pork belly with charred leeks

Miso caramel chocolate cups

Miso-caramel glazed glazed doughnuts with Crunchie chocolate topping

9. SRIRACHA: THAILAND

[caption id="attachment_13931" align="aligncenter" width="650"] Tangy charred corn-and-bacon salad[/caption]

The lowdown: Hailing from the Si Racha province, this chilli sauce is slightly sweet and sour with a garlicky punch. “If you love periperi, you’ll love sriracha, which is more fragrant,” says Carol Weideman.

Look out for: Woolworths’ shredded sriracha mayo chicken naanwich.

TRY THESE RECIPES:

Abi's eggslut-inspired sandwich

Tangy charred corn-and-bacon salad

Spicy sriracha chicken sloppy Joes on steamed buns with fiery slaw

10. COCONUT: SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST ASIA AND THE PACIFIC

The lowdown: It’s impossible not to love the nutty, sweet taste of this exotic fruit.

“It’s very versatile,” says Woolies product developer Aimee Pleass. “Add the cream or milk to cocktails, desserts and curries, or use the toasted flakes to add texture.” Coconut also pairs beautifully with rose (see page 68 for recipes).

Look out for: Woolworths’ double-cream coconutand- lime yoghurt.

TRY THESE RECIPES:

Fresh coconut and baby marrow noodle salad

Badam (almond) rose-and-coconut milk milk jelly

Chicken kerala