The Cronut: People wait in line for hours to get a bite of this delightful pastry. The half donut, half phenomenon started in New York’s now famous Dominique Ansel Bakery, and people won’t stop talking about it. According to Chef Dominique Ansel, the cronut is more than a fried croissant. They fry laminated dough in grapeseed oil, and then roll it in sugar, fill it with cream and coat the the resulting product in glaze. Since Ansel’s incredible success, the cronut has spread like wildfire, and his bakery sells out of them every day. For those of us who aren’t in New York, you can try one of the many recipes floating around the Internet or find a copycat in your neighborhood (Chicago, Los Angeles and even the Dunkin’ Donuts in South Korea have them now). I have yet to try one, so I can’t vouch for its deliciousness. But there’s no doubt about it–this little pastry is driving people absolutely mad.
Ramen burger: It’s almost exactly what it sounds like. A man by the name of Keizo Shimamoto created this peculiar concoction, a burger patty sandwiched between two buns made of Ramen noodles. The burger is flavored with shoyu sauce, arugula and scallions; it’s definitely not going to taste cheap. Shimamoto was just on Good Morning America, so it’s only a matter of time before copycats start popping up. Plus, it’s a combination of two things everyone loves (don’t deny it–you know you lived on Ramen in high school and college). I for one can’t wait to get my hands on one of these. The pictures are enough to make my mouth water.
Which one of these do you think will dominate food culture? The cronut has a head start, but the Ramen burger is already turning heads. Personally, I don’t think it needs to be a competition. I’ll take one for dinner and one for dessert.
