I have been talking with food loving friends as well as consulted my gut to come up with five food trends of 2012.

Carrots. Everyone eats them raw as a snack or just as a side dish. In 2012, carrots will be more of a star than an understudy. I had to most delicious carrots with onions dish in December, and I could eat them everyday. Besides the 2012 Pantone coloris orange so it just makes sense. Here’s a recipe for Carrot Cake Jam from the blog Apron Strings.

Artisan Marshmallows. Making marshmallows is becoming really popular. Emily of Nomnivorous has made hot pepper marshmallows, red velvet ones and also cardamom. In Brooklyn, Baked and Whimsy and Spice make yummy marshmallows. Eater spotted the trend of savory marshmallows.

Feb 26 Update: Now there’s a new dessert cafe called The Mallow Bar in Rosedale, which is near Baltimore.

Flavored Salt. Sea salt has gotten everyone acclimated to coarse salt. Now salt comes in different flavors will be big in 2012. You can make your own by checking out Jaden Hair’s recipes.

Just like I don’t believe that nothing is “the new cupcake”, I don’t feel that anything can replace bacon. However, duck fat is the new ingredient to add willy nilly. In the past month, I have eaten duck fat cookies and edamame cooked sauteed in duck fat. Duck fat in doses is nice, but could be a quack.

Cornmeal.  It is not just  for cornbread or frying fish. Cornmeal cookies, cornmeal pancakes and cakes are other ways to use cornmeal.  You can chalk it up to Southern influences, but I think cornmeal is a grain that people will substitute for flour in some recipes because of its texture and corn taste.