This is an opinion column
My mother used to say "Food (savory or sweet) is good when it is chewy, crunchy or creamy or the combination of the three". As a proud foodie, I'm here to put the current rotating food fads to the test.
Let's start with something near and dear to my genetic roots. Rice paper. Once a basic wrap in Asian households, it is now making a hit and everyone is remaking dishes with this thin, crisp, translucent round sheet. Soften, rolled, and shaped or added fillings, rice paper can be used to make Korean rice cakes (tteok-bokki), noodles or even boba. (Yes, the little black pearls you can't get enough of) Providing the same chewy texture (as the make of it is mostly tapioca flour) as the original creations, the material when dipped in water suddenly turns into a blank canvas for recipe-testing gen Z's as a quick and easy twist to their favorite Asian dishes. [10/10 Chewy = PASS]
Cheese - the King of food p.o.r.n. I mean what's more mouth-watering than cheese dripping from a gigantic cheese wheel or oozing out between two slices of meat in a stacked sandwich. [Definitely creamy = PASS with HONORS]
Baked oats and oats related dishes. [Takes effort to make pretty and tasty, also oats = meh]
Avocado on toasts. [PASS only if Sriracha is added] Speaking of the devil, Sriracha rivaled Chipotle as the spicy craze-of-the-moment and gave us a sense of international zippiness. [Since it's a condiment so no comment]
Pasta chips made by deep frying cooked pasta. [Crunchy = PASS]
Since we're in the healthy whole-grain aisle, why not pick up some gluten-free (and basically everything-free) pasta? The healthy but naive me once talked myself into buying pasta made out of chickpeas. The moment it's cooked to al-dente was the moment I questioned my life choices. It was like a bowl full of starchy glue. I’ll take a pass on the bean noodle trend. Besides, real pasta makes women beautiful. Ask Sophia Loren. [FAILED]