The Michelada is a Mexican drink combining beer, tomato juice and spices. In the spring, 29% of the population was aware of Micheladas, with the highest level of recognition among Hispanic consumers, and 14% of consumers had tried one.

Farro is a class of wheat berry that has long been in use in Italian cuisine, where it is appreciated for its pleasant chewiness, as well as elsewhere in the Mediterranean. In the spring, farro was found on 4.2% of U.S. menus, a 41% increase over the past four years.

A Midwestern staple and a key component of poutine, cheese curds are a squeaky treat when served on their own, but they’re also often battered and fried. As of this fall, cheese curds’ presence on menus had increased by 41% over the past four years.

Garam Masala is a term for a wide variety of spice blends used as a finishing touch in Indian cooking, the exact content of which varies from region to region, state to state and cook to cook. Last winter, 29% of the population knew about Garam Masala but only 18% had tried it.

A regional specialty from Alabama, white barbecue sauce is mayonnaise-based and also has vinegar, hot sauce and seasonings such as garlic powder, onion powder and black pepper. Last winter, although Alabama white sauce was found on fewer than 1% of menus in the United States, its prevalence had increased by 90% over the previous four years.

Cauliflower, the cruciferous vegetable being used as a low-carb option for pizza crusts, rice, pasta and more, is also becoming a tried-and-true replacement for meat in spicy appetizers. Last winter, cauliflower wings were in the Adoption stage of Datassential’s menu adoption cycle, meaning that they were gaining traction in foodservice but were still seen as somewhat unusual, appearing in venues such as specialty retailers and progressive fast-casual chains.

The savory-sweet combination of salt and caramel is hard to resist, and it’s easy to understand why it has grown in popularity as everything form an ice cream flavor or a luscious sauce to an addition to drinks such as lattes. This fall, salted caramel had increased by 88% on menus over the past four years, and was found on 1.3% of U.S. menus.

Chia seeds, which are from a flowering plant in the mint family, have boomed in popularity over the past few years for their ability to replace gelatin and eggs in vegetarian diets. This spring, the awareness of chia seeds was highest among consumers who identify as vegetarian or vegan.

Kefir is a probiotic-rich fermented dairy item originating from the north Caucasus. This summer, 34% of the population knew what kefir was but only 15% had tried it.