With the new year comes new predictions on what food trends we can expect to see in 2012. There’s some obvious ones such as more gluten-free/food-allergy-conscious items on menus and the growing popularity of food trucks. Kitchens on wheels that sell everything from crème caramel to Thai to Cajun cuisine, offer a nice alternative often at a lower price point than what can be found in most restaurants. And you’ve all heard the words, local, sustainable, organic. But what about the trends that aren’t quite so obvious?

Euro Chic. Scandinavian food is hot. Just like The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo, expect to see North American translations of smorgasbords coming to restaurants in the U.S.

Salt. Salt’s in chocolate, on caramels, and apparently flying off store shelves. It’s the finishing touch to multiple dishes. Who even knew there were so many kinds of salts! Black Hawaiian sea salt, Bolivian Rose salt, Chardonnay oak smoked sea salt,  Merlot-infused crystals and Yakima apple wood smoked sea salt.

Local Farmers. We’ve all seen the increase in the number of farmer’s markets and I for one, am thrilled. But now local farmers are gaining local celebrity status and becoming household names as restaurants, chefs and boutique grocery stores highlight their relationships with the growers and craft food producers on their menus, websites and blogs. Some are even hosting events with a special menu and guest appearance by the supplier with a spirited Q&A session.

Kimchi. The spicy, robust tastes of Korean cuisine are the latest Asian food to sweep the country. Pints of the spicy-hot Korean signature pickled cabbage are selling nationwide. Watch for the creative ways it will be added to menu items. Kimchi and grilled cheese, anyone?

Seaweed. It’s one of the hottest trends in West coast lunchrooms and starting to take off nationwide. Nori seaweed (called laver in England where it grows on the west coast) is roasted, salted, flavored and sold in lunch-box sized packages that keep it crisp. It serves the place of chips.

The Butcher. There’s a renaissance of the butcher with the resurgence of heritage pig and cattle breeds. When people are paying a lot of money for their meat they want someone selling it to them who really knows the cuts and how to prepare them. Now there’s an increasing number of people in their 20s are taking it as a career.

The Pickle. The lowly American pickle is staging a big comeback. There’s old-fashioned pickle relish, artisan cucumber pickles and a host of cultured products. Pickled peppers, pickled burdock root, pickled golden raisins, with artisan sauerkraut being especially hot. Using high-quality vinegar, artisan salts and organic produce, these are not your typical gherkins.

Meatballs. Classic foods aren’t disappearing. They are just taking on different interpretations. Meatballs are appearing on lots of menus, in food trucks and in cookbooks authored by respected chefs. They cut across geographic and cultural boundaries, with countries around the world claiming at least one traditional meatball dish. They can be prepared ahead of time. They can be made for small or large events. They can be baked, fried, frozen. You name it! They are fun and easy to share as an appetizer or served as an entrée. And cash-strapped consumers and restaurateurs don’t have to break the bank to enjoy an excellent dish.