Cardamom tops list of next year's hottest flavors.

Cardamom? Capua'u? They might not be household names just yet, but according to Mintel International Group Ltd., Chicago, they are among the top six new flavors for 2010.

Even as the economy recovers, "we expect people to continue the trend of eating at home,” said Mintel's leading new products expert Lynn Dornblaser. “The home cook is becoming more advanced and is looking to test his or her cooking skills by trying new spices and flavors, as well as preparing everyday items in new ways."

In addition to cardamom, an intensely aromatic flavor common in ethnic fare, and capua'a, expected to become the next big superfruit, Mintel's list of up-and-coming new flavors includes: fiber-rich sweet potato, expected to become the functional food of the year; hibiscus, already common in teas and other beverages, thanks to its ability to lower blood pressure; rose water, which adds subtle flavor to ethnic and other foods; and Latin spices of all kinds to heat up even homemade dishes.

Mintel also named two types of scents likely to take off in 2010: simple, clean one- and two-note scents, as well as scents that help consumers de-stress by evoking memories of a simpler, happier time (a beach vacation or the holidays, for example).

For more information, please visit http://www.mintel.com.