Chef-turned-food-writer David Hagedorn gathered 12 of his closest friends — or the dozen of us who could eat and drink late into the night on a Wednesday — for pig roast on the patio at Poste Moderne Brasserie yesterday. Y&H was among the group that crowded around the outdoor chef’s table, itself tucked away among chef Robert Weland’s wonderland of herb and tomato plants, and waited on our bronzed suckling pig to arrive on a giant platter surrounded by grilled stone fruits and the fang-dripping expectations of the gathered carnivores.

When the pig finally landed on the table, with the sort of ceremony that I imagined surrounded a Roman feast, most of us had already downed a cocktail and/or several glasses of viognier or rose, which had more than primed us for pig meat. We had plenty of pork flesh to choose from.

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Baum + Whiteman, the self-described “world’s pre-eminent food + restaurant consulting company,” has predicted the top 13 trends we can expect to see next year in the increasingly fragile hospitality industry. B+W warms up to its list with this caveat: “The global economic meltdown is forcing profound changes in the hotel and restaurant world. Costly frills are out. Wanton indulgence is now bad manners.”

So guess what’s in? Comfort foods, bistros, and, in an apparent nod to Ren-Fen geeks everywhere, turkey legs. Below are the highlights of Baum + Whiteman’s list.

Read More “What Are the Coming Food Trends for 2009? Turkey Legs!” »