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Mojito gum?

An article today's Times talks about the adoption of new flavors by large food companies. Will wasabi sell? How about Meyer lemons? Gauging the attitude of consumers has always been difficult--people like exotic, but not too much. One interesting note here is how these ingredients (often Asian or Hispanic) work better as sides or accents to a more familiar main course, say in a mayonaisse or salad dressing. And of course, the "exotic" label is relevant primarily to white consumers--the trendiness of some of these ingredients smacks a bit of colonial attitude. Still, it's good to have more variety in the still somewhat bland American diet.

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