Fancy Foods

Are Cheese Spreads Popular?
Love It or Hate It

Cheese Spreads: Love Them or Hate Them?

Cheese spreads were all the rage at this week's Fancy Foods.
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Cheese spreads were all the rage at this week's Fancy Foods. I asked Michel Bray, who works with Cabot Cheese, what types of people buy spreadable products. That's when I came across the second interesting cheese fact from the show: people who purchase cheese spreads also enjoy eating traditional cheese — but those who primarily purchase traditional cheese eschew "cheese products." Which camp are you in?

2011 Food Trend: Low-Calorie Cocktail Mixers
Trends

Trendspotting: Low-Calorie Cocktail Mixers

Maybe The Cheesecake Factory was on to something with its new skinny cocktail program.
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Maybe The Cheesecake Factory was on to something with its new skinny cocktail program. At this year's Winter Fancy Foods Show, it was all about the health-oriented cocktail.

At food expos, cocktail mixers are nothing new, but at this week's show, it seemed like there were few liquid mixers that wasn't a fruit puree touting therapeutic benefits, fewer calories, sugar-free substances, Stevia sweetener, or a low glycemic index.

While the idea's great in theory, too many of these faddy food products were also skinny on taste. What do you think of low-calorie cocktail mixers?

Top Trends From the 2011 NASFT Winter Fancy Foods Show
Trend Alert

10 Fads From the Winter Fancy Foods Show

We're always on the lookout for upcoming trends, and there's no better place to spot them than at the Fancy Foods show, where thousands of exhibitors display the latest and greatest edibles they've developed for the mass market.
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Top Trends From the 2011 NASFT Winter Fancy Foods Show

We're always on the lookout for upcoming trends, and there's no better place to spot them than at the Fancy Foods show, where thousands of exhibitors display the latest and greatest edibles they've developed for the mass market. There was some trends you could probably guess were huge — everything was gluten-free! — but here are a few that you probably didn't.

Exotic-Sounding Wholesome Grains Flavored Mustard Specialty Salts Wine Wafers Cheese Dips and Spreads Caramels Harissa
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White vs. Yellow Cheddar
Poll

Would You Rather Eat White or Yellow Cheddar?

Before you answer this question, consider where you're from, because your choice may be predetermined based on where you live.
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White vs. Yellow CheddarBefore you answer this question, consider where you're from, because your choice may be predetermined based on where you live. At the Fancy Foods Show, we learned from the cheese reps that, while the Coasts prefer white cheddar, Midwesterners heavily skew in favor of yellow cheddar. "We'll show them a white variety, and they'll say, 'No, where's the cheddar?'" a Wisconsin dairy expert told us. Readers, tell us: is this correct?

BaconSalt Coming to Denny's Tables Nationwide
Food News

BaconSalt: Coming to a Denny's Near You

While at Fancy Foods, we caught up with J&D's Foods, the masterminds behind Baconnaise.
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Hickory BaconSalt
While at Fancy Foods, we caught up with J&D's Foods, the masterminds behind Baconnaise. Cofounder Justin Esch revealed what's next in the world of cured pork: soon, Hickory BaconSalt will grace the top of every table at Denny's Restaurants nationwide.

In addition to Hickory BaconSalt's presence at Denny's, we also learned that Baconnaise is coming to the shelves of Wal-Mart.

Hickory bacon sprinkles atop a Grand Slam, and bacon mayonnaise for the middle-American masses; it'd be hard to dream up a better fit, don't you think?

Guy Fieri Launches Supermarket Line of Barbecue Sauces, Salsas
celebrity chefs

Guy Fieri Nation Expands to Include Barbecue Sauces and Salsa

With a gaggle of TV shows, books, restaurants, and endorsements under his belt, it's hard to imagine what else could be on the horizon for Guy Fieri.
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Guy Fieri Salsas and Barbecue SaucesWith a gaggle of TV shows, books, restaurants, and endorsements under his belt, it's hard to imagine what else could be on the horizon for Guy Fieri. But at this week's Winter Fancy Foods Show, we managed to find out. The man himself was there to launch his first-ever line of supermarket condiments. While we didn't spot him in person, we did get to check out his barbecue sauces and salsas.

Fieri's salsas come in four flavors (Original Salsa, Salsa Verde, Chipotle Salsa, and 4 Pepper), as do his sauces, which are available in Kansas City, Bourbon Brown Sugar, Pacific Rim, and Carolina #6. We enjoyed the original and salsa verde salsas and the classic Kansas City barbecue sauce.

Whether we like it or not, it's only a matter of time before Guy's shaded, sun-bleached visage takes over the country, one mass-produced bottle at a time.

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Relax With Republic of Tea's Decaffeinated Rooibos Line
Tea

Relax With Republic of Tea's Decaffeinated Rooibos Line

Tea has been an incredibly trendy ingredient for the past two years.
by partysugar

Tea has been an incredibly trendy ingredient for the past two years. Recently, I was bombarded by so many different types of new tea products that I was quite overwhelmed. So much so that I avoided the enormous amount of tea booths at the Fancy Foods Show.

Until one — the Republic of Tea's Be Well Red Tea line — caught my eye. With names like "get happy," "get some zzz's," and "get relaxed" the collection of South African rooibos teas are each specified to change a certain aspect of your life. They're caffeine free and naturally healthful. They come in brightly colored, tin canisters. I enjoy their unpretentious packaging, clean herbal flavor, and soothing qualities.

Do you drink decaffeinated tea? Have you tried Republic of Tea?

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Do You Cook With Vanilla Beans?
Poll

Do You Cook With Vanilla Beans?

At the Food Fête party this week after the Fancy Foods Show, a representative from Nielsen-Massey Vanillas handed me a kit sealed with a vanilla bean.
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At the Food Fête party this week after the Fancy Foods Show, a representative from Nielsen-Massey Vanillas handed me a kit sealed with a vanilla bean. She suggested that if I didn't want to cook with it, I could take advantage of its pleasant fragrance.

"Oh, don't worry — I'll cook with it," I reassured her. Although they're rather expensive — pods cost around $5 each — cooking with vanilla pods, in my opinion, imparts a more natural flavor than using vanilla extract. I like to use them in everything from cakes to vanilla-flavored hot chocolate. What about you?

PartySugar's Favorites From Fancy Foods
spanish

PartySugar's Favorites From Fancy Foods

Although there were over 200,000 products and 81 countries represented at the Fancy Foods Show, only seven items stood out in my mind (okay eight if you include the caviar!).
by partysugar
PartySugar's Favorites From Fancy Foods

Although there were over 200,000 products and 81 countries represented at the Fancy Foods Show, only seven items stood out in my mind (okay eight if you include the caviar!). These delicious bites were the highlight of the show. Start clicking to check them out.

Sonny & Joe's Babaganoush Spudmaster Potato Chips Maya Kaimal Spicy Ketchup Liquid Olives Olive Oil Jellies Alexian Duck Rillette Landrin Waferatto Classic
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