NEW YORK – The annual Fancy Food Show in New York City offered a sneak peek at some of the foods destined to become staples on American shelves in the coming months.
This year's show ran from June 29 through July 1, and while it would be impossible to taste everything (over 2,300 companies come from around the world to exhibit their products,) here is a look at some of the foods that caught our fancy this year:
Mac Nut Oil
This imported oil made from macadamia nuts has just been introduced to the United States from Australia. Already celebrity chefs including Tom Valenti (search) from New York City’s famed Ouest (search) are excited about it. While it has a high smoke point, which makes it very good for cooking, mac nut oil also an be used cold in salad dressings or even smoothies. The company suggests even a plain spoonful is good because of its “heart healthy properties.” A taste revealed the specialty oil to be surprisingly light and pleasingly nutty.
http://www.macnutoil.com
The Moto Bar
A healthy alternative for the breakfast-on-the-run crowd, Moto bars are freshly baked, high in protein, low in fat and have no cholesterol. They come in flavors ranging from "Kooky Cappuccino" to "Jazzy Peanut Butter and Jelly." The “Bodacious Banana Split” is also a crowd favorite. On busy mornings when there's no time for an ordinary breakfast, this might be the best way to go.
http://www.motobars.com
Marionberry Pie and Cobbler Filling
If your definition of a summer dessert is a fresh berry pie, but you have little time for baking, Columbia Empire Farms in Sherwood, Ore., offers an easy summer treat. The marionberry pie and cobbler filling is simple to use -- just pour the contents into a pre-made pie crust to make a full nine-inch pie. The 41-ounce jars, which sell for $10.95, include recipes for both the pies and cobblers on the back.
http://www.yournw.com
Duck products
If pork is “the other white meat,” duck seems to be on its way to becoming “the other red meat.” Duck is lower in fat than beef and yet has a rich, flavorful taste. Duck was a big hit at the Fancy Foods Show (there was even an offering of duck bacon), which means you’ll be seeing more of it in your supermarket soon.
For duck breasts, duck legs, boneless breast filets and other duck products, check out Maple Leaf Farms:
http://www.mapleleaffarms.com
BEVERAGES
Eden Soy Chocolate Milk
Soy products have become increasingly popular as a substitute for milk, and this new product from one of the most well-known organic producers of soy milk is bound to please parents and children alike. Eden Soy chocolate milk is made with organically grown whole soybeans and combined with organically grown cocoa. The company also says there's five times more antioxidant power in their cocoa than in the same amount of blueberries. Isn’t it a dream of childhood that chocolate milk could be good for you?
http://www.edenfoods.com
Fizzy Lizzy Fruit Sodas
If you ever worried about the high sugar content in conventional sodas, but love the carbonated bubbles and sweetness, fizzy lizzy fruit sodas could be for you. They taste like seltzer and fruit juice combined. Fizzy Lizzy calls its drinks “sparkling beverages,” and their range of fruit drinks are very refreshing. Grapefruit was especially good.
http://fizzylizzy.com
Ginger Beer
If you’re feeling adventurous in the beverage department, try a Barritts Bermuda Stone Ginger Beer. This stand was perpetually busy at the show, as everyone scrambled for a taste of the zesty, non-alcoholic drink. And if you want to really sample a taste of Bermuda, add some dark rum to make one of the most famous drinks from the island, a “dark and stormy.”
Phone: 203-227-0008 (in Westport, Conn.)
CANDY & CHOCOLATE
Scharffen Berger Cacao Nibs
John Scharffenberger used to make champagne in California’s Anderson Valley, where some of America’s best domestic sparkling wine is made. Now his chocolate is prized by chefs and chocolate lovers all over the country. (If you’ve ever tried his chocolate sauce you’ll know why.) A consistent awards finalist for his products, Scharffenberger has introduced a unique product called “cacao nibs.” Described as “roasted cocoa beans separated from their husks and broken into small bits,” the nibs can be used in place of chocolate chips in cookies or used to add a subtle chocolate flavor to baked goods of all types.
Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox