Getting Fancy at the Food Show June 30 2017

This past week the food scene took over New York when The Summer Fancy Food Show arrived at the Javits Center.  In case you haven’t been the Fancy Food Show highlights amazing food products from around the world. I love going to see what is new and hot in the food world and to search out some amazing culinary artisans and products for our marketplace. This year’s show did not disappoint.  There were two floors filled with food and there were not two booths that were the same. 

I was able to check in with some of our current artisans at the show and find out what is new and exciting with them. I don’t want to give too much away but you’ll be seeing some new olives in the marketplace straight from Hellenic Farms.  Hellenic Farms is an amazing importer and distributor of Greek foods and they took great care to keep the olives of the highest quality on the market.  Tiny But Mighty Popcorn has an amazing new package design and also a new flavor of microwave popcorn!  They also found a way to make the butter popcorn taste more buttery! The Matzo Project now has Matzo Ball Soup Mix available and they are debuting some chocolate covered Matzo in the fall.  There is a lot of excitement to come with these great vendors.

I also had some time to explore and look for new gems amongst the many exhibiting at the show.  Marshmallows, pretzels and cookies were among the favorite new lines I tasted. I also sampled a lot of different salsas looking for the perfect one.  The show was filled with a variety of cold brew coffee options which kept me going as I marched through the many aisles.  There is  a trend currently of green or raw products. I also saw a lot of food produced for specific diets … paleo, gluten-free, etc.  While it is amazing what they can do with some food ‘substitutes’ I definitely like to keep our products full of real ingredients.  I’ll be sure to post about new products when they hit the marketplace. If you subscribe to our newsletter you’ll also be one of the first informed.

My legs and feet are glad the show is over.  My taste buds are excited and my mind keeps imagining all the new gift sets we’ll be able to offer for your needs once the new products arrive.  Until then….

Happy Friday,

Julie

My Trip to the Summer Fancy Food Show July 01 2016

This week was the Summer Fancy Food Show in New York. It is a massive gathering of foodies from around the globe and a highlight for me each year. I love walking the show to see what is new and exciting in the food world, not to mention meeting wonderful artisans who are super passionate about what they do.

The show runs for three days in the summer in New York.  I’ve been a bit busy this summer and ended up with just two hours at the show on Tuesday. I had a full schedule for those two hours… I wanted to meet with our current vendors and also look for new ones.  I wore my sneakers so I could make better time through the aisles and the crowd was fairly thin, which made it a lot easier to get around.

I wish I could purchase all of the delicious products I tasted but there just isn’t room for that. I’ve made a wish list and plan to work through adding the products in that order. Stay tuned for some delicious treats from as far away as Berlin, Germany and as close as Brooklyn, New York.  You’ll also see some new flavors from our current artisans Paul + Pippa and Lucy’s Granola.

The Winter Fancy Food Show is in San Francisco in January. I’m already planning my trip out west and hope to be at the show for more than 2 hours!

Have a great holiday weekend.

Happy Friday,

Julie

Pickles on my Mind June 24 2016

If you follow our Instagram account(@juliesbeet) you know I’ve got pickles on my mind this week for some reason. I was super excited to see a recipe for pickle brined chicken and just had to try it!  I used two different pickle juices (Rick’s Picks Hotties and Ricks Pick’s K.O. Pickles) to see if there was any difference in flavor. The good news is the chicken tastes great with both brines but not a lot of difference between the two brines. You can find the recipe below.

The Fancy Food Show comes to New York this weekend. I’m excited to see some of our current artisans, like Rick’s Picks, there and also have a look around to find some new and interesting products for the marketplace. Please comment with any suggestions of products you’d like to see on the site.

Happy Friday,

Julie

Rick’s Picks Pickle Brined Chicken

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

6 chicken breast halves

2 cups brine from Rick’s Picks jarred pickles

Salt and Pepper to taste

Olive Oil

Method:

-In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the chicken breasts, pickle brine and a generous pinch of black pepper. Seal the bag, pressing out any air, and refrigerate overnight.

-Preheat oven to 350° F.  Pat the chicken breasts dry.

-Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in an ovenproof skillet.  Place chicken breasts skin side down into the pan.  Cook over high heat until golden, about 6 minutes.  Turn and cook for about 2 more minutes.  Transfer the skillet to the oven for an additional 25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.  Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

My Visit to the Fancy Food Show July 03 2015

If I had one word to describe the Summer Fancy Food Show at the Javitz Center in New York City, it would be amazing. If I had a second word, it would probably be overwhelming.  The sheer volume of the show is enough to scare anyone away who doesn’t have a plan and a stomach made of steel, as I mentioned before there is A LOT of tasting.

The show opened Sunday and I decided to get there early to beat the crowds. It was a good idea as it was a rainy morning and the halls didn’t begin to fill up until around mid-day. I was able to walk up and down the endless aisles looking, tasting and chatting with the amazing vendors behind the amazing products.  Luckily, I had a rough plan as to what I was looking for which made it easier to navigate the stands.  Good news, I found a lot of terrific products for our marketplace. Some of the highlights from the show included Duck Fat Caramel (it really contains duck fat, I had to ask!), heritage popcorn and these fantastic lime-flavored biscuits from Spain.

In addition to all of the new products, it was nice to chat with the people behind some of our current products.  Ioannis from World Excellent Products, the producers of FIVE Olive Oil, was at the show.  They have some special products I look forward to introducing closer to the holidays.  I also spent a lot of time with the team from Rococo Chocolates.  This was their big debut in to the US Market and it was well received.  They rolled out some new packaging at the show and I look forward to sharing that with you when the next shipment arrives.  Due to the high temperatures in New York, that probably won’t be until the end of the summer. It will be worth the wait, I promise! Rick from Rick's Picks had a great stand as part of the New York aisle. I could have spent an entire day just chatting with these local artisans. I am so lucky to live in a city with an emphasis on quality artisan products!

With tired feet and a full stomach, I left the show on Tuesday feeling very satisfied with my experience.  I am excited to expand our selection of artisans and look forward to introducing them to you very soon.

Have a wonderful holiday weekend.

Happy Friday,

Julie  

Just Two Days Until the Fancy Food Show! June 26 2015

This Sunday marks the start of the Specialty Food Association’s Fancy Food Show in New York City and the first ever Specialty Food Week.  I’ve had the pleasure of attending a few of these shows and let me tell you, it is a food lover’s dream come true. The show will take place at the Jacob Javitz Center where there will be more than 180,000 products from more than 2,500 exhibitors!  That is A LOT of food.

The difficult part about the show is deciding where to go and what to sample.  You don’t have room for everything so you have to be pretty particular about what you decide to taste. I read somewhere to only taste something if it is necessary in your decision making.  Since it is my job to make sure everything in our marketplace is delicious, tasting is a necessity.  Luckily, the show is over three days, so I can pace myself as I make my way up and down the aisles.

I know it is going to be a busy weekend but cannot wait to see what new and exciting products I will find. I am also eager to visit with some of our current suppliers including the team from Rococo Chocolates and World Excellent Products.

Stay tuned for more news from the Fancy Food Show and be ready for a lot of great additions to our marketplace.

Happy Friday,

Julie