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

Healthy Eating can be Delicious too! May 05 2017

This week at school they were handing out blue and white cookies in celebration of Israel’s Birthday.  One of the parents said ‘No thank you, I’m doing The Whole 30 Diet.’  He only looked slightly disappointed as the cookies passed him by.  The truth is we sometimes go on these extreme diets with the hope that in the end they will modify our eating habits.  The good news is no matter what your eating habits are, healthy doesn’t have to equate to tasting bad.

At my house, we did The Paleo Diet almost 6 years ago. That meant for 10 days we had no caffeine, alcohol, carbs, dairy or salt.  We did get to eat a lot of protein, fruits, and vegetables.  The diet made me realize that some of the meal choices I made weren’t giving me the energy I needed. From this 10 day experience I made some changes for the better.  Our house is now mostly carb-free.  We rarely have pasta or potatoes as part of a meal and I must say I don’t really miss them.  Here are some tricks to keep your healthy eating delicious.

1. Season Your Food – The spice blends from La Boîte add an amazing amount of flavor to vegetables and proteins. That means you don’t need a heavy sauce to coat what you are cooking to make it taste delicious.
2. Stick with Dark – Chocolate that is. Dark Chocolate doesn’t have any dairy mixed in which makes it much healthier for you to consume.  The single origin bars from Palette de Bine take dark chocolate to the next level and really are out of this world.  Now you might thinking, chocolate isn’t healthy. When you eat a bar as amazing as these you need just a little bit to satisfy even the biggest sweet tooths.
3. Go Nuts – Almonds, Walnuts and Pecans make a great snack and pack a lot of energy into something easy to take with you. Our Ranch Salad Almonds are perfect for keeping your energy levels up during the day with something delicious and tasty.

I hope these tips will help you keep to your healthy eating goals and be the in the shape you desire before swimsuit season begins 😊

Happy Friday,

Julie

Celebrate our 2nd Anniversary! April 14 2017

Wow! I cannot believe that two years ago today I hit the button that made  the Julie’s Beet Website Live!  That’s right, today marks our second anniversary. I’m not sure I knew exactly what I was getting into 2 years ago but it has been an amazing adventure.  The best part has been getting to share my knowledge of food and our amazing artisans with all of you. 

In honor of our second anniversary we are having a Two is Always Better than One Sale.  This is true of shoes, socks, glasses of wine and the products from our marketplace.  We’ve featured products from artisans who joined the collection in our second year.  Just add any of their products to your cart between now and April 30 and we’ll automatically add a second product from the same artisan to your shipment at no extra charge.  That gives you two times the opportunity to taste and experiment with these amazing items.  The artisans included in the sale are Artion Greek Foods, Cacao Prieto, Due Cellucci Tomato Sauces, EssieSpice, Paul + Pippa, Rick’s Picks and Tiny But Mighty Popcorn. You can shop the entire sale here.   Visit our Facebook page during the sale to learn more about each of these artisan.

Who knows what the next 365 days will bring but I know I cannot find out.  What will the new food trends be? What new artisans will be find to add to the marketplace? I hope you’ll stick with me for the journey ahead.

Happy Friday,

Julie

Food Trends of 2017 February 17 2017

It has been a few weeks since I was out in San Francisco for the Winter Fancy Food Show.   I had a wonderful time and have been busy reaching out to the wonderful vendors I met out there to bring their amazing products to our marketplace and tell their story.  I attend the food show not only to look for new products but also to keep up with trends in the industry.  Here are a few trends I picked up on this year.

1. Detox Shots are REALLY big out west. This was something new to me but they seemed to be everywhere at the show and in California.  A blend of vinegar with fruits and other nutrients that you take as a shot each morning to kick start your day. This is not my thing, but there is definitely a market for this out there.
2. Chocolate is here to stay. There were always big brands of chocolate like Ghiradelli but now the smaller chocolatiers are getting ready to compete with the big guys.  Craft Chocolatiers Dick Taylor and Raaka Chocolates were among many brands exhibiting at the Fancy Food Show.
3. The outside is just as important as what is inside. Packaging has always been important but now it is an even bigger consideration. I’ve learned this is especially important when selling online as you cannot taste most items but you do get to look at their beautiful packaging.
4. Hot but not too hot. In years past ghost peppers have been in everything, this year saw more balanced sauces and products.  This is really good news for someone who doesn’t love spicy food!
5. The fine food industry is getting bigger and better. Each year I am surprised at the number of talented folks out there who are creating new products that shape the industry.  It is finally ‘cool’ to make great food and that is a trend I can get behind.

In just 5 shorts months, the Fancy Food Show will be back in New York City.  That’s long enough for something new to come into play and I’ll be eager to find out what it is.

Happy Friday,

Julie