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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


Life is a Picnic June 07 2017

The warmth outside shows that summer is nearly upon us. There is nothing better than spending a day outside, whether at the park or enjoying a beach day. Instead of cutting that time in nature short by having to look for food, I pack a delicious picnic full of fresh fruit, snacks, and crave-worthy sandwiches. 

My current favorite is an easy-to-make chicken salad sandwich on golden brown Challah bread. You can use a home-made roasted chicken or a store-bought rotisserie chicken; either will work fantastically well. This recipe also gives you a chance to sneak some fruit into lunch for the kids, the crunch and slight sweetness balance the savory richness of the dressing.

Rosemary Chicken Salad

Makes 3-4 servings

Ingredients
1 small, roasted chicken
2 Tbsp Empire Mayonnaise Co. Rosemary Mayonnaise (to taste)
1 tsp lemon juice
A handful of sliced almonds
One medium-sized apple(pink lady, fuji, or gala are my favorites)
Bibb lettuce(optional, to garnish)

 Method
-Line a shallow baking sheet with your handful of almonds, toast until golden-brown, about 5 minutes at 350 degrees
-Carve the chicken into one inch pieces and place in a mixing bowl. I like to get a mix of white and dark meat
-Slice the apple into small batons
-Add the toasted almonds, apples, and lemon juice to the bowl
-Incorporate Empire Mayonnaise Co. Rosemary Mayonnaise and toss to coat
-Garnish Challah with two large bibb lettuce leaves 
-Serve on your favorite sandwich bread
-Enjoy your sandwich in the sun!

 

Enjoy,

Angela


Join us at Grand Bazaar NYC June 02 2017

Today I’m busy getting ready for our first trip to Grand Bazaar NYC.  Actually, I’ve been to Grand Bazaar NYC many times as a customer but this will be my first time on the other side, selling products from our market place.  Grand Bazaar NYC is the largest curated weekly market in New York City. You’re sure to find amazing items from local artists, antiques, collectibles, and edibles.  This Sunday, June 4th, is International Food Day at Grand Bazaar NYC. We’ll be joining over 20 other artisanal food vendors in celebration of this day of fantastic food.

If you are in New York City and looking for something to do this Sunday, we hope you’ll join us.  Grand Bazaar NYC is located at 100 West 77th Street, at the Corner of Columbus Avenue.  The bazaar is open from 10am-5:30pm.  Please stop by and say hello, shop our market place and enter a chance to win a gift set full of my favorites from our marketplace.

Happy Friday,

Julie