More Favorites from the Winter Fancy Food Show 2014
Here is another round up from the Fancy Food Show, the last one actually. It’s a mishmash of products that didn’t really fall into the other categories (or somehow slipped through the cracks).
While not new, I don’t remember ever tasting the fabulous Blenheim apricot preserves from B&R Farms in previous years. I’m pretty sure I would have remembered. The intensely bright, sweet and tangy fresh flavor of these heirloom apricots is such a treat. I liked the preserves best but all the products were great including the chutney and apricot red pepper preserve.
A winner at the Good Food Awards, Rick’s Picks Smokra is a unique smoky okra pickle with a nice texture. I asked how they got the smoky flavor and was told “just smoked paprika.” These would be great in a sandwich or served as part of an antipasti. They really tasted like okra, not just pickling juice.
It’s been a few years since everyone went nuts for Skillet’s bacon jam an oniony bacon condiment that makes everything better. Now Skillet also offers a fennel and black pepper version as well as a line of pumpkin ketchups. They definitely have that ketchup sweet and sour tang. They come in Chipotle, Thai Coconut and Brown Sugar and Apple Vinegar. I tried the Thai Coconut Pumpkin version and liked it a lot.
Since I’m a fan of cocktails with tea I was intrigued by Owl’s Brew teas for cocktails. These brewed teas are lightly sweetened and designed to be mixed with liquor. I tried the English Breakfast which had nice citrus notes from lemon peel and just the right balance of sweetness from agave syrup. I look forward to trying the rest of the line which includes more complex fruit, spice and tea combinations
Apparently GoodPops popsicles were at the Fancy Food Show last year, but I don’t remember trying them. These all organic popsicles are really outstanding, they have a great texture as well as flavors. I tried the Hibiscus, Strawberry and Coldbrewed Coffee and liked all of them. The use of high quality ingredients really does make all the difference.
Grain-free Seedy Crackers from Keep It Real are made from chia, flax, sesame, salt and black pepper only. They are very crisp, peppery and quite good. I haven’t seen them in stores yet, and will be experimenting to come up with my own recipe soon.
Grain-free Seedy Crackers from Keep It Real are made from chia, flax, sesame, salt and black pepper only. They are very crisp, peppery and quite good. I haven’t seen them in stores yet, and will be experimenting to come up with my own recipe soon.
Coquet makes a traditional Spanish tapa, marinated sweet white garlic in a variety of styles and flavors including a spicy and olive version. The amazing thing is, you would never know it was garlic. The garlic tastes almost like almonds, sweet and nutty. I hope I can find these on the shelf soon.
I adore honey and the best I’ve ever had was in Greece so I was excited to try the honey from eco-friendly Melia. Their Wild Forest honey is thick and bold with a luscious caramel texture and a slight herbal bitterness, a bit reminiscent of pollen. This honey definitely takes me back to my time in Greece. I hope they find distribution because I would be their first customer!
In the French pavilion I tried a lovely Chardonnay jelly. A few aisles away I discovered The Preservatory, a line of jams from the Vista d’oro farms in British Columbia that include Craft Beer Jam, which is really a jelly. It’s made from nothing more than heirloom apples grown on their orchard, craft beer, lemon juice and sugar. It has a great balance of sweetness and depth. After that I was intrigued by the rest of their creative seasonal flavors like Green Heirloom Tomato and Garam Masala, Heirloom Beet with Orange and Pink Peppercorns or the summery Peach and Lemon Verbena with Champagne. Pretty cool stuff!
Last but not least, I forgot to mention this crazy cheese I tried in my cheese post. It's made with kimchi. Yes, kimchi! If you love kimchi quesadillas, then this cheese a blend of kimchi and jack from Beechwood Cheese will definitely make you happy.
Last but not least, I forgot to mention this crazy cheese I tried in my cheese post. It's made with kimchi. Yes, kimchi! If you love kimchi quesadillas, then this cheese a blend of kimchi and jack from Beechwood Cheese will definitely make you happy.
Cheese from the Winter Fancy Food Show 2014
There is a lot of cheese at the Fancy Food Show! I wait until the last day to indulge and I try to focus on the cheeses that are new or new to me. Here are some of note:
Miette from Baetje Farms in Missouri is a bloomy rind sheep and goat’s milk cheese that melts in your mouth. It’s mild and sweet and very creamy and a little bit oozy near the rind. A really luscious cheese. All Baetje cheese is Certified Humane.
Milton Creamery makes outstanding clothbound cheeses. The Flory’s Truckle is made in Iowa from milk that comes from Missouri, and is an old fashioned style cheddar. It’s aged over a year so the flavors really develop yet the texture stays creamy. It has hints of caramel and a grassy finish.
Red Barn Heritage Weis Reserve is a three year old cheddar that manages to retain all a creamy texture while deepening in flavor. It’s another cloth wrapped cheddar from an award-winning family farm. They also make an excellent New Zealand style cheddar called Edun.
LaClare Farm is known for their award winning goat’s milk cheeses. Cheesemaker Katie Hedrich Fuhrmann is now making a cow and goat’s milk cheese called Martone, in honor of her great grandfather. It’s covered in ash and very fresh, aged just a week. The result is a fresh and creamy buttery cheese with a slight lemony tang, milder than most chevre.
I’m sure you know that feta the comes from different places. What I learned from Mani Imports was that there are different regions within Greece for Greek feta. In fact in Greece there are seven different DOP or protected designations of origin for regions of feta--the Peloponnese, Thessaly, Epirus, the mainland of Greece and Lesbos. I tasted Dodonis and Hotos feta side by side and was amazed at how different they were. One was drier, the other creamier, one seemed saltier the other sweeter. I am not going to say I liked one better, but rather just share that there is a whole lot more to learn about feta than just which country it comes from.
Chocolate from the Winter 2014 Fancy Food Show
The Fancy Food Show can be overwhelming since there are more products than it's physically possible to try in three days. Attendees have to decide what they will focus on tasting. I'm always curious to see what's happening in the world of chocolate. Here are some of the most tasty and interesting things I discovered this time around.
The other coconut chocolate I liked was the Coco Besas Coconut Kisses bar from Taza. I generally like Taza's hot chocolate but usually find the texture of their bars too unrefined and rough, but in this case I really liked the texture. I was told that this 70% cacao organic bar was supposed to be a Valentine's Day special (note the hearts in the coconuts?) but was so popular it's now available year round.
Another Peruvian chocolate I tried from Willie’s Cacao, the Peruvian Gold was made from criollo beans and had rich fruity notes of raisins and plums. It was my favorite bar from this British bean to bar producer that uses no soy lecithin. 
Ki Xocolatl a Mexican purveyor who had a bar with oregano! In the right hands there is almost no flavor that doesn't pair well with chocolate. I won't be rushing out to find this one, but I can't deny that the flavors were surprisingly harmonious. 
An interesting trend is mainstream chocolate brands introducing premium and small batch chocolate. One is Jcoco from Seattle Chocolates. They make chic looking bars in flavors like Black Fig Pistachio, Vanatua Coconut Pecan and Agave Quinoa Sesame. They do use soy lecithin, but I couldn't actually detect it. I definitely preferred their darker bars over the lighter ones 
An award winner from the Good Food Awards, Blue Bandana brand from Lake Champlain Chocolates. The 70% Madagascar bar which is organic and made in only 100 pound batches was outstanding. 
At Lake Champlain was another winner as far as I’m concerned, the Apple Cider Caramels, wrapped in. milk. chocolate. Made in Vermont with Citizen cider and Happy Valley Orchard apples. The long lasting apple tang was what made this confection so memorable.
Two crunchy chocolate products really made a strong impression on me. One was Dufflet Nutt-e, a ridiculously good crunchy treat, thinner than bark (formerly known as chocolate crackle). It should really just be called “chocolate crack.” Wafer thin this magical product with nuts, caramel and chocolate comes in a variety of nut flavors (toasted almond and maple cashew were the ones I tried). This product makes me want to get on the next plane to Toronto to discover what else this fabulous confectioner can do. Also because I’m kind of freaking out that I can’t find this product online. 
Bark Thins were another very thin crispy chocolate treat with nuts. It also comes in a variety of flavors like dark chocolate and pumpkin seeds or dark chocolate almond. I like this trend toward "snacking chocolate" that's light and crispy, like a grown up Nestle Crunch bar. The products I tried were so good that I know I'd find them hard to stop eating! Danger ahead...
I usually avoid white chocolate, but trust Valrhona to make me change my mind. Their Dulcey bar “blond chocolate” is creamy and toasty, not too sweet thanks to a pinch of salt. It's a pretty caramel color too, not pure white. It really lends itself to confections, not surprisingly (thanks Chef Derek Poirier!).
Another fun twist on white chocolate came from Sulpice, who makes a Cake Batter white chocolate bar! It’s nicely done, and also avoids becoming too sweet. It's so new, it’s not even on their website yet.
Dessert teas are a big and growing category. A trend perhaps? Numi introduced Indulgent Teas at the show which are all chocolate teas and frankly don’t live up to the name “indulgent.” I’m a big fan of Numi’s Chocolate Puerh, but these teas seemed unbalanced to me, some were too bland others too spicy. They weren’t very indulgent and needed sugar and milk to make them palatable. I love the idea, and still drink the Chocolate Puerh, but I think the Indulgent Teas need more work. They are slated to launch in April. Top Trends from the Winter 2014 Fancy Food Show
One of the reasons I attend the Fancy Food Show is to see what’s trending. Some flavors and categories just seem to be everywhere. This year was no exception. The top trends I spotted were vinegar-based drinks, coconut in everything, popped corn and peanut butters.
One of the most exciting trends I saw this year was vinegar-based drinks. Years ago we saw more sophisticated “dry” sodas being introduced, and I think this is a continuation of that, as they are less sweet but generally still fruity and fizzy. The last couple of years making your own shrubs has been covered in publications like Imbibe: Homemade Drinking Vinegars, Serious Eats: How to Make Shrub Syrups and The Kitchn: The Tale of the Shrub. Here are the ones I saw at the show:
Silk Road Soda is based near Sacramento. They make three varieties based on a Middle Eastern recipe, cucumber and mint, pomegranate mint and original mint, which also has pear. They are each refreshing and light.
Pok Pok restaurant in Portland has been serving drinking vinegar since 2005. Their line of drinking vinegars Som drinking vinegars was a big hit with many different flavors including Thai basil, ginger and tamarind.
The Japanese pavilion had a booth serving Mikkabi Tangerine Vinegar drink. It was mildly sour but had a very true flavor of tangerine.
Napa Valley Vinegar Co is introducing fruit and wine flavors like raspberry or chardonnay peach that can be used for a variety of purposes, including alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
Kombucha Wonder Drink is not vinegar based, but it is raw fermented tea so I’d put it in the broader "fermented drink" category too.
Last year there was lots of coconut water at the show, this year coconut was in EVERYTHING from tea to ketchup to chocolate. I counted 13 different products with coconut, but I’m sure there were tons more.
There were at least 5 different companies selling coconut chips, Dang, Creative Snacks Co. CocoFresh, Go Raw and Blue Monkey. Some had flavored chips like lime, salt and vinegar or chocolate covered.
Also notable was Quinn popcorn, which make microwaveable popcorn with no PFOA’s, diacetyl or hydrogenated oil. Like some of the packaged popcorn, Quinn is GMO-free.
Another trending product seemed to be peanut butter and similar seed and nut butters. Maybe I was just noticing them more this year? Different peanut butters are made with different types of peanuts and the flavor and texture can vary greatly. I’m not a fan of some of the very flavored and sticky peanut butters with added oil and sugar like PB Crave which I tried earlier this year. Stand out products for me were Sweet Ella’s natural (not the organic) peanut butter, Pacific Beach peanut butter (made from Valencia peanuts), and Super Butter, hand's down the best sunflower and sesame based spread that had great texture and toasty flavor.
Another trend I didn’t really focus on was artisanal jerky. I tried and liked Ruby Bay Orange ginger king salmon jerky and Vermont Smoke & Cure real sticks, but there were many more I didn’t get a chance to try.
The last big trend I saw was dessert tea. I’m going to talk more about that in my next post, all about chocolate….
Paiche Recipe and Giveaway
It’s not everyday that you get the chance to try a fish you’ve never even heard of before. Last week I cooked paiche (pie-chay) a fish from the Amazon, also known as arapaima or pirarucu. Freshwater paiche are huge, growing be up to near 500 pounds, and breathe through lungs rather than gills. Considered a prehistoric fish, the flesh is very firm, but also rich and high in omega-3 fatty acids.
Endangered in the wild from overfishing, paiche is now raised commercially in ponds so wild fish remain protected, and free of any antibiotics or mercury. It’s one of the top fish farmed in Peru, and you may find it on restaurant menus or at Whole Foods, the only retailer currently selling it in the US. It’s easy to cook paiche for a couple of reasons, because it’s dense and firm it won’t easily fall apart and because it’s rich it doesn’t get dry, even if you overcook it. It has a very clean, buttery slightly sweet flavor and is somewhat similar to sea bass or cod in texture. I prepared the dish simply with a tangy sauce that held up well to the flavor of the fish, and served it with a winter salad of fennel, radishes and lemons with fresh mint.
If you'd like to try paiche, leave a comment telling me how you'd choose to prepare it. I will pick one winner at random who will receive a $50 Whole Foods gift certificate. One entry per person, and you must leave a valid email address (don't worry, only I will see it) and have a US mailing address. I will pick the winner on January 27th, 2014. Whole Foods offers a few recipes to consider such as Lime-Roasted Paiche with Sweet Potatoes and Pan-Seared Paiche with Spicy Avocado Sauce. I think it would be fantastic in this ceviche.
If you'd like to try paiche, leave a comment telling me how you'd choose to prepare it. I will pick one winner at random who will receive a $50 Whole Foods gift certificate. One entry per person, and you must leave a valid email address (don't worry, only I will see it) and have a US mailing address. I will pick the winner on January 27th, 2014. Whole Foods offers a few recipes to consider such as Lime-Roasted Paiche with Sweet Potatoes and Pan-Seared Paiche with Spicy Avocado Sauce. I think it would be fantastic in this ceviche.
Note: The salad can also be served separately. A tiny pinch of sugar brings out the sweetness in the fennels and lemon. I used California Olive Ranch Limited Reserve olive oil, which is seasonally available only after the harvest. Like the Italian "olio nuovo" it's very fresh and best used while before it mellows.
Paiche with Miso Butter and Fennel Radish Salad
Serves 4
Ingredients
4 paiche fillets, about 6 ounces each about 3/4 inch thick
2 teaspoons oil
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons white miso
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon sugar
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into about 5 pieces
1/2 fennel bulb
5 radishes
1/2 lemon
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (olio nuovo recommended)
1/4 teaspoon sugar
20 mint leaves, thinly sliced
Instructions
Using a mandolin if you have one, or a very sharp knife, thinly slice the fennel, radishes and half a lemon, removing any seeds. Toss the slices with olive oil, salt and mint.
In a small saucepan combine the lemon juice, miso, mustard and sugar with a whisk. Heat very gently over low heat and whisk in the butter, allowing it to melt and emulsify the sauce.
Sear the fish in a hot non-stick pan coated with a little oil, and cook about 4 minutes on each side. The fish should be cooked through and white, not pink.
One each plate serve a fillet of fish, topped with a tablespoon of the sauce and with some salad.
Enjoy!
Disclaimer: My thanks to Whole Foods for supply a gift card so I could try the fish and also for one lucky reader.
New Cookbooks for the New Year
The beginning of the year represents a time for new things and that includes cooking. These cookbooks have the power to inspire you in the kitchen and get you cooking, baking and even fermenting.
While much of the food faddists are shunning grain, Whole-Grain Mornings embraces it. Beyond just simple bowls of oatmeal or buttermilk pancakes, first time author Megan Gordon tempts readers with Nutty Millet Breakfast Cookies, Triple Coconut Quinoa Porridge, Zucchini Farro Cakes and loads more very original recipes. The book also shares Gordon’s story of finding love, moving to Seattle, her granola company and her beautiful photography.
I’ve heard it said that if you find one recipe you love in a cookbook, it’s worth the price you paid for it. In my house, “make Japanese food” is a frequent request. I have several excellent Japanese cookbooks, and this year added another to the collection. Japanese Soul Cooking includes recipes for several dishes that are favorites from special restaurants and the streets of Tokyo and beyond. The recipe that won me over here was for Okonomiyaki, but the Mentaiko Spaghetti is a keeper too. There’s background on the dishes, tips on the techniques and ingredients. If you love Japanese food, you will want this book. 
Pok Pok is a game changing Thai restaurant in Portland, that now has an outpost in NYC. Andy Ricker a Thai food fanatic has made it his mission to recreate as authentically as possible the flavors of Thailand. I know, people hate the word authenticity, but Ricker takes it seriously. His respect and knowledge of Thai food is truly something. He even speaks Thai (with a Northern accent or so I’ve been told). If you want to really know what Thai food is all about, short of going to Thailand (or Portland) his book also titled Pok Pok is the next best thing. The recipes are detailed but not “cheffy” they are however the real deal. 
No doubt you’ve heard the news, the Jewish deli is disappearing. If you’ve ever eaten in a real Jewish deli you know what a shame this is. With a mammoth menu and soul food for those of Eastern European descent, the deli is an American original. Given the difficulty of finding good deli food, making your own might be your best bet. The Artisan Jewish Deli at Home has modernized recipes for Bagels, Bialys, Smoked Whitefish Salad, Kreplach, Latkes and more using the best quality ingredients. With this book you can personally save the deli all the while savoring the food and reading profiles of some “artisan” delis as well as interviews with noted Jewish food experts. 
Our lady of chocolate, Alice Medrich has done it again. Her latest book Seriously Bitter Sweet revisits her classic recipes found in Bittersweet in light of the fact that chocolate ain’t what it it used to be. We now have more choices than ever and that’s a good thing. But Medrich has retested many recipes to help you get the most out of them using the best chocolate available. You’ll fall in love all over again with the Queen of Sheba cake, Nibby Espresso Cookies and Chocolate Olive Oil Crostini.
Disclaimer: These books were provided as review copies and this post includes affiliate links.
Endive Salad with Prosciutto Recipe
Growing up I ate a green salad pretty much every night with dinner. In Italy, we did the same, though it was served at the end of the meal. These days, I find it hard to convince my other half to eat salad. My solution is to make main dish salads. This one uses Belgian endive and is easy to make for one or a group. It has many delicious things added to a base of endive and fennel, namely candied walnuts, fresh mozzarella and prosciutto.
Endive and fennel just seem to have a natural affinity for one another. Both are crisp, but fennel has a chewier texture and a sweetness, while endive is lighter and juicier and has a slightly bitter edge. You could use them to make a simple side salad but this one has lots of goodies to make it a main dish. Use a Champagne vinaigrette or a Dijon mustard vinaigrette to dress it. Or even just lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil.
One of the tricks to this salad is that one thin slice of prosciutto pulled into shreds adds loads of flavor. If you have jamon de Bellota, by all means use it. That's what I originally used in this salad. Just be sure to add it at the very last minute. Make extra candied walnuts, they are terrific for snacking.
Endive Salad with Prosciutto
One serving
1 Belgian endive, sliced
1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh fennel
1/4 cup diced fresh mozzarella
1 slice prosciutto, shredded into about 5 thin strips
2 Tablespoons walnuts, coarsely chopped
1/4 teaspoon sugar
Pinch salt
Vinaigrette
Make the candied walnuts by very gently heating the walnuts, sugar and salt in a non-stick skillet until the sugar melts and the walnuts toast. Swirl the pan so the sugar sticks to the nuts. Set aside and let cool while assembling the salad.
In a salad bowl toss the endive and fennel with a couple tablespoons of dressing. Place the salad on a plate and top with the mozzarella, walnuts and the prosciutto.
Enjoy!
Disclaimer: My thanks to California Endive Farms for providing me with a generous sample of endive to use. I also wrote about endive on Recipe.com.
Healthier Snacks & Treats
Snacks are part of the American way of life. We are a nation of snackers. Because I work from home, I have no "break room" stocked with drinks and snacks, but that doesn't mean I don't help myself to a nibble now and then. I most frequently indulge in snacks when I'm traveling because it's not always easy to find a satisfying meal in between departure and arrival. In general I prefer healthier snacks, they just taste better to me. Stock up on these for the home, office or on to take the road.
When I pass through Chicago O'Hare, I sometimes buy some "Chicago mix" that wacky sounding but utterly delicious combination of caramel corn and cheese corn. Each bite is salty sweet and so crisp and buttery. I've never found anything as good as what they sell in Chicago, until I got a sample of G.H.Cretors. They offer cheese popcorn and caramel corn separately but trust me, you want to try them combined. So truth be told, these are not the healthiest, but healthier than potato chips, so that's something.
I've been crazy about these creative fruit and nut mixes since I tried them at the Fancy Food Show a few years ago. Not your typical trail mix, they come in amazing flavor combinations like Pomegranate, Pistachios with Almonds, Cherries and Black Pepper or Sing Buri Cashews with pineapple, peanuts, Lemongrass and Mild Chinese Chili. The "Crunchers" come in both sweet and savory formulations like Cranberries, Sesame Seeds or Honey Almond Snack with Parmesan Cheese and Herbs. Depending on the flavor, they are recommended for use on salads, yogurt and oatmeal, rice and pasta. I think they would be great on stir fried vegetables as well.
When putting together a gift for a friend, I remembered how good these nut mixes are and added a pack. They come in flavors like Smoked Paprika Pecans and Coconut Chili Macadamias, but my favorite are the Wild Rosemary Almonds, which are perfectly slow roasted. Good as a snack but they could also be chopped and added to salads or served with a cheese plate.
Perhaps you've come across these cute little snacks that look like snap peas, but are made from legumes like dried red lentils, beans and green peas. They taste like junk food, but they are much healthier than potato chips with almost half as much fat and sodium. They come in different flavors like Tomato Basil, Onion Thyme and Wasabi Ranch. I've enjoyed each of them that I've tried, but I warn you, an open bag is moments away from being an empty bag…
Ocean's Halo
It's hard to describe the flavor of seaweed. It's kind of earthy and briny but herbal too. You probably either love it or hate it. I love it. I like those crisp little seaweed snacks that you find all over these days. But now there's a chip made from seaweed that has a much crunchier thicker texture, but the same intense flavor of the sea. I really like the sea salt flavor and look forward to trying the chile lime and Korean BBQ versions too. Halo snacks are available at select Whole Foods markets. As an added plus, the bag they come in is 100% compostable, though not edible! That would be pretty cool though.
Ocean's Halo
It's hard to describe the flavor of seaweed. It's kind of earthy and briny but herbal too. You probably either love it or hate it. I love it. I like those crisp little seaweed snacks that you find all over these days. But now there's a chip made from seaweed that has a much crunchier thicker texture, but the same intense flavor of the sea. I really like the sea salt flavor and look forward to trying the chile lime and Korean BBQ versions too. Halo snacks are available at select Whole Foods markets. As an added plus, the bag they come in is 100% compostable, though not edible! That would be pretty cool though.
Recently I got a sample of Crunchies latest flavors Sweet Buttered Corn and BBQ Roasted Vegetables. I like the corn because it's light and sweet. Like the dehydrated fruits and vegetables that I reviewed from Sensible Foods I think you could use it on salads or as a topping on soup. The BBQ version which includes a variety of dehydrated vegetables does not taste much like BBQ at all. And I don't really like the peas which are a bit starchy tasting, but the tomatoes and red peppers are very good. If you're interested in trying this, I'd recommend sticking with the corn.
Disclaimer: I received some (but not all) of these products as review samples, however I was not paid to write this or any other post on Cooking with Amy.
Disclaimer: I received some (but not all) of these products as review samples, however I was not paid to write this or any other post on Cooking with Amy.
