Prepare To Be Wowed! (All Photos By Gail)
Food Glorious Fancy Food: the most-anticipated annual food show is now behind us, and I must say that nobody has their act together quite like the Specialty Food Association does when they take over the Javits Center for the annual Summer Fancy Food Show here in NYC. Cheese whiz, what a fantastic show! Continue reading Favorite Products, Packaging and Booth Displays From The Summer Fancy Food Show 2019!
7-Eleven Debuted an Expanded Line of Store-Branded Snacks at the 2015 Snack Attack! (All Photos By Gail, Click on Any Image to Enlarge for Detail)
Snacking: Everybody Does It. And when a Snack Attack hits, it’s reassuring to know that your choice of possible snacks is almost endless, and snacking healthier — even on traditional snack foods — is more fun than ever. There was so many new and delicious products to taste when we attended the 2015Editor Showcase Snack Attack event last month. Let’s take a look!
Bringing a brand name familiarity to the convenience of the local neighborhood bodega, 7-Eleven Stores have expanded their own line of snacks, 7-Select! Whether you crave the sweet or salty snack, 7-Select has got you covered with their two new, premium lines; GO!Yum and GO!Smart.
Go Yum! includes indulgent snacks such as premium crafted chocolates in stand up bags, and premium ice creams made with the highest quality ingredients. GO!Smart features snacks like Yogurt Drizzled Bars, made with whole grain brown rice and delicious berries and nuts. You’ll also find grab-and-go favorites like Sprouted Corn Tortilla Chips, and air-popped Popcorn in tempting flavors like Bacon Ranch, and Jalapeno Cheddar. All of these snacks are non-GMO and Gluten Free.
We were just in 7-Eleven last week and saw these products already on shelves and selling like crazy!
Be sure to grab a few of these healthier, amazingly tasty snacks next time you pop in to a 7-Eleven store near you!
Snack Cakes were a popular item at the show, including one of our favorite brands, Entenmann’s. We had the chance to taste a few of their new products including Rich Frosted Patriotic Donuts (which we hear makes a killer ice cream sandwich), flaunting Red, White and Blue Sprinkles! Also new to this family of quality baked goods are Soft’ees French Toast Donuts, which have already inspired the recipe for a Bacon, Egg and Cheese Breakfast Sandwich that sounds insanely delicious.
And we are singing the praises of Entenmann’s new Party Cake Little Bites! This tiny morsel of moist yellow cake with rainbow sprinkles mixed in is one of the tastiest things you can put in your mouth! Find out more about these new Entenmann’s products at This Link!
Entenmann’s Donut Mascots! Want!
This was our first introduction to Mrs. Freshley’s, an award-winning brand with more than 50 different snack cakes and pastries.
Find out more about their varieties of delicious snack cakes, and get the recipe for something called a Candied Fudge Brownie Ice Cream Sandwich, at This Link.
TastyKake was also in the house, providing lots of samples of their fresh baked treats, including the Minis line of cupcakes in assorted flavors.
In business for more than 100 years (wow!) you can find out more about TastyKake’s baked goods at This Link!
Nomoo Cookie Company bakes a wide selection of decadent-tasting cookies that are dairy free, with no preservatives, obscure chemicals, hydrogenated trans fats, or artificial flavors and colors — plus these cookies are kosher! Each cookie is individually wrapped for freshness, and the taste and quality are outstanding. We especially loved the Chocolate Chip variety. Find out more about Nomoo at This Link.
Among Friends Hand Crafted Baking Mixes were created by two friends (who are both moms) who love baking and wanted to help people fill their kitchens with fresh–from–the–oven baked goods made from the best ingredients. The brand’s mouthwatering cookie, cake, brownie and fruit crisp mixes are made with whole grains, Non–GMO ingredients and are gluten-free. With their tagline, “Homemade, Without The Hassle,” Among Friends makes baking from scratch easy, without sacrificing taste!
Get to know the Among Friends brand at This Link!
One of the most talked about new products of Snack Attack was the newly introduced Birthday Cake Teddy Grahams! Teddy Grahams tiny Bear-shaped cookies are a much loved thing, and just when you thought there was no way to improve on perfection, you can now buy them with Rainbow Sprinkles baked right in! Festive! Surely both kids and adult adults alike will go crazy for these. In fact, we left the event with two full boxes of Birthday Cake Teddy Grahams, one of which we shared with our coworkers the following day, and these cookies had disappeared within an hour! This might also have had something to do with the fact that they smell like Birthday Cake, a tempting aroma that few can resist. Birthday Cake Teddy Grahams are available just in time for back-to-school, so be sure and check This Link to see when they’ve arrived at a store near you.
Pretzels are a perpetual favorite snack here in the US, but those on a gluten-free diet may need to refrain from indulging in this popular treat. Fortunately, Pretzel Perfection has created a gluten-free pretzel that is also big on taste, whether you choose to snack sweet or savory. At Editor Showcase we sampled the brand’s newest snack, sweet white chocolate-coated pretzel Twists, which come in gourmet flavors like English Toffee and Raspberry Truffle.
Also new for the Holidays are Seasonal flavors like Peppermint and Eggnog, which come in these lovely cylindrical packages, making them perfect for gift giving. Learn more about this fast-growing company at Pretzel Perfection Dot Com.
Ruby Rockets Frozen Pops are a perfect cool and refreshing summer snack that you can indulge in guilt–free. Made with an assortment of fresh fruits and vegetables, Ruby Rockets are the only frozen pops that contain healthy probiotics while also being full of vitamins and other nutrients, low in sugar, and both gluten and dairy free. These are especially great for kids who are on restricted diets, because they taste great! Find out more about these “Pop Stars” — and get a money-saving coupon — at Ruby Rockets Dot Com.
Moving on to a selection the more savory featured snacks at Editor Showcase Snack Attack, who among us can resist Pirate’s Booty lightly puffed baked corn snack made with real aged white cheddar? Answer: No one. No one can resist it. Also new to the brand are Pirates Booty Carrot Snacks, which for some mysterious reason we do not have a photo of. Carrot Snacks are made with a blend of carrots and corn, and are an excellent source of Vitamin A. An addition to the Crunchy Treasures line, Carrot Snacks are Non-GMO with a vibrant orange color, and have the crisp crunch kids look for in a snack. Find out more at Pirate Brands Dot Com!
The Laughing Cow Spreadable Cheese Wedges are a fantastic snack and a healthy indulgence with almost endless, creative serving possibilities. We enjoyed making a plate of tasty snacks featuring several of Laughing Cow’s eight varieties of soft cheeses.
Whether you top your snack with fresh summer berries, nuts, sliced olives or jalapenos, a Laughing Cow snack never gets boring. Get recipe ideas for your next summer party at The Laughing Cow Dot Com!
At Snack Attack, JarlsBerg Cheese, the nationally recognized premium brand of cheese, debuted JarlsBerg Lite Cheese Minis, which offer a delicious snacking option for an entire family. Conveniently packaged for grab-and-go snacking, these tiny cheese rounds are naturally lactose-free and contain 7 grams of protein, as well as being a good source of calcium, at just 50 calories each! Best of all, it still has that nutty, sweet Jarlsberg taste you love. Jarlsberg Lite Minis are in stores now. Find out more about the Jarlsberg family of fine Swiss cheeses at This Link.
Sabra Hummus has introduced new Pizza Hummus Singles to its line of dips and spreads that already includes more than 12 hummus flavors. This classic hummus has been blended with pizza-inspired flavors, including herbs and spices like fresh basil and oregano. The single serving 2-ounce container pairs well with pita chips and vegetables, and it’s easy to slip in a lunch box or backpack for on-the-go meals and snacks. Available just in time for back-to-school season, Sabra’s Pizza Hummus Singles launch in August.
Get more information about Sabra Hummus by visiting Sabra Dot Com.
Harvest Stone Crackers are one of our favorite crackers, simply because they taste the best! These crispy, gluten-free crackers have less fat than regular potato chips and an incredible whole-grain taste that is truly crave-able.
Harvest Stone’s newest offering in the gluten-free snack arena is this tasty Crispy Mix Snack, which includes Harvest Grain Crackers, plus pretzels and other crunchy things, and comes in a Cheese flavor as well as a Bold (were guessing that means spicy) option. Visit Harvest Stone on the Web at This Link.
True story: back in high school, even being in possession of a pack of crunchy, buttery Mauna Loa Macadamia Nuts was a status symbol that automatically elevated you into the ranks of the Cool Kids. Just being serious. Granted, this was over 35 years ago, so we have no idea if they still carry that kind of clout. But the fact that the brand is still going strong is surely a good sign!
Eating Macadamia nuts makes you feel like you’re in Hawaii, and everybody loves Hawaii. Enjoy a tribal, Enchanted Tiki Room-esque song about Macadamia Nuts, and learn more about Mauna Loa products, at This Link!
Do you like meat snacks? If so, Fusion Artisan Jerky may be your thing.
Made from quality meats that include Chicken, Turkey, Pork, and Beef, Fusion Jerky is a savory treat that includes gourmet flavors like Pork Jerky in Teriyaki or Garlic Jalapeño flavors; Beef Jerky flavored with Basil Citrus or Chipotle Lime; Lemon Pepper Chicken Jerky, or Chili Basil Turkey Jerky, plus other varieties. Fusion Jerky is made with all-natural ingredients and is preservative, gluten and nitrate free. Company founder KaiYen Mai was born into a family passionate about the delicate art of creating unique flavors and perfecting the soft, traditional Asian jerky textures, and her no-compromise dedication is evident in the quality and taste of her product. Find out where to purchase Fusion Jerky in your area at This Link!
Jack Links Protein Snacks were also on the snack scene to represent for the meat lovers! Light and delicious, Jack Link’s new Original Chicken Jerky joins their already popular Turkey Jerky as a wholesome and delicious snack for any occasion and an excellent source of protein, making it perfect for on-the-go lifestyles. Naturally low in fat and carbs, Chicken Jerky boasts 11 grams of protein and just 80 calories per serving, while Turkey Jerky offers 13 grams of protein and 80 calories per serving. Wit its subtly sweet and savory flavor, Jack Link’s Original Chicken Jerky starts with lean white meat chicken breast that is seasoned and marinated with cracked black pepper, along with sweet and savory spices. The tender chicken strips are then smoked to perfection, creating the subtle, smoky flavor that consumers expect in authentic jerky.
We love their clever way of emphasizing the point that these snacks are good for taking with you anywhere (because who would put a roast chicken breast in her purse?). Hilarious. Find out more about Jack Links at Their Website!
Thanks again to Editor Showcase for another great adventure in food blogging! See you next time!
An Array of Natural Flavor Ingredients in Cabo Chips (Reviewed Below). All Photos By Gail.
Making the scene at a Food Fête Health & Wellness event is always a good time, because attending one means getting more than a dozen delicious chances to discover ways in which eating smarter tastes fantastic. Check out our favorite products — from snacks to breakfast to meal mainstays — from this Springtime showcase! Continue reading Food Fête Spring 2015: Health & Wellness Showcase Recap!
All Photos By Gail
Hot New Products: we want to know all about them, and when those new items come from a brand whose products we already love, we can’t wait to try them! The promise of being introduced to, and l tasting, delicious new, limited edition and seasonal items from trusted favorites like Tombstone, Pom and Uncle Ben’s — as well as some trending brands that were new to us — brought the food writers and bloggers to the Marriott Marquis on April 6th for Editor Showcase Eat This Event. Here are some of our favorite tasty products that we can’t wait to tell you about!
Continue reading Editor Showcase Eat This: New Products for Spring 2015
All Photos By Gail (Click on Any Image to Enlarge for Detail)
Food, Glorious Food Fête! Our favorite quarterly food trade show and media networking show packed the cozy Helen Mills Event Space in Chelsea on February 24th with booths showcasing sixteen innovative products ranging from Premium Organic Jarred Tomatoes to Gluten-Free Shortbread Cookies, and Vegan Meat Substitutes — all every exciting! Here are a few of our favorite products from the show!
The first booth we came to when we entered the show was Plum Organics — a company focusing on the nutritional needs and often finicky appetites of babies and children. Their huge display extended possibly three booth spaces, and with good reason: these folks had a lot of cool products to present! It was a chilly night and Plum Organics helped warm everyone up with their hearty and delicious Tomato and Turkey Meatball Soup.
You can see that this soup is packed with lots of tiny, ground turkey meatballs for a savory and satisfying meal that kids (and adults) will devour!
Go Bars, in tempting flavors like Chocolate Brownie and Pumpkin Banana, make a healthy after-school snack!
Plum Vida is an organic, squeezable fruit and veggie blend snack created by the women of Plum, and is the company’s first product specifically for adults. At only 70 – 90 calories, with 3 grams of fiber per resealable pouch, Plum Vida is an ideal on-the-go snack. Find out more about the fine products of Plum Organics at This Link!
Imagine how sad it would be if you had to eliminate delicious butter from your diet due to being lactose intolerant. I don’t even want to go there. Thank goodness that Challenge Dairy has actually created “Lactose Free” Spreadable Butter, which tastes just as awesome as the real thing! This new and exciting product is enhanced with fine olive oil to maintain a smooth texture without sacrificing any rich flavor. Amazing! Challenge also debuted two new flavors of their Soft Cream Cheese Spread: Strawberry — flavored and sweetened only with fresh ripe strawberries with no sugar added — and Salsa Flavor, made with an assortment of fresh garden vegetables. Both of these cream cheese spreads were crazy delicious and perfect for snacking or serving at your next party!
Also, they were giving away Free Cows! Fall in love with the wonderful products of Challenge Dairy at This Link!
Muir Glen Organic Jarred Tomatoes make cooking all of your favorite tomato recipes — from soups and stews to sauces and pizza — so easy! Using only California-grown tomatoes, Muir Glen offers four unique varieties of prepared tomatoes including the sweet and smokey Diced Fire Roasted Red Tomatoes, San Marzano Style Plum Tomatoes (perfect for Italian cooking), Arabella Tomatoes, and Crushed Tomatillos (Green Tomatoes), which are so versatile especially in the preparation of Mexican Cuisine!
I brought a jar home so I can make a vat of my famous homemade chili! Get recipes and more information by visiting Muir Glen Dot Com!
Bailys Coffee Creamers bring the beloved, classic flavor of Bailys Irish Cream Liqueur to your morning coffee, but without the alcohol! Who needs Starbucks when you have this product in your pantry? Two new flavors introduced at Food Fete were Macadamia Brittle and Bourbon Vanilla Pound Cake! We also had a chance to sample tasty Macadamia Brittle cupcakes made from a recipe incorporating Bailys Creamers! Get Recipes, download money saving coupons and find out where to buy Bailys Creamers at Baileys Creamers Dot Com!
Master of Mixes Bloody Mary Mix kept the atmosphere festive by offering a custom Bloody Mary Bar featuring the Classic, Loaded, and 5 Pepper varieties of mix, each with varying level of heat to match you taste! Master of Mixes products are based on classic scratch cocktail recipes — with the goal being for their one-step cocktails to be as close as possible to the originals…or maybe even better!
Those who stopped by the booth received a fun gift bag including their preferred Master of Mixes variety, a Bloody Mary Glass, Tomato-shaped stress ball and lots of recipes! Learn more about Master of Mixes impressive line of cocktail mixes at This Link!
It was nice to see a selection fresh fruit and produce sharing the stage with packaged and prepared foods, and the California Giant Berry Farms booth did not disappoint! Their brightly-colored, attention-grabbing display of fresh strawberries and blueberries were showcased as the featured ingredient in two very original recipes. What you see up front is fresh Strawberry Salsa (perfectly accompanied by crisp, salty tortilla strips) which is made using Strawberries, Red Onion, Jalapeno and Cilantro and spices, with no tomatoes at all! This was probably the most delicious fresh salsa I have ever tasted – get the recipe at the link below!
They also offered plates of fresh baked, insanely moist Blueberry Brownies that take this popular dessert to an entirely different level. Find out more about California Giant Berry Farms and get a ton of creative recipes by clicking over to Cal Giant Dot Com.
Unless you live a cave, you have to be familiar with the classic Walkers Shortbread cookies — which are phenomenal. I wouldn’t have thought there was a way to improve on this popular treat, but Walkers has manged to maintain their shortbread’s outrageously buttery taste in a new gluten-free recipe that substitutes wheat flour for a blend of rice flour, maize flour and potato starch! The new, certified gluten-free line includes three new flavors: Shortbread Rounds, Ginger & Lemon Shortbread and Chocolate Chip Shortbread — which I think are the best tasting and highest quality packaged Chocolate Chip cookies you can buy in a store.
Walkers was founded in 1898 and is still a family owned and managed company. Visit them on the web at US Dot Walkers Shortbread Dot Com.
Sunset Produce featured a variety of their fresh packaged tomatoes for sampling and also had one of the most naturally colorful booths at the show!
Founded sixty years ago by a pioneer in the commercial greenhouse industry, Sunset is still family owned, and operated with great passion for growing and selling world-class tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers. With over a dozen varieties on offer, you are not going to get bored of tasting and cooking with these fantastic fruits. We came home with some free samples as well! Find out more about Sunset Produce at Sunset Grown Dot Com.
Do you like Olives? I sure do. But just when you think that all Olives are created equal, Lindsay Olives come along and blow your mind with their unequaled deliciousness. Holy cow, they are so excellent! These little bread rounds are topped with an insane Olive Tapanade made with Lemon Zest that was just out of control. Explore the world of Lindsay Olives, and snag that Tapanade recipe, at This Link!
Winning my personal award for possessing the Best Brand Name Ever, Food Should Taste Good brand makes non-GMO, gluten-free snacks and chips that, well, taste terrific! Founder Pete Lescoe created Food Should Taste Good, Inc in 2006 with the goal of making a unique new snack with great taste, real ingredients, and sophisticated flavor – the qualities he is most passionate about in food. FSTG’s MultiGrain Tortilla Chips — which we sampled at Food Fete — are absolutely habit forming and practically guilt-free at zero grams of fat!
They’ve also introduced a brand new product, Pinto Bean and Black Bean MultiGrain Chips! These bean-based chips are also made with Flax, Sesame and Sunflower Seeds plus Quinoa for a true MutiGrain experience in a tasty snack chip. See a full list of FSTG Chips at This Link!
Inspired by an authentic Australian recipe, Yulu Yogurt is double smoothed – and I do not know that means, exactly, but what I can tell you is that it tastes fantastic. Yulu has a texture and consistency that more closely resembles pudding than yogurt, which I think makes for a more highly desirable mouth feel.
At Food Fete, Yulu offered a “Make Your Own” Toppings Bar and I created this delicious little snack for myself with a couple of fresh raspberries and a sprinkle of sweet chocolate shavings on top of their Vanilla flavor yogurt. It was the most delicious thing. Yulu also has 9 grams of protein per serving, so it is a good snack for between meals. Click over to Yulu Yogurt Dot Com to find out more, get coupons and store information, plus be eligible for giveaways! Yay for Yulu!
Horizon Dairy is a company we already love for its family of delicious organic products. Horizon’s new Fruit Crunchers snack is a great on-the-go treat and can even be used to top sundaes or fruit salads.
I threw these Toasted Coconut Crunchers on top of my Yulu Yogurt and they made it taste extra special! Fruit Crunchers also come in Apple and are made with 100% real fruit with no artificial ingredients. Visit Horizon Dairy on the web at This Link!
While we do not at all considered Meat to be a four letter word, we are always open to vegetarian and vegan options when it comes to tasty proteins and meat substitutes. Because good food is good food! Sweet Earth Foods hosted an amazing booth where an abundance of their exciting new products were available to sample, including:
Tuscan Savory Grounds: Italian Spicy Sausage flavor in a meatless, ground meat-emulating product! Savory Grounds also come in Chipotle, and Barbecue flavors, so your meatless recipe options are nearly limitless!
Recipe Ready Seitan: The “Wheat Meat” comes in a variety of tasty, pre-seasoned flavors including Curry, Chipotle and also traditional flavor. Hail Seitan!
Sesame Squares: in Tart Cherry & Hemp Seed, and Chocolate varieties, these energy-packed bars are super high in fiber, rich in taste and natural snacking at its best. Visit Sweet Earth Foods Dot Com to explore a new world of deliciousness.
And now, let us raise a glass to Jeff Davis for bringing the fabulousness of Food Fete to hungry food bloggers four times annually! See you in the Spring!