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All Cheese Considered
On the Road to Anuga: A Tale of Feta, Medieval Cheese and Cannabis Iced Tea
Attending an international trade fair is both exhilarating
and exhausting. For anyone who has ever walked the aisles of the
Summer Fancy Food Show, imagine this: take the Jacob Javits Center
and multiply it by 14. That's the number of buildings used for
Anuga in Cologne, Germany, where we visited in October of 2007. Of
those 14 buildings, several are two stories and at least one of
them is three stories, and all the while you are moving through
hordes of people (some 163,000 trade visitors from 175 countries).
Ultimately, however, this type of show allows one the best
perspective on new products, new trends, innovations in packaging
and technology, and a chance to see what's going on in the rest of
the world. This becomes increasingly important as the world
continues to shrink and traditional borders continue to fade.
Nevertheless, it is hard work, but we found some exciting new
products and I'll talk about a few of them here.
Greece had a huge presence at Anuga, including a very
large pavilion devoted to Greek companies, and several other Greek
companies situated outside of the pavilion. A new company,
Gourmante, had a beautiful array of products such as
traditional dolmas packed in tins without preservatives; olives and
organic olives; PDO olive oils from a mill that sits right next to
the Kalamata groves; Greek balsamic vinegar that is aged in wood
with no caramel color or sulfites; a selection of antipasti; and a
unique mustard with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and herbs. The
product most appropriate to this column was their PDO barrel-aged
feta, ingeniously packed in smart little trays with a resealable
cover. Best of all, the feta was absolutely delicious, and the
packaging allows one to use small amounts at a time without having
to fumble with the plastic wrap. Their first non-Greek product is a
wonderful Haloumi cheese from Cyprus, made from 100% goat's
milk.
Margaret Cicogna, the Italian cheese wiz for Atalanta,
pulled me over to Latteria Perenzin, a fourth-generation,
family-owned cheesemaking company from the Veneto region of
northern Italy. Emanuela Perenzin runs the company her
great-grandfather began in 1900, producing exquisite handmade
cheeses that simply ooze with the concept of terroir. The
cheesemaker, Carlo Piccoli, was also there to treat us to samples
of his Goat Robiola and a Montasio Stravecchio DPO that made me
really appreciate this cheese for the first time. It was
outstanding in its depth of flavor and creamy texture. Perhaps the
most interesting cheese, though, was called Castel Formaggio
Medievale (Medieval cheese), in which whole cow's milk is left to
stand prior to the cheesemaking in order to build up the acidity
level. It was sensational and unique in my experience. To find out
more about their cheeses, visit www.perenzin.com.
We also visited with Beemster cheese (again through
Atalanta), whose premium Dutch gouda-style cheese is made on a
small co-op in Northern Holland on land reclaimed from sea in 1512.
The pastures are pesticide-free and the cheese is made from a
special recipe, resulting in a cheese that is sweet and creamy with
a long finish. Find out more about them at www.beemstercheese.us.
Since I first had it, I've known Trentingrana is a
delicious cheese, but I didn't understand why until our visit to
their stand. Trentingrana (through Global Sales) is a mountain
cheese made exclusively from milk produced in the Trentino region
of Italy. Over 800 small family farms (with between 20 and 40 cows
each) produce the top-quality milk used for this cheese. Seventeen
factories — all supervised by Trentingrana (both the name of the
cheese and the consortium) — produce the cheese. Trentingrana is
rich and nutty flavored and is delicious as a table cheese, for
snacking, or for any application in which one would use any
grana-type cheese. For more information, go to www.goglobalsales.com.
At Henri Hutin, we found a most remarkable cheese
in their Valbrie line. They have developed a technology to allow
them to slice a soft-ripened cheese almost paper thin. It's perfect
for sandwiches, deli platters and so on.
One of the highlights of the show was visiting with
Kitchens of India (brought in through Liberty Richter), an
impressive line of ready-to-eat dishes that are absolutely
delicious and authentic. The few dishes that were prepared for us
there tasted as if they had been prepared in a fine Indian
restaurant, which is exactly what their background is. The company,
ITC Limited, operates what are arguably the finest hotels and
restaurants in India, and this line of products is the result of
their expertise. The ready-to-eat line includes many classic
vegetarian and chicken-based dishes, desserts (unbelievable),
chutneys, rice snacks, curries, and cooking sauces. The frozen line
offers complete meals including rice and Indian breads. This kind
of product seems to be in the direction the industry is going, and
Kitchens of India has set the bar very high indeed. For more about
them, visit www.kitchensofindia.com.
Oh, and then there was the Swiss Cannabis Iced Tea,
a product that, although intriguing (it's made from black tea and
hemp so don't expect a psychedelic experience), will not likely be
sold in this country any time soon; it was a fun idea with some
great packaging. See it at www.c-ice.com.
Industry NewsOn the Road to Anuga: A Tale of Feta, Medieval Cheese and Cannabis Iced Tea
IDDBA Dairy-Deli-Bake 2008 Set for New Orleans
Start making your travel plans because the International Dairy Deli Bakery Association's (IDDBA) 44th annual seminar and expo, Dairy-Deli-Bake 2008, will be held in New Orleans, La., at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center on June 1–3, 2008. The IDDBA show will feature a supermarket Mardi Gras of great foods, creative ideas, internationally known speakers, fantastic networking, and the most fabulous foods on earth. If you've been waiting for the "right time" to visit New Orleans, your wait is over. Is the city perfect? No. But it's on its feet again and ready to welcome convention-goers in true New Orleans style. The IDDBA staff has visited the city in preparation of the Expo and found the convention center sparkling and the restaurants better than ever. This is a great show for anyone in the perishable side of the industry, so mark your calendar. For more information, call 608-310-5000, or go to www.iddba.org. American Meat Institute Launches "Meat Matters" for Consumers
The American Meat Institute (AMI) has announced a new consumer outreach initiative called "Meat Matters," a series of brochures that can be downloaded and printed from a new, centralized Web site. The online brochures are designed to be easily printed for use by consumers, retailers and foodservice operators. The seven brochures in the new "Meat Matters" series include Case Ready Meats, Product Dating, Safe Handling of Meat and Poultry Products, Meat and Poultry Nutrition, Livestock Cloning, Animal Welfare in the Meat Industry, and Consumer's Guide to Enhanced Meats. AMI sought comments from government, industry and academia in the development of these brochures. For more information, or to download the brochures, go to www.MeatMattersInfo.org. Historic 150,000-Acre Ranch Certified Organic
The historic McEwen Ranch in Eastern Oregon has announced that it has been certified organic by the USDA's National Organic Program, the culmination of a three-year process during which the land (150,000 acres in all) must be free of all chemical inputs such as fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides. With its organic certification, the McEwen Ranch, which was once part of the historic Miller-Lux cattle empire of the late 1800s, is believed to be the largest organic-certified ranch in the United States. It is also one of the finest organic grass ranches in the Pacific Northwest, with extensive and high-quality native grass cover throughout. The managers of the ranch have negotiated an exclusive deal with Dakota Beef, the nation's leading organic beef provider, for all the cattle the ranch can produce.
Kobe Beef America Now Available Online
Kobe Beef America has launched a new Web site through which meat-lovers can buy the coveted beef online. This site marks the expansion of the business and increased demand for the product, providing an additional channel in which Kobe Beef America can distribute its trademark beef nationwide. Kobe Beef America uses only cattle created from the original genetic line of the Wagyu cattle from Japan. The beef is renowned for its flavor, remarkable tenderness and fatty-marbling, making it the highest-grade American-style Kobe beef available in the United States. The beef hails the legendary tenderness that Japanese-style Kobe is known for, yet is specifically made to meet American size portions and American palates. The new site features an easy-to-navigate online store where customers can pick from a large selection of products, including roasts, traditional steak cuts and Kurobuta pork. For more information, visit www.kobe-beef.com.
Kobe Beef America has launched a new Web site through which meat-lovers can buy the coveted beef online. This site marks the expansion of the business and increased demand for the product, providing an additional channel in which Kobe Beef America can distribute its trademark beef nationwide. Kobe Beef America uses only cattle created from the original genetic line of the Wagyu cattle from Japan. The beef is renowned for its flavor, remarkable tenderness and fatty-marbling, making it the highest-grade American-style Kobe beef available in the United States. The beef hails the legendary tenderness that Japanese-style Kobe is known for, yet is specifically made to meet American size portions and American palates. The new site features an easy-to-navigate online store where customers can pick from a large selection of products, including roasts, traditional steak cuts and Kurobuta pork. For more information, visit www.kobe-beef.com.
Dairy
Choctál Introduces Not-So-Plain Vanilla Ice Cream
Choctál first broke new ground last year by introducing a line of luscious single origin chocolate ice creams. In fact, they have created quite a stir among ice cream lovers as much for their rich flavor and creamy texture as for the surprisingly diverse flavors in the chocolates. They also produced an absolutely lovely Madagascar Vanilla ice cream that is every bit as enticing as the quartet of chocolates. Now they have launched three more single-origin vanilla super-premium ice creams — Indonesian, Papua New Guinea and Mexican — as well as made their first foray into single-country chocolate-vanilla combo made up of Costa Rican Rainforest Chocolate and Vanilla. Each flavor has a unique flavor profile that is determined by the origin of the vanilla plant (a type of orchid), the growing conditions and the hand of the producer. Indonesian Vanilla has a creamy sweetness and a woody floral note. Mexican is sweet and spicy with a touch of cinnamon and a coconut finish. The vanilla from Papua New Guinea has fruity, floral notes of cherry and a long finish. The Costa Rican combo has balanced flavors of coffee and caramel in the chocolate and full-flavored Gardella Rainforest Vanilla. Those decidedly wine-sounding tasting notes are from CEO and founder Marc Boatwright who has a background in wine and restaurants. It was his observations of the similarities between chocolate and wine that led him into starting Choctál. For more information about their brilliant ice creams, call 626-574-1600, or visit www.choctal.com.
CLICK VENDOR LINK NO. 401
New Single-Serve Soymilks From Vitasoy
Choctál Introduces Not-So-Plain Vanilla Ice Cream
Choctál first broke new ground last year by introducing a line of luscious single origin chocolate ice creams. In fact, they have created quite a stir among ice cream lovers as much for their rich flavor and creamy texture as for the surprisingly diverse flavors in the chocolates. They also produced an absolutely lovely Madagascar Vanilla ice cream that is every bit as enticing as the quartet of chocolates. Now they have launched three more single-origin vanilla super-premium ice creams — Indonesian, Papua New Guinea and Mexican — as well as made their first foray into single-country chocolate-vanilla combo made up of Costa Rican Rainforest Chocolate and Vanilla. Each flavor has a unique flavor profile that is determined by the origin of the vanilla plant (a type of orchid), the growing conditions and the hand of the producer. Indonesian Vanilla has a creamy sweetness and a woody floral note. Mexican is sweet and spicy with a touch of cinnamon and a coconut finish. The vanilla from Papua New Guinea has fruity, floral notes of cherry and a long finish. The Costa Rican combo has balanced flavors of coffee and caramel in the chocolate and full-flavored Gardella Rainforest Vanilla. Those decidedly wine-sounding tasting notes are from CEO and founder Marc Boatwright who has a background in wine and restaurants. It was his observations of the similarities between chocolate and wine that led him into starting Choctál. For more information about their brilliant ice creams, call 626-574-1600, or visit www.choctal.com.
CLICK VENDOR LINK NO. 401
Vitasoy has introduced the first organic single-serve soymilk that is shelf-stable and needs no refrigeration until opened. The new drinks are available in three flavors: Vanilla, Plain and Chocolate. The soymilk is organic and comes in 11.5-ounce screw cap recyclable plastic bottles with striking labels that are clean, fresh, and bilingual. Each serving offers 10 ounces of protein and 45 percent of the suggested daily requirement of calcium. They are lactose- and dairy-free, contain no cholesterol or trans fats, and are kosher-certified. MSRP is $1.89 per 11.5-ounce bottle. For more information, visit www.vitasoy-usa.com.
CLICK VENDOR LINK NO. 404
Deli
The Best Wurst From Applegate Farms
Applegate Farms has introduced four new sausages made from organic-certified humane pork, including three fully-cooked dinner sausages — Kielbasa, Bratwurst and Andouille. The sausages are gently smoked and flavored with organic herbs and spices to create the mild and delicate taste of bratwurst, the fiery bite of Louisiana andouille, or the fresh garlic taste of kielbasa. Applegate Farms' animals are never administered antibiotics or growth hormones. Its livestock are all raised humanely and receive only vegetarian feed with no animal by-products. They use only the highest cuts of meat; no MSG, gluten or casein, fillers or excess water; and never chemical preservatives or additives. MSRP is $6.99 for a 12-ounce package. For more information, call 908-725-5800 ext. 258, or visit www.applegatefarms.com.
CLICK VENDOR LINK NO. 407
New Single-Serve Recipe Packs From Gourmet
Garden
The Best Wurst From Applegate Farms
Applegate Farms has introduced four new sausages made from organic-certified humane pork, including three fully-cooked dinner sausages — Kielbasa, Bratwurst and Andouille. The sausages are gently smoked and flavored with organic herbs and spices to create the mild and delicate taste of bratwurst, the fiery bite of Louisiana andouille, or the fresh garlic taste of kielbasa. Applegate Farms' animals are never administered antibiotics or growth hormones. Its livestock are all raised humanely and receive only vegetarian feed with no animal by-products. They use only the highest cuts of meat; no MSG, gluten or casein, fillers or excess water; and never chemical preservatives or additives. MSRP is $6.99 for a 12-ounce package. For more information, call 908-725-5800 ext. 258, or visit www.applegatefarms.com.
CLICK VENDOR LINK NO. 407
Gourmet Garden has launched a collection of convenient Single-Serve Recipe Packs, which is a line of squeezable herbs and spices. Their 4-ounce tubes are already a hit with home cooks, but now they are available in ½-ounce tubes for single applications. The tubes are meal-theme-specific and include Italian (parsley, garlic and basil), Thai (chili pepper, garlic and basil), Mexican (chili pepper, garlic and cilantro), Garden Spice Medley (garlic, chili pepper and ginger), and Garden Herb Medley (basil, cilantro and parsley). They are made in Australia and the MSRP is $2.99. For more information, visit www.gourmetgarden.com.
CLICK VENDOR LINK NO. 402
Frozen
New Products From White Toque
White Toque is a company that has set new standards for frozen foods. They produce an exquisite line of appetizers, bakery items (such as Belgian waffles and croissants), ready-made meals (like quiches, paella and organic Italian pizzas), fruits, vegetables, desserts, and convenience items (compound butters, diced herbs), all of which taste like they just came out of a good French bistro. The founders come from the restaurant industry (it shows) and they use a unique flash-freezing process called IQF (Individually Quick Frozen) that gently freezes the food using ultra-cold air to minimize dehydration and preserve the texture and flavor. Recently, I tried some of their newest products: Goat Cheese & Fig Fillo Rolls, Mushroom & Risotto Fillo Triangles, Madeleines, and a selection of frozen herbs. Everything was delicious and fresh-tasting. The herbs burst with aroma when I opened the package and they tasted fresh. For more information, call 800-237-6936, or visit www.whitetoque.com.
CLICK VENDOR LINK NO. 405 If you would like to comment or send us your feedback, please send e-mail to jmellgren@sbcglobal.net.
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