The second installment of TGR's Editor's Table -- direct from the 35th Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco -- showcases our team's selections from the show. Click here to see the video.

This past winter edition had the highest attendance of any Winter Show in the past five years. The three-day event, which ended Jan. 19 at the Moscone Center, drew 16,780 buyers of specialty food from across the United States and around the world.

TGR's editors discovered great new introductions in the aisles. There was plenty to cover as the show featured 1,300 exhibitors presenting 80,000 specialty products from the United States and 45 countries, including Australia, Italy, Korea and Tunisia. There were 184 first-time exhibitors, and space was sold out for a pavilion featuring emerging food entrepreneurs. Participation was up 47 percent for the education program of 19 seminars, workshops and tours.

"The mood was very positive," says Ann Daw, president of the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade (NASFT) in New York City. "There is clearly positive momentum in our industry as consumers start to spend again on distinctive foods and beverages that add enjoyment to their meals."

The Winter Fancy Food Show is the largest marketplace for specialty food on the West Coast. Attendees this year represented some of the most important names in retailing, including Whole Foods Market, Trader Joe's, Costco, Amazon.com, Macy's, numerous local and regional specialty and natural food stores, gift shops, and even Alaska Airlines. They were in search of the next hot products and the best in chocolate, cheese, olive oil, salsas, snacks and more.