We tried a fabulous new granola at the Kehe booth called Bear Naked Granola. Crunchy but not too hard, it comes in three delightful varieties, including Banana Nut, High Protein, and our favorite, Fruit and Nut. They are also nicely packaged and contain no artificial ingredients of any kind. For more information, visit www.bearnaked.com.
Alexia was exhibiting in the FMI Show. Known for their frozen potato specialties, they have launched a line of Fresh Baked Artisan Breads that can go from the freezer to the table in eight minutes. They're quick and easy and contain no trans fats. The varieties include Classic French Rolls; Ciabatta - Italian Style Rolls with Rosemary and Olive Oil; Hearty Whole Wheat Rolls with Flaxseed; Three Cheese Foccacia with Asiago, Parmesan and Romano; and Buttery Garlic French Bread. For more information, call 718-609-5665, or visit www.alexiafoods.com.
Sahale Snacks are new innovative gourmet snack mixes inspired by the world's cuisines. The Ksar Blend combines pistachios, sesame seeds, pepita, figs, and harissa. The Socorro Blend has macadamia nuts, hazelnuts, mango, papaya, and chipotle. The Soledad Blend contains almonds, dates, flaxseeds, balsamic vinegar, and cayenne pepper. The Valdosta Blend uses pecans, sweet cranberries, black pepper, and orange zest. For more information, call them at 206-624-7244, or visit www.sahalesnacks.com.
If you're looking for a new cracker to accompany all your great cheeses, try Doctor Kracker, a line of whole-grain crackers from Texas. Their newest flavor is called Muesli Kribbons and they contain mango, apples, currants, sesame seeds, flaxseeds, and spelt grains. They join the other varieties that include Klassic 3-Seed, Pumpkin Seed Cheese, Spelt Sunflower Cheese, Seeded Spelt, and Spelt Muesli. For more information, call them at 214-503-1971, or visit www.DRKRACKER.com.
Billed as "Poundcake so good it feels like a hug," we have to admit that ComfortCake is pretty darn good. This premium, made-from-scratch Southern-style poundcake comes in a variety of flavors, including Awesome Almond, Luscious Lemon, Very Vanilla, among others. Their newest offerings are Sugarless Sweetness Luscious Lemon ComfortCake (with no sugar added) and Chocolate Chip Fantasy ComfortCake. They come several ways: Slices, full bundts, mini bundts, and frozen batter so you can bake them yourself. For more information, call Amy Hilliard at 312-922-7403, or e-mail her at ahilliard@comfortcake.com, or visit www.comfortcake.com.
Adria Imports was receiving loads of attention for their new Dorina chocolate bars with assorted fillings and nuts from Croatia. The creamy and flavorful eight-item line includes two sugar-free varieties and an assortment of bars with unique ingredients and distinctive tastes. For more information, call 718-326-4610, or visit www.adriaimports.com.
Rhonda Allen and Laura Hester, two young ladies from Alabama, were exhibiting their new company, Gems Hard Candy Treats, at their first trade show. Their handmade old-fashioned hard candy is shaped like gemstones and is offered in six flavors -- Blueberry, Butter Rum, Cinnamon, Cotton Candy, Orange, and Watermelon. Made by hand one batch at a time, the bright, sparkling bite-size hard candy is fresh tasting and delicious. They also recently introduced candy shaped like the state of Alabama, plus seashell shapes. For more information, call 256-381-2571, or send e-mail to hardcandy@comcast.net.
Quality Candy-Buddy Squirrel showed off a number of new chocolate confections as well as new Sugar Free Peanut Brittle that is loaded with peanuts and cashews. After one taste, it's hard to believe this crunchy, chewy, decadent treat is sugar free. The company also showed off their Cheddar Cheezzzy Cheese Corn gourmet popcorn that is smothered in real Cheddar cheese. Available in three bag sizes, it is loaded with taste. For more information, call 800-972-2658, or visit www.qcbs.com.
Cape Cod Provisions introduced three new flavors of Harvest Sweets Fruit Truffles at the show. Key Lime in milk chocolate shell, Cranberry in dark chocolate shell, and Blueberry in dark chocolate shell are all sinfully delicious. The fruity ganache centers contain pureed fruit, fresh cream, and cocoa butter. Each truffle is individually wrapped in a wrap whose color matches that of the fruit center. Available in 8-piece boxes packed 12 per case and in 4-pound bulk. For more information, call 888-811-2379, or visit www.capecodprovisions.com.
Yes, there were some housewares at the Fancy Food Show. One of them was NS Gourmet Professional. They were featuring beautiful sharp black ceramic knives. Lightweight, they will keep an edge under normal conditions for about two years. They also had some gorgeous bamboo cutting boards in several sizes. For more information, call 908-747-4486, or visit www.n-star.org.
