Things are hot in the world of chipotle. From Cabot of Vermont's new 8-ounce Chipotle Cheddar Cheese (www.cabotcheese.com) to Robert Rothschild Farm's new Honey Chipotle Pretzel Dip or Raspberry Chipotle Dark Chocolate Sauce (www.RobertRothschild.com), the use of this zesty pepper was abundant. There were even new Sparx Spicy Cookies featuring Chipotle Chocolate Chip or Chipotle Double Fudge varieties (www.sparxfoods.com).
A Perfect Pear from Napa Valley had two new products, a Chocolate Pear Cabernet Sauce and a White Chocolate Pear Chardonnay Sauce. They are made with the finest Guittard chocolate, organic agave nectar, and the juice (not the wine) of either Cabernet or Chardonnay grapes. Dip a ripe pear into either sauce for a taste of heaven. Call 800-553-5753, or send e-mail to info@aperfectpear.biz.
Goldwater's Foods wrapped up its line in new upscale packaging with copper-paper jar toppers and a covered wagon logo for its Goldwater's Mercantile line. With hot sauces, salsas, and even some Prickly Pear Jelly, the line is comprised of some great giftable specialty foods. For details, check out www.goldwaters.com.
Ashley Foods' Joe Perry heated things up with his new Mango Peach Tango Hot Sauce, another sweet-hot favorite that adds a new profile to any recipe. Check it out at www.boneyardbrew.com.
Honey was a hot seller of another kind. The Savannah Bee Company, however, had the most unique presentation, serving honeycombs (cut right out of the bee box) up ready to eat by itself, or on biscuits, bread, or crackers. In fact, the honeycomb is a perfect pair for cheese and even the waxcomb is edible and makes for one heck of a presentation. Available in 12- to 16-ounce squares or a new packaged round option, you can get more information at www.savannahbee.com.
The folks at Restaurant LuLu Gourmet Products took the petite orange loquat that tastes like a cross between an apricot and a kumquat and created three new products. LuLu Loquat Chili Grilling Glaze, one of two new items in the popular grilling category, combines this luscious fruit with clover honey and spices to create the perfect finishing touch for grilled short ribs, whole fish, duck, or prawns. And LuLu Loquat White Balsamic Vinegar, a homage to LuLu's best-selling Fig Balsamic Vinegar, adds just the right "zing" with its ginger- and coriander-spiked flavor to grilled chicken and duck, steamed vegetables, and crunchy cabbage slaws, as well as vinaigrettes. The products are available by phone at 888-693-5800, or by e-mail at customerservice@restaurantlulu.com.
If you're in search of fresh-fruit tastes in a shelf-stable product, you have to check out High Desert Foods. This Colorado company harvests fruit grown organically in the Colorado Plateau and then preserves it with small amounts of organic sugar. The company blends up their products with some familiar and exotic partners — such as Pear Merlot Conserve — to come up with sensational products. Visit www.highdesertfoods.com, or call 866-248-6584.
Spread some peanut butter on panini bread for a great grilled peanut butter-and-banana sandwich, and if you really want to get wild, check out P.B. Loco's varieties of gourmet flavor-infused peanut butters. This show newcomer introduced a 10-range line of peanut butters that have a six-month shelf life and flavor profiles to take note of. From European Cafe Mocha to Asian Curry Spice, these are no ordinary peanut butters. These American-made blends have no trans fats and are vegetarian. Get the spreads at www.pbloco.com.
