Current Trends In Specialty Food - NASFT Winter Fancy Food Show 2006
Column 6 – Brian J. KennyI recently spent three days at the NASFT Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco, Ca.; here are a few fresh impressions.
Water, the universal solvent and the second most fundamental substance behind carbon, is now being marketed as an ultra-hip vehicle for essential vitamins and delicious, all-natural fruit essences. Specialty waters like MetroMint and Hint are emerging as alternatives to soda and juice. Their slick packaging pronounces their appealing message; “drink water, not sugar.”
“Where do you get the peppermint,” I asked the smartly dressed woman at the MetroMint booth. “It comes from the Yakima Valley,” she deftly replied, “the finest mint-growing region in North America.” The answer felt so good to me on so many levels. The water, eerily reminiscent of watery mouthwash, tasted great to me.
The pear water at the Hint booth, on the other hand, tasted good even before I asked about the origin of their pears. “We have to source our fruit globally,” co-founder Theo Goldin explained “but we also support several land trusts in the United States because we are proponents of domestic agriculture.”
Coffees and teas, especially those labeled Free Trade, are still abundant. I was drinking Gavina coffee, from El Savador, when I stumbled upon Miller’s Select Premium Crab of Kansas City,. “Where do you find crab in Kansas,” I asked Evanne Miller, the owner. “Thailand,” she replied. The plump morsel I sampled was amazing; truly was the finest canned crab that I have ever tasted. “We have enjoyed working with our loyal crew in Thailand for twenty-six years and they hand-peel our crab to perfection;” she proudly exclaimed, “you will never find a shell in a can of Miller’s Crab.” This company provides a textbook example of progressive, global sourcing.
Sometimes, when you taste something really good, it can change your life. I had this experience with olive oil about five years ago; a single taste begot an obsession. As the number of California olive oils has steadily increased over the past few years, so too has their quality. The fifty or so California oils that I have tasted are some of the finest in the world. If you have not done so yet, 2006 is the year to have your first California Extra Virgin Olive Oil experience.
Even the most ubiquitous of foodstuffs can be rendered unrecognizable by stepwise mutation. Take UHT, or shelf-stable, milk. Horizon Organics, a subsidiary of Dean Foods, now sells ultra-pasteurized organic milk that boasts a shelf life of over seven months. “I thought organic was supposed to be about healthier food,” I stated to the man at the Strauss family creamery booth, “How can they still call it milk if it doesn’t really spoil?”
“Beats me,” he replied, “all the major dairies are moving toward UHT because they say consumers want it but I won’t drink the stuff.” He handed me a frosty sample of his cream-top whole milk, “this is what milk should taste like,” he said.
“Delicious,” I replied. Choice is beautiful.
Last Revised 1/26/05
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posted by Brian J. Kenny @ 2:11 AM
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