By Ed Lowe
Senior Writer
This summer, Chicago is celebrating its heritage as a center for food manufacturing and distribution. The Chicago Tourism Office at 72 W. Randolph St. has displays showing the products that began their march to fame in Chicago — from the stockyards to Sarah Lee baked goods. The City's program, called "Stirring Things Up In Chicago," will run until Oct. 31. Focus will be on the annual Taste of Chicago, but more than 60 restaurants will be featuring special dishes dedicated to the City's celebration of food. It's this year's version of Cows on Parade. It's only fitting, then, that two of the largest trade shows held during this festival period in the city revolve around food. Both use hundreds of thousands of square feet of floor space in the cavernous McCormick Place complex.
The first, under the banner of the Food Marketing Institute, is actually five shows in one. The umbrella FMI show deals with merchandise that you might expect to see at your local supermarket. In addition, there's a wonderful fancy food show, a fresh produce show, a food export display and, finally, a whole floor devoted to organic foods. The other show, held a few weeks later, is managed by the National Restaurant Association (NRA — but not to confused with the gun lobby). In that event, restaurateurs are introduced to new products for their consideration and use to entice diners into establishments, which range from the most elaborate haute cuisine dining to fast
food eateries.
Thousands of new products are displayed and, in most cases, sampled by buyers. Journalists also pig out on the selections. Inside sent two representatives to both these shows to sniff out trends, taste changes in dining habits and create a menu of new foods which might be of interest to Inside's readers. Trends are simple to spot. The emphasis this year is on organic foods and those which contain few calories and no trans-fats. High fiber foods are also in favor. Yet, there are such no-no's as French fries prepared in coconut oil (we actually saw someone tasting one). What follows is a representative sampling of new items on the market from the two shows.
One of the most complete lines of products is readily available in most area food stores. From salad dressings to dips, salsas, preserves and sauces, the output of Walden Farms has been able to combine taste with quality and offer it at a reasonable price to consumers. Yet all of their line is no fat, no cholesterol, no carb, no calorie and no sugar. Sounds almost too good to be true, but the labels promise none of the current no-no's and the taste of these items defies belief. You can rely on the Walden Farms label to assure yourself that you're buying something healthy.
And, as long as we're looking for products that won't inflate our waistlines, we found a line called "No Pudge" which produces fudge brownie mixes in cappuccino, mint, raspberry and original flavors. These are mixes which have no fat, though they do have sugar; they use no artificial flavors, colors or preservatives. To make them, you add the secret ingredients, yogurt and vanilla, mix and bake. The results are a great dessert which you can enjoy on a guilt free basis. These mixes are a product of Reily Foods from New Orleans. Their web site is: www.nopudge.com.
On the other hand, if you aren't concerned about calories, or just want an indulgence, you should try Red Lodge, Montana based King's Cupboard Triple Chocolate Layer Cake Mix topped with their Triple Chocolate Frosting. It's a chocoholic's dream come true. These mixes are available in some specialty food stores or can be bought on line at www.kingscupboard.com. It has won six Specialty Food Outstanding Product Awards.
Among the organic products being shown are a line of all natural, organic broths from Pacific Natural Foods, which has their home in Tualatin, OR. Beef, Chicken, Free Range Chicken, Mushroom, Vegetable and Low Sodium Chicken broths are all a part of their line which is available in many area supermarkets. For more information about what they produce, check their web site at www.pacificfoods.com.
New taste combinations and newer or more unusual food products were also very much a part of the show. For example, Restaurant LuLu in San Francisco is offering a Loquat Balsamic Vinegar spiked with ginger and coriander. Made with the exotic and rare tropical fruit Loquat, its flavor is a unique combination of kumquats and apricots with just a hint of peach flavoring. The LuLu specialty is used to add some zest to steamed veggies. Call them at (888) 693-5800 for information about retail outlets where you might want to sample this unusual garnish.
Another unusual combination of flavors is manufactured by Moosewood Hollow based in Plainfield, VT. They have developed a line of infused maple syrups and flavorings. By adding such things as chai, ginger, lavender, savory or some sweet spices and vanilla to the pure maple syrup for which Vermont is famous, they have turned a topping used for pancakes into something very special to be added to meats, salads, poultry, stir fries and other dishes that could use just a hint of something special before serving at a cozy dinner. Among other packaging they offer a variety pack of small bottles that can be used to test their larger bottles before investing in one that might suit your special tastes. Moosewood Hollow can be accessed
on the Internet at
www.moosewoodhollow.com.
You don't have to go to exotic locations to find new and different foods. One of Chicago's success stories in the food business is located at 2107 W. Carroll St. in the City. Kim and Scott Holstein have developed a line of gourmet pretzels that are stuffed with a variety of different fillers. From spinach-feta and cheddar jalapeno to chocolate crumb and apple cinnamon, the fillings give a whole new dimension to the art of eating what was once a dull pretzel. These are soft pretzels and they have developed their business from a product made in the kitchen of their studio apartment into a 25,000 square foot plant employing 60 people. They are now selling over $5 million worth of pretzels a year and the numbers keep growing. Call them at (800) 57-twist or check their web site at www.kimandscotts.com.
One of the increasingly popular diet treats around town is the smoothie or fruit shake. Using milk, orange juice, yogurt and occasionally a banana, a number of new products are on the market to bulk out the flavor of the blender-produced treat. Fruit juices have begun to appear on the market to fill that niche. We tried a refrigerated product from California produced by Giant Berry Farms from Watsonville, CA. It's a fresh product with no preservatives made from pressed strawberries. It's available year round and comes in a number of different sized containers. It's pasteurized to help it stay fresh and it can be stored in the fridge for as long as 40 days — about the same length of time recommended for fresh orange juice. And the taste is pure strawberry.
Another product we have tried is delivered in frozen form. It's been a staple of catering companies for a few years and, because of its quality, is used in bars and restaurants around the country. I'm referring to the line of fruit juice concentrates from Island Oasis. We are hopeful that it will be available in more retail locations in the near future. One of the retailers now negotiating for the line is Sam's. In addition to pure fruit concentrates, they also have mixes for popular drinks like the Margarita and the Bloody Mary. For more information on Island Oasis and its variety of concentrated frozen fruit products, Stacy Erway is their Chicago rep and you can reach her at (773) 490-5591 or email her at serway@islandoasis.com. The company is based in Walpole, MA, and can be reached at (800) 999-5674.
There were several thousand products on display at the show and these are only a few that caught the eye. Our next adventure down the McPlace aisles will be at the National Confectionery Show in mid-June. As we eat our way through that event, we'll be glad to keep you posted on the adventures of Inside's version of
Willie Wonka. |
