Another Day of Fancy Food!

The second day of the show, I found myself torn between going back for more of what I loved the first day and going on to find more great food.  I did a little of both.  With all the quality products, it wasn’t hard to add to my list of favorites. 

Cashel Blue

If there is something The Fancy Food Show doesn’t lack it’s cheese.  It would take an entire day and one heck of an iron stomach to taste all of the cheeses displayed. 

Instead of trying to eat every piece of cheese I passed, I kept an eye out for blue cheeses and unusual cheeses.  Many people don’t like blue cheese because of the distinct, sometimes overpowering, flavor.  Not the case with Cashel Blue by Somerdale Classic English Cheese.   I was pleasantly surprised by its mild, slightly tangy yet rich flavor profile and soft, creamy texture. 

Handmade by a husband and wife team, it’s the first farmhouse blue cheese to ever to be made in Ireland.   This cheese is good enough to convert anyone who’s not a blue cheese fan. 

Truffle Tremor by Cypress Grove Chevre

When walking through the food show, winners of past Sofi awards prominenty display their trophies.  It was the row of Sofi stautes at Cypress Grove Chevre that caught my eye in the case of Truffle Tremor.  This soft and uber creamy, melt in your mouth goat milk cheese infused with truffles left me a little weak in the knees. 

Packed with flavor, even a tiny bite was fully satisfying and lingered on my palate.  That didn’t stop me from going back for seconds, though. 

Learn more about the complete line of top-quality goat milk cheeses from Cyprees Grove Chevre on their website.  For product information and updates, ‘Like’ them on Facebook.

La Tapia Natural Fig Cakes

I had my first fig cake at the National Restaurant Show in Chicago last month.  I loved it the first three times I had it, but after that it lost it’s appeal.  I’m not sure why I decided to taste Sabor de Espana’s cakes but I’m so glad I did.

Instead of just figs and marcona almonds, La Tapia Natural Fig Cakes have a product that includes apricots and is lightly spiced.  The apricots add an interesting contrast and brighten up the flavor profile.  Fig cakes are generally intended to served alongside cheese, but this fig cake is interesting enough for me to slice off a hunk and take it with me as a snack. 

Best of all, it’s naturally sweet and has no added sugar.

Ayala’s Herbal Water

When I reach for a glass of water, I want something that leaves me feeling hydrated and refreshed.  Personally, I prefer my water plain, no ice.  Occasionally I’ll add a slice of lemon or orange but generally ‘wet’ and ‘clean tasting’ works for me.

In fact, I didn’t plan on writing about this product.  Flavored waters aren’t my thing.  It’s funny  how food shows work, though.  Days later I find myself craving the very products I thought weren’t my thing.  That’s how I know they’re good. Right now I’d love to have a bottle of Ayalya’s Lemon Verbena Geranium water or  her Lemongrass Mint Vanilla. 

Dr. Ayala’s waters were created after years of entertaining and creating herbal water right from her garden for her guests.  They’re light, refreshing, and not at all sweet.  I’d even call a couple flavors almost savory.    Each one contains just enough of each herbal essence to create an interesting balance. I’d put them in the ‘sip and savor’ category – like one might do with a cold glass of fresh lemonade.

Ayala’s Herbal Waters are the only nationally available organic certified water in the United States.  She has 6 different flavors and launched her sparkling water line at The Fancy Food Show. 

You can learn more about her products, read her blog, and find out about product specials at www.herbalwater.com.  If you “Like” Herbal Water on Facebook, you’ll get $5 of any order.  You can also follow Dr. Ayala and Herbal Water on Twitter for their latest product updates.

Java-Gourmet

An  artisanal, award winning coffee based product made in New York, Java-Gourmet produces everything from gourmet coffees to sauces, from brines to rubs. 

The product that really caught my eye, though, was the coffee rub.  I make an espresso rub that I use on pork and it always makes my husband very happy.  Not being overly savvy when it comes to blending spices, I love the idea of being able to buy a certified gluten-free rub off the shelf and put a spin on dinner with little effort on my part.

Made with all natural ingredients, Java- Gourmet uses no MSG, artificial preservatives, flavorings, emulsifiers, or additives.  Choose from 16 different rubs, including Shanghai Six Spice, Mocha Java Mole, French Countryside, and Greek Isle.  They even make a salt-free, decaffeinated Java Rub for those needing to watch their sodium or caffeine intake.

Learn more about Java Gourmet’s product line at their website and on Facebook.

Make sure to check back tomorrow for my wrap-up post on some of the best products at The Fancy Food Show!

Blogger Bio

Amy Green, a culinary arts student, authors Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free where she shares her passion for making food simple and healthy.  Amy’s food choices have helped her maintain a 60+ pound weight loss and loves to show that others that eating healthier doesn’t equal deprivation.

Website: simplysugarandglutenfree.com

Twitter: twitter.com/Amys_SSGF

Facebook: facebook.com/amys.ssgf

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