San Francisco Event Recap: Winter Fancy Food Show 2011

0 comments By The Kitchen Whisperer Filed in General, News & Events Tagged with , , , , , , , , , January 18th, 2011 @ 5:14 pm

Today was the last day for the Winter Fancy Food Show. Held in San Francisco’s Moscone Center, exhibitors came from all over the world to display their latest and greatest food products, though only National Association for the Specialty Food Trade (NASFT) members can do so. The show takes place over 4 days, with educational and informational events for those in the food industry scattered throughout.

With more than 1,300 exhibitors and 17,000 retailers, distributors and food service pros attending, over stimulation comes easily. This was my first year attending the Fancy Food Show, and I must say, it pays to have a seasoned guide! Fortunately, maps of the floor plan are available for those who like to have a plan of attack (and don’t mind looking like a tourist/ high school freshman). Thanks to these tips, we made it through the entire arena in less than 4 hours!

– Don’t eat breakfast. Doors open at 10am, and many exhibitors are already waiting with samples.
– Be picky. There are so many food samples calling your name that one must learn to discriminate quickly. You wouldn’t want to find yourself too full to try the ONE thing you’ve always wanted to try!
– Keep moving. Breaks are great, and sometimes necessary, but you’ll lose quite a bit of time waiting to get a picture with
Ina Garten or Duff Goldman.
– Drink water. Take advantage of the strategically placed water stations. Yes, there are countless samples of every kind of thirst quencher, but water guarantees that you won’t be dehydrated!

Cheeses, cured meats, teas and CHOCOLATES are expected. Surprisingly delicious items included Plush Puffs gourmet maple-bacon marshmallows, Julian’s Recipe Belgian waffles, and any kind of goat’s milk ice cream I could get my hands on (no surprise there).

Miso mac n cheese, A Tavola Together’s 5 Minute Focaccia Mix and Tabasco’s Spicy Chocolates all stirred up quite a crowd. One noticeable trend was coconut and aloe waters. I left with more than just a couple samples of exotic water.

Though I may have been drawn to the guilt-inducing foods, there was an abundance of health-oriented products this year. Gluten-free items, organic foods and low calorie snacks were everywhere!  This progression reflects the world’s increasing demand for health-conscious food options –definitely a good thing. I cannot wait to see which products make it big in 2011!

Improve Your Mood with Parties That Cook’s Mini Smoked Salmon Croque Monsieur Sandwiches

1 comment By The Kitchen Whisperer Filed in General, Menus & Recipes Tagged with , , , , , January 13th, 2011 @ 6:02 pm

Gloomy weather got you down? Parties That Cook has the answer to your problem in the form of Smoked Salmon Sandwiches! Salmon’s omega-3 fatty acids are said to regulate mood, and its abundance of selenium may relieve you of anxiety and irritability. One serving of our Miniature Smoked Salmon Croque Monsieur Sandwiches will have you singin’ in the rain!

Miniature Smoked Salmon
Croque Monsieur Sandwiches
This recipe can also be found in our Appetizer Recipe Library!

Ingredients
Rye Bread:
24 slices light rye bread

Filling:
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
4 ounces thinly sliced smoked salmon, coarsely chopped
3/4 cup (4 ounces) shredded Gruyère cheese
1/2 cup chives, minced
1/4 teaspoon whole nutmeg, freshly grated
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground

Sandwiches:
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
Toothpicks for serving
Chives for garnish

Methods/Steps
Preheat oven to 325ºF

Prepare Bread: Using a 2-inch round cookie cutter, cut out 2 circles from each bread slice. Toast in the oven on a sheet pan for about 5 minutes to dry out the bread.

Make Filling: In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Stir in the flour until completely blended; cook over moderately high heat, stirring constantly, about 3 minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk until smooth. Bring the sauce to a boil, whisking constantly. Reduce heat to low and simmer, whisking often, until thickened and no floury taste remains, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the sauce cool slightly, stirring, until very warm. Stir in the smoked salmon, Gruyère, chives, nutmeg, lemon juice and zest, salt and pepper and let the sauce cool completely.

Make Sandwiches: Increase oven temperature to 400° F. Spread 1 Tablespoon of salmon mixture over half of the bread slices and close sandwiches. In a large skillet, melt about 2 Tablespoons of the butter over moderate heat. Cook the sandwiches, turning once, until browned, about 1-2 minutes per side. Transfer sandwiches to a sheet pan, leaving a little space between each one. Repeat with the remaining sandwiches, using 2 Tablespoons of butter per batch.

Serve: Reheat the sandwiches in the oven for about 8 minutes, until piping hot. Skewer each sandwich with a toothpick and garnish with a crisscross of chives.

Serves/Makes
Makes 24 Mini Sandwiches

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