Flavor Bombs Add Explosive Taste to Everyday Meals
Flavor Bombs are a line of all-natural, fresh-frozen, gluten-free, low-sodium cooking bases that ignite an explosion of flavors when preparing memorable meals for family or friends. Flavor Bombs come in five explosive flavors that include basil, sage, rosemary, mirepoix and soffritto, turning everyday dishes into gourmet meals. The products are the creation of Giovannina Bellino, a long-time entrepreneur and the owner of Goddess Gourmet, a Long Island-based natural foods company.
Flavor Bombs provide consumers with an arsenal of ingredients making preparation times shorter and cooking more enjoyable, flavorful and affordable. The products are concentrated blends of caramelized aromatics and fresh herbs in an extra virgin olive oil base that offers consumers a burst of flavors and aromas that works perfectly in their favorite recipes. Flavor Bombs are pre-cooked so consumers have the flexibility of using them to start or finish a dish.
Flavor Bombs are now available nationwide at chain supermarkets, independent supermarkets, gourmet food stores, club stores and foodservice operations.
The Mustard Seed Sauce & Dressing Company Brings Restaurant Flavor to Retail Shelves
The Mustard Seed Sauce & Dressing Company has been crafting unique Asian-inspired sauces and dressings and serving them in the company’s eponymous restaurants for over 35 years. Now, consumers have access to these sauces in their local grocery stores with the recent launch of the company’s retail product line.
The Mustard Seed Sauce & Dressing Company product line includes Asian Oil & Vinegar, a delightful Asian twist on the classic vinaigrette; Osaka Sauce, the company’s signature sauce, delicious on chicken; Teriyaki Grill Sauce, a finishing sauce for proteins; and Ginger Dressing, a signature dressing that doubles as a finishing sauce for meat or seafood. The four sauces and dressings are also available in a variety pack.
All Mustard Seed sauces and dressings are all-natural, and they contain no MSG, trans fats or preservatives. The products are made in small batches from the highest quality ingredients.
For more information, visit www.mustardseedsauce.com.
Blackberry Patch Introduces Two New Premium Syrups
Two new syrups have been added to Blackberry Patch’s sofi-Award-nominated product line. Like other Blackberry Patch products, the new Pumpkin Spice and Apple Butter syrups are full of all-natural, old-fashioned goodness.
Pumpkin Spice syrup tastes just like a pumpkin pie. Add it to coffee with hot milk for a pumpkin pie latte treat. Apple Butter reminds one of apple cobbler fresh from the oven. Consumers love to start their day with Apple Butter Syrup mixed into a wholesome bowl of oatmeal.
Blackberry Patch was founded in 1988. It is owned and operated by two farmers seeking to provide unique, high-quality, handmade fruit and sugar-free syrups, toppings and salsas to the specialty food market. Today, Blackberry Patch offers five premium, all-natural, pure cane sugar syrups: Blackberry, Raspberry, Blueberry, Pumpkin Spice and Apple Butter. For more information, call 800.853.5598, or visit the company online at www.blackberrypatch.com.
Litehouse Expands Award-Winning Consumer Favorite Opa Line
Litehouse® Foods, maker of salad dressings and dips, recently announced three extensions to its OPA by Litehouse line of Greek yogurt salad dressings. The new items pull from global flavor inspirations to add interesting, palate-pleasing flavors to consumers’ favorite dishes. The new flavors include Kalamata Feta, roasted pepper and jalapeño ranch.
Utilizing Greek yogurt as a salad dressing base provides a lower-calorie dressing with twice the protein of a traditional dressing. OPA dressings are free of trans fats, have no MSG or artificial preservatives and less than a gram of sugar per serving. The new flavors provide a balance of creaminess with a layer of spicy richness.
Kalamata Feta (60 calories per serving) provides a burst of Mediterranean flavor with the rich tanginess of handcrafted feta cheese. Roasted pepper (50 calories per serving) offers a sweet, smoky pepper flavor blended into smooth creaminess. And jalapeño ranch (50 calories per serving) contains a cool blend of garlic and onion with the right amount of kick
The new flavors join the existing Opa line of ranch, blue cheese, Caesar and Feta dill. The dressings are available at an SRP of $4.49 for an 11-ounce jar. For more information, visit www.litehousefoods.com.
Chefs Shelf Spices and Rubs Bring International Flair to the Table
Based in Chicago, Illinois, Chefs Shelf was founded to supply professional chefs and aspiring culinary gurus in the United States with fine foods and specialty ingredients. Chefs Shelf spices and rubs are inspired by flavors from around the world and were hand-selected by Food Network celebrity chef Ben Vaughn. Spice varieties include Spanish rosemary, Coromandel chili powder, Allepo turmeric powder and savory crusting spice. All are manufactured in Chicago.
Artisan-made in small batches to retain their unique quality and ethnicity, each spice is based on a familiar classic, with a twist to create new flavor combinations. “We are committed to continually gathering distinctive ingredients and sharing their applications in the kitchen to enhance flavor, taste and aroma of all things food,” said Vaughn.
For more information about Chefs Shelf, visit www.chefsshelf.com.
10 Products to Throw an Italian Pasta Feast With
The retail food landscape has long been populated by bland, low-cost spaghetti noodles and insipid jars of watery marinara sauce. However, gourmet foods companies are revolutionizing the world of prepared sauces and dry, fresh and frozen pastas with high-quality ingredients and surprising flavor combinations. More and more consumers are turning to these companies and their products in order to make their Italian meals more memorable. Here are 10 companies to look for when stocking your pantry with artisan pastas and sauces.
1. Cucina Antica Foods Corp. The 2014 sofi Award winner in the Outstanding Pasta Sauce category for its Tuscany Pumpkin Pasta Sauce, Cucina Antica Foods Corp. offers a broad selection of all-natural sauces and authentic Italian pastas. The signature Tuscany Pumpkin Sauce features pumpkin and carrot puree, mixed with Italian San Marzano tomatoes, autumn spices and a touch of cream.
2. Dave’s Gourmet. The gourmet pasta sauce experts at Dave’s Gourmet strive to think outside the box when it comes to introducing new sauce flavors into the specialty food marketplace. The company’s product line contains unexpected hits like butternut squash, Indian-inspired masala marinara and wild mushroom. Dave’s Gourmet also offers a gourmet pasta sauce gift basket.
3. The French Farm. The French Farm offers a number of Italian specialties, including herb mixes, risotto mixes, polenta, sauces and dry pastas. The company recently introduced a new product to its line of brightly colored pastas: farfaline (bowtie). The new multicolor farfaline pasta is made exclusively from high-quality durum wheat semolina, tinged with natural plant-based colors.
4. Italian Foods Corporation. The shelf-stable dry stuffed pastas in Italian Foods Corporation’s La Piana line are a convenient and delicious way to enjoy an authentic Italian specialty. The stuffed pastas include ravioli, tortellini and mezzaluna filled with everything from Gorgonzola to winter squash to pesto. Italian Foods Corporation also offers artisan egg pastas, gnocchi and jarred sauces.
5. La Pasta Inc. A brilliantly-colored artisanal pasta delicacy, La Pasta’s Beet, Butternut Squash & Goat Cheese ravioli recently won the 2014 sofi Award in the Outstanding Pasta, Rice or Grain category. The product features the star ingredients wrapped in a delicate pasta sheath. In addition to this sofi Award-winning ravioli, La Pasta delights consumers with fresh vegan and gluten-free pasta offerings.
6. Michael’s of Brooklyn. Michael’s of Brooklyn traditional Italian tomato sauces taste like homemade, because they use high-quality ingredients: imported Italian tomatoes, fresh herbs and spices, garlic, onion and olive oil. The result is an extraordinary range of fresh, delicious sauces in six distinctive flavors, including marinara, tomato basil, filetto di pomodoro, puttanesca, arrabbiata and the newest flavor, home style gravy.
7. Pastificio Felicetti. Felicetti pasta is the world’s largest supplier of 100 percent organic pasta. The company’s pasta is outstanding because of its exceptional aromatic quality, taste and excellent nutritional value. These results are thanks to the attention paid to three key components: flour, water and drying technique. The company’s Monograno Felicetti line comes in three varieties: Farro, Kamut and Matt.
8. Po Valley Foods. Imported from the Po Valley plains of northern Italy, the products from Po Valley Foods include dry pastas, risotto, rice, polenta, olive oils and vinegars. The company offers four dry pasta lines: Campofilone® Elite, high-quality egg pastas; Premiato Pastificio Afeltra, bronze drawn durum wheat pastas; Carlo Moro, a line of buckwheat pastas; and Casarecci di Calabria pasta kits.
9. Robert Rothschild Farm. The artichoke pasta sauce from Robert Rothschild Farm features tender artichokes blended with tomatoes, onions, celery and herbs, creating a truly gourmet pasta topping. The product is just one of a number of distinctive pasta sauces offered by Robert Rothschild Farm. The company’s other sauces include puttanesca, vodka, roasted portabella, roma tomato and more.
10. Sauces ‘n Love. Specialty food company Sauces ‘n Love recently introduced a line of gluten-free pastas, including ravioli, tagliatelle, rigatoni and gnocchi. These products have a premium gourmet taste that surpasses many traditional wheat pastas in flavor and consistency and pairs perfectly with the brand’s pasta sauces. It is an innovation both omnivorous gourmands and wellness-concerned customers can enjoy together with gusto.
GloryBee Unveils New Raw Honeys
GloryBee, a family-owned and operated provider of all-natural honeys, sweeteners, spices, dried fruits, nuts and oils recently debuted five new raw honey flavors. The new flavors include California orange blossom, featuring a fruity and sweet citrus flavor; mountain wildflower, offering a rich, floral flavor; organic tropical blossom, a very flavorful, multi-floral honey; Pacific Northwest clover, a premium honey with a light flavor and amber color; and Pacific Northwest raspberry, a lightly sweet honey with a mild floral essence.
GloryBee’s new honey flavors are all raw, meaning the honey has not been heated above 115 degree Fahrenheit, pasteurized or processed in any way. This allows the honey to retain a more creamy texture. Raw honey contains bee pollen, natural vitamins, enzymes, antioxidants and other important natural nutrients.
Started in the garage of a beekeeper and his wife nearly 40 years ago, GloryBee now offers a wide variety of all-natural, 100 percent pure honeys, rich in minerals and nutrients. GloryBee sources honey from both Pacific Northwest beekeepers and various other cooperatives of small beekeepers that ensure the bees are well treated and the honey is high quality.
For more information, visit www.glorybee.com.
Tribe Hummus Pairs Extra Virgin Olive Oil With Exotic Herbs To Create Newest Limited Batch Flavor
Tribe’s new Herb Infused Olive Oil hummus has a bold taste that is both rustic and refined. The brand’s beloved Classic hummus is blended with exotic za’atar, which is a mixture of sumac, sesame seed and herbs frequently used in Mediterranean foods. This distinctive blend is topped with dried roasted garlic, sesame seeds and then drizzled with olive oil that has also been infused with za’atar, the final touches on this complex flavor is that is simply delicious.
Tribe’s Limited Batch Herb Infused Olive Oil is as versatile as it is unique. Perfect for those looking to add flavor without loading on the sodium or fat, it makes for a great spread or dip for all types of breads, replacing every day table olive oil and butter. Additionally, it’s a great accoutrement for all vegetables including a simple crudite platter or roasted vegetables, namely cauliflower, eggplant and zucchini.
“We’ve gained a reputation of continually introducing new and exciting flavors and flavor combinations to hummus lovers, and the addition of za’atar really delivers on that,” said Adam Carr, CEO of Tribe Mediterranean Foods, Inc. “Once again I think we found a premium partner for our beloved chickpea.”
Herb Infused Olive Oil is the fourth installment in Tribe’s popular Limited Batch series. Its previous flavor, Rosemary Focaccia, which launched this past summer, was so well-received it recently became part of the permanent portfolio, rebranded as Lemon Rosemary Focaccia, joining the ranks of Everything, another former Limited Batch flavor that became part of the Tribe family of flavors back in 2013.
Tribe Limited Batch Herb Infused Olive Oil can be found at fine grocery stores nationwide. The suggested retail price of the eight-ounce bowls will be $3.49.
Rabbit Creek Products Dips
Rabbit Creek Products has three new dips to celebrate with. If you are a fan of hot, spicy, flavorful dips, then the company’s Damn That’s Hot Dip is right up your alley. Rabbit Creek’s new Cheeseburger Dip has all the taste of a cheeseburger in one convenient package, allowing you to enjoy yourself without slaving over hot coals. Pairing up beautifully with the Cheeseburger Dip is the new Dill Pickle Dip. For all who are pickle-holics, this is a hopelessly addictive creation. Like all of Rabbit Creek Products’ wares, these dips are available in private label for free. The team at Rabbit Creek can be reached by email at rcreek@mokancomm.net or by phone at 800.837.3073.
Click here for more about Rabbit Creek’s dips.
Baked Beans with Pendleton Barbecue Sauce
I used Pendleton© Brown Sugar+Molasses Barbecue Sauce the other night to make a batch of baked beans that turned out fabulous! I started with a couple of cups of cooked Anasazi beans. I put that in a pot with about half an onion that I chopped finely and browned in the fat I rendered out of a couple of strips of bacon. I drained the grease and added the browned onion and chopped bacon bits to the beans, then added enough of the barbecue sauce to moisten it well — probably about 3/4 cup. Then I just let it simmer for about 45 minutes while I baked some chicken and dressed some cole slaw. And the best thing is that I managed to stop eating while I still had some leftover beans and cole slaw for today’s lunch!
The Anasazi beans are a Southwest heritage variety that I bought at my local farmers market. They’re a gorgeous bean with cranberry and cream speckles, and they have a creamy texture when cooked. The Brown Sugar + Molasses sauce is one of a pair of new flavors from Pendleton, which also makes new Hot+Spicy flavor and Original and Mesquite flavors. The sauces are made by Oregon Growers & Shippers in partnership with Hood River Distillers. The Brown Sugar + Molasses Sauce was created for consumers looking for a sweeter flavor profile and is made from premium quality molasses and dark brown sugar for a caramel flavor accented with hints of citrus from coriander and some mild heat from black and chipotle peppers and a backdrop of hickory smoke that add some spicy tang to that sweetness for a result that didn’t taste anything like candied beans.
— Lorrie Baumann
