Lucini Italia to Sponsor Intensive Olive Oil Tasting Seminar

Published October 22, 2013

With extra virgin olive oil use by Americans increasing every year and a recent United States International Trade Commission report revealing
a majority of extra virgin olive oils on the shelves are “adulterated and mislabeled products,” a deep understanding of extra virgin olive oil is becoming essential to operate successfully in this dynamic category.

Lucini Italia is proud to sponsor the National Organization of Olive Oil Tasters’ (ONAOO) Extra Virgin Olive Oil Intensive Tasting Seminar, a two-day, in-depth training modeled after the five-day professional ONAOO course based in Imperia, Italy. A first of its kind in the United States, the course is led by Italian ONAOO instructors and will teach proper tasting techniques, sensory analysis and how technology plays a role with the quality of extra virgin olive oil, among other topics. Held in San Francisco two days before the Winter Fancy Food Show in January, the seminar is targeting buyers and category managers who have the task of listing and reviewing olive oils for sale in their stores and distributorships.

David Neuman, President of Lucini, attended the full five-day course in Italy last year and was extremely impressed with the high level of professionalism and vast knowledge the ONAOO instructors possessed. Lucini developed an hour long mini-training that explained how extra virgin olive oil is made, why quality is of the utmost importance and why it is imperative to be able to discern quality vs. fraudulent oils. Lucini held more than 20 mini-trainings in the last year for major retailers, distributors and consumer magazines, all of which ended with the audience hungry to learn more about extra virgin olive oil and asking how they could attend an official ONAOO course.

Realizing that the high cost of travel to Imperia, hotel lodging, course fees and the fact that the course is held in English only twice a year may prohibit others to attend, Lucini began working with ONAOO’s scientific advisor, Dr. Mauro Amelio, to bring a version of the course to America. The cost of the US course is $500 and covers all materials needed, as well as olive oil-centric meals.

“Lucini is not benefiting financially from the training,” Neuman said. “Simply put, quality is our mantra and the more people understand and respect quality extra virgin olive oil, the better and stronger the category will be as a whole.”

The Imperia-based course has been attended by Tom Mueller, Author of the New York Times Bestseller, Extra Virginity, Nick Coleman, Chief Oleologist at Eataly in New York City and Eryn Balch, Executive Vice President of the North American Olive Oil Association. “This course, or one like it, should be mandatory for anyone in the olive oil business – and everyone who wants to understand oil quality,” said Mueller, who will serve as the keynote speaker for the seminar in San Francisco. “Plus the people in your course frequently become valuable contacts that broaden your experience of the industry.”

The course is taking place in San Francisco on January 17 – January 18, 2014. Visit www.oliveoilseries.com for more information, full curriculum and to register.

Alter Eco Foods Launches Organic Chocolate Truffles in Two Flavors

Published October 21, 2013

Alter Eco Foods has introduced its newest organic, fair trade product line: truffles. In dark chocolate and dark milk chocolate, these truffles are a bold and innovative addition to the popular Alter Eco organic, fair trade chocolate bars. Alter Eco has reinvented the colorful round twist-wrap truffles seen at every grocery store checkout counter. Alter Eco has taken these much-loved favorites and made them with organic ingredients, adding pure lauric acid-rich coconut oil, instead of palm kernel oil, to its fair trade chocolate. Even the packaging is compostable. And while consumers are already familiar with the truffles’ smooth and melty texture, the sustainability-age makeover is all new, all Alter Eco.

: Velvet

: Individual Velvet Truffle

: Black

: Individual Black Truffle

Deep dark smooth chocolate sourced from Ecuador (Black Truffles) and Peru (Velvet Truffles) surrounds these sumptuous bite-sized delights. Pure organic coconut oil combined with milk and cacao creates the silky-smooth, melty filling. These Swiss-made, organic, fair trade truffles will launch with two classic flavors: Black (Dark Chocolate) and Velvet (Dark Milk Chocolate). Additional innovative flavors will soon follow.

Newly popular in American nutrition circles, coconut oil is credited with an impressive list of health benefits — from controlling weight, to improving memory, to regulating cholesterol. “Coconut oil is taking the nutrition world by storm with its array of amazing health-promoting properties,” said Jessica Pantermuehl, Nutritional Counselor and founder of Beautifully Balanced Nutrition. “It is full of medium chain triglycerides, better known as the good fat, and even appears to raise high-density lipoprotein (HDL), also known as the good cholesterol.”

Importantly, coconut oil is a sustainable alternative to the more common palm kernel oil. Alter Eco sources its coconut oil from Fair Trade Alliance Kerala, located on India’s tropical Malabar Coast. This farmer-owned co-op practices jaiva krishi, a sustainable farming method that mimics virgin rainforest, where many crops grow harmoniously together, and many animal species — including wild elephants — roam safely.

The truffles are wrapped in new eco-friendly packaging. Alter Eco has developed a groundbreaking wrapper — printed with non-toxic compostable ink — that will decompose in yard waste and at-home compost bins. Additionally, the outer box packaging of the truffles is recyclable. More information and demonstration of this innovation sustainable packaging can be found at: http://www.alterecofoods.com/sustainability/sustainable-packaging.

“Alter Eco’s goal is to provide consumers with a decadently delicious taste experience, while never compromising our own values,” said Edouard Rollet, Co-Founder and President of Alter Eco. “With these truffles, we’ve taken goodness to a whole new level.”

Alter Eco Truffles, like all Alter Eco offerings, are 100 percent organic, fair trade and non-GMO. The products are also Carbon Neutral certified. Alter Eco Truffles (SRP $7.99 / 10-pack) will launch exclusively at Whole Foods Markets from October 2013 to March 31, 2014. They will be available to all retailers through most major distributors by mid-March 2014 for April placements.

Salt & Straw, Artisanal Chocolatiers Partner on Seasonal Gourmet Ice Cream Flavors

Published October 21, 2013

Salt & Straw has partnered with small, artisanal chocolatiers Sahagun Chocolates, Xocolatl de David, Missionary Chocolates, Alma Chocolate and Woodblock Chocolate, to show off each of their unique chocolate making styles, techniques and ingredients through scoops of ice cream. Gift pack of flavors will be available for nationwide shipping through www.saltandstraw.com and at Portland area scoop shops beginning February 1.

Sahagun’s Oregon Kiss

Crafted in the form of a deep chocolate ice cream with cocoa-nutty gianduja truffles, this ice cream was created by Elizabeth Montes of Sahagun Chocolates, who helped pioneer Portland’s artisan chocolate scene in 2005. Her meticulousness with flavor has earned her caramels a spot on New York Times’ ”best in the box” list.

Xocolatl de David’s Bacon Raleigh Bar Ice Cream

Like a Snickers bar that’s been warped into something that’s just as satisfying yet fulfills the strict demand of “Portland Artisan.” Chocolatier and former chef, David Briggs, has spent the last eight years perfecting this chocolate bar recipe, which can be found on the shelves of even the trendiest of Portland shops. For the ice cream, Salt & Straw melted honey nougat into the base, added heavy ribbons of bacon infused caramel plus candied pecans.

Woodblock’s Peruvian Pisco & Chocolate

An Intensely cocoa flavored, Single-origin Peruvian Chocolate ice cream mixed with a puckering and tangy pisco sour sorbet. Roasting single-origin cocoa beans in a 19th century, repurposed coffee roaster, Charley Wheelock’s “bean-to-bar” chocolates help to make this Frankenstein-like reincarnation of a traditional chocolate ice cream truly magical.

Missionary’s Blood Orange Chocolate Sorbet

A creamy vegan chocolate delight awaits you with a cup of this decisively bright, indulgently dense blood orange and chocolate sorbet. Melissa Berry, a naturopathic physician, started her company based on the sheer passion of making delicious chocolates that her vegan mother could eat. Today, proceeds from her company are set aside with the goal of starting an in-patient naturopath hospital funded by chocolate! Similar to Missionary’s truffles, this sorbet doesn’t proclaim the fact that it’s dairy free, but if you’re asking…

Alma’s Boozy Bon Bon

A delicate combination of flavors that are married with precision, Alma’s Boozy Bon Bon ice cream weaves together the assertive flavors of anise, lime zest, and an extra dark chocolate to create the ice cream base; then studs it with Madeira wine and House Spirits rum-soaked prunes. At Alma Chocolates, Sarah Hart has created a food culture and seasonal bon bon menu around the best ingredients and producers in Portland, creating one-bite beauties that shock and awe guests.

About Salt & Straw Ice Cream

Salt & Straw Ice Cream is a small batch ice cream company that partners with local artisans, producers and farmers to create unique and gourmet flavors. The ice cream is handmade, using only all natural cream from local farms throughout the Willamette Valley. Flavors showcase the best local, organic and sustainable ingredients from Oregon farmers and artisans, such as Rogue Creamery, Stumptown Coffee Roasters and Olympic Provisions charcuterie, as well as imported flavors from small hand-picked farms from around the world. The company started serving eight flavors from an ice cream cart in May of 2011 and then moved to its first brick and mortar location on Aug. 12, 2011. All shops use 100 percent renewable energy as well as fully compostable serveware for all to-go items. Scoops of hand-made, small batch ice creams, sundaes, milkshakes and floats as well as pints to go are available at each shop and served with impeccable service. Favorites, seasonal and design your own variety packs are available for online purchase and can be shipped anywhere in the United States. Salt & Straw’s ice cream cart is available for catering parties and events. Find more information at www.saltandstraw.com or call 971-271-8168. Follow on Facebook at Salt and Straw Ice Cream or Twitter @SaltandStraw.

Stoger Chile Seed Oil Scores Silver Scovie

Published October 21, 2013

Stöger Seed Oils‘ Chile Seed Oil earned a Silver Scovie Award from the 2014 Scovie Awards judging panel of culinary experts in the Condiments – Hot & Spicy category.

This year’s Scovie Awards were extremely competitive, featuring more than 805 products competing for the gold in their respective categories. Products were submitted from around the world, and each entry went through vigorous blind taste tests.

Dave Dewitt, founder of the Scovie Awards stated, “Companies recognize our awards as the most competitive blind taste tested event in the world.”

Stöger Seed Oils are available online at www.stogeroil.com, at select Whole Foods Markets nationally and Central Market, and at other specialty and gourmet food stores. The suggested retail price ranges from $15 to $39 for 100ml-500ml bottles. For more information, visit www.stogeroil.com, and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/stogeroil.com.

Alaska King, Tanner, and Snow Crab Fishing Opens in Bristol Bay and the Bering Sea

Published October 18, 2013

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute
Photographer: Chris Miller

October 18, 2013 marks the start of the 2013-2014 harvest season for Bristol Bay red king crab, Bristol Bay tanner crab, and Alaska Bering Sea snow crab, three legendary and sought-after varieties of seafood. Collectively these fisheries represent the most significant numbers in terms of Alaska’s crab harvest.

The 2013 Total Allowable Catches (TACs), which are established yearly for each species to maintain maximum sustained yield and continued abundance, reflect the state’s commitment to responsible fisheries management and the willingness of Alaska’s managers to adjust their catch to align with the best scientific data available.

· The 2013 TAC for Bristol Bay red king crab is set at 8.6 million pounds, representing a 9.5 percent increase from 2012.

· The 2013 TAC for Bristol Bay Tanner crab is set at 3.1 million pounds. The fishery was closed in 2012 due to the mature female biomass falling below the required 21.9 million pounds.

· The 2013 TAC for Alaska Bering Sea snow (opilio) crab is set at nearly 54 million pounds, representing a 19 percent decrease from 2012.

Smaller Alaska crab fisheries include Aleutian Island golden king crab, which opened on August 15 with a TAC of 6.29 million pounds, and Norton Sound red king crab, which ran from July 3 to September 14 and had a total harvest of 391,863 pounds.

Alaska crab stocks are jointly managed by state and federal organizations: the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADFG) oversees conservation and management, while the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council (NPFMC) superintends allocation and policy.

Luxurious Alaska king crab is unmatched in size and is celebrated for its sweet flavor and rich, tender texture. Alaska snow crab is prized for its delicately sweet flavor, and tender, snow-white meat. For more information on wild, sustainable Alaska crab, including recipes and nutritional facts, please visit www.wildalaskaflavor.com.

Icing Smiles is Sweet at Chicago Fine Chocolate & Dessert Show

Published October 18, 2013

Rejoice in a day of chocolate filled happiness during this year’s Chicago Fine Chocolate & Dessert Show, a celebration of all things chocolate—and this year, dessert! Chocolate lovers can visit Chicago’s Navy Pier and fine restaurants starting October 13 to support Chicago Chocolate Week, a celebration benefiting the show’s charity partner, Icing Smiles Inc.

Icing Smiles, a nonprofit organization, is devoted to providing a temporary escape and positive memory for children and their families who are impacted by critical illness with cakes! The company provides critically ill children with beautiful custom creations for special occasions, donated by local bakeries and pastry chefs.

Kicking off the annual Chicago Fine Chocolate & Dessert show was the first-ever Room for Dessert dinner at Storefront Company, a night benefiting Icing Smiles! An elite group of chefs with the sweetest jobs in the city gathers Monday, Oct. 14 for an event you don’t want to miss. From the finest hand-painted artisan bars and uniquely-flavored truffles to decadent chocolate cakes, tarts, mousses, and more, guests will experience the world of chocolate. Their creations will be paired with wines and savory bites in between!

During the Icing Smiles’ Cake Arts Gallery, six amazing show-stopping cakes by area sugar artists will compete for the People’s Choice award in a timely themed Halloween, Fall and Kids competition. During the show, Icing Smiles will have a competition features a showpiece cake competition in the Gallery for a People’s Choice Award. Chef Charity from Icing Smiles will be there making her amazing cake creations as well!

Attendees to the Gallery use donation dollars to vote to raise money for their mission. The entrants this year are all amazing sugar artists including Bob Brougham from The Cakery, Inc.; Mark Lie from A Piece of Cake; Michelle Boyd from Good Gracious Cakes and more!

Icing smiles has the golden ticket for the finest dining experiences in Chicago! Satisfy your sweet tooth with decedent dessert creations at participating locations including Acadia, Little Market Brasserie, Sable Kitchen & Bar, Tavernita and more all next week until Sunday, October 20 and 10 percent of proceeds will be donated to Icing Smiles!

Icing Smiles has been baking a difference since 2010. They understand that the simple things, like a birthday cake, are luxuries to a family battling illness. Their goal is to create a custom cake for the ill child, or their sibling, that provides a temporary escape from worry and creates a positive memory during a difficult time.

Nut-Free Snack Brand Raises Awareness with Pinterest Contest

Published October 18, 2013

Skeeter Snacks,which offers high-quality, indulgent snacks that are 100 percent safe for those with tree nut and peanut allergies (TPA), is launching its inaugural No Nuts About It. Pin It To Win It contest on Pinterest. This nationwide contest will take place from October 7 through December 16, and asks participants to vote for their favorite Skeeter Snacks tips and products on Pinterest for a weekly chance of winning Skeeter Snacks prize packs. Skeeter Snacks is hosting this contest to raise awareness about living with nut allergies, as well as healthy eating habits, creative snack ideas and reward consumers with and without nut allergies.

To participate in the contest, consumers are urged to follow Skeeter Snacks’ No Nuts About It board on Pinterest and interact regularly. The board will be updated daily with product images, healthy snacking tips and nut-free kids activities. All pins will reflect Skeeter Snacks and health tips for celebrating the holidays safely with a nut allergy.

Participants are asked to share the board with their followers daily during the three-month campaign. Points will be awarded for following, re-pinning, liking and commenting on Skeeter Snacks’ pins within the No Nuts About It board. To earn an additional five points, participants can tweet @SkeeterSnacks, tag @SkeeterSnacks on Instagram and post on Skeeter Snacks’ Facebook using an @ mention to say at what retailers they found their Skeeter Snacks, along with hashtag #NoNutsAboutIt.

“This Pin It To Win It campaign is a great opportunity for us to interact with our consumers across the country,” says Laurie Witt, Director of Marketing of Skeeter Snacks. “We love sharing our love for Skeeter and helping draw attention to the rising issue of food allergies, especially tree nut and peanut allergies. Our snacks are a delicious treat for everyone with nut allergies, but also for people without nut allergies.”

Skeeter Snacks was founded by two fathers of children with TPAs as a solution to the lack of suitable snack options on store shelves. As the number of kids directly affected has more than tripled over the past 15 years, Skeeter Snacks’ product line of Chocolate Chip Minis, Cinnamon Grahams, Chocolate Chunk cookies, Chocolate Cubed cookies, Golden Oatmeal cookies and Skeeter Doodle cookies offer a treat for both TPA and allergy-free kids to enjoy. Skeeter Snacks targets consumers as well as schools and institutions that recognize the importance of creating nut-free zones. A brand that strives to be a steadfast resource for TPA families, Skeeter Snacks can be found in Toys “R” Us, Wal-Mart and CVS Pharmacies.

Keith McDaniel Named CEO of Wythe Will Tzetzo, LLC

Published October 16, 2013

Wythe Will Tzetzo, LLC, a packager and distributor of confections and specialty food, has announced that its board of directors has named Keith McDaniel to succeed Gordon Angles, who is retiring from his role as CEO at the end of 2013.

McDaniel has 22 years of experience in the confectionery industry serving in various capacities, most recently as President of Wythe Will Tzetzo. McDaniel joined Tzetzo Bros, a predecessor company, in 1991 as Vice President of Purchasing.

Gordon Angles said “Keith’s wealth of experience and industry knowledge, along with his passion and commitment to the business, make him the ideal person to lead Wythe Will Tzetzo going forward. Keith is dedicated to our customers in providing the best possible service and quality of products. His leadership and knowledge of the industry will be vitally important in guiding Wythe Will Tzetzo’s success into the future.”

Keith McDaniel commented “To succeed an industry statesman such as Gordon Angles in the role of CEO of Wythe Will Tzetzo is an honor. We have a lot of great projects on the table at Wythe Will Tzetzo that we feel will offer tremendous value to our customers, and I am very excited to lead the company through its next phase of growth.”

Wythe Will Tzetzo, LLC is a portfolio company of Slate Capital Group.

About Wythe Will Tzetzo, LLC
Wythe Will Tzetzo (WWT) is a leading provider of national branded, unbranded, and private label confectionery products and specialty foods sold to retailers throughout the United States. The company provides value added packaging as well as bulk distribution of chocolate, nonchocolate
confectionary, fruit & nut mixes and specialty products. With a history dating back to 1927, the company has grown steadily through both organic expansion and acquisitions to be one of the largest and most reputable players in specialty food and candy packaging and distribution, with expertise in worldwide sourcing, warehousing, and transportation logistics.

The company’s facilities are located in Buffalo, N.Y., Toano, Va. (near Williamsburg), Los Angeles, Calif., and Lebanon, Tenn. WWT maintains deep relationships with large national grocers, alternative retailers, convenience chains, as well as a large number of independent retailers. As a leading value-added single source, Wythe Will Tzetzo provides its products to these customers at multiple price points in a variety of formats and configurations. With products sold under the company’s trade names and private label, the company has breadth of product offering of more than 7,500 SKUs from over 450 domestic and international specialty food and confection companies.

About Slate Capital Group
Slate Capital Group is a leading private equity investment group based in Baltimore, Md. that partners with lower-middle market companies. With a focus on companies in the Mid-Atlantic region, Slate Capital provides liquidity to business owners as well as growth capital to businesses for further expansion. The principals of Slate Capital have significant experience in both running small-to-mid-sized companies and investing in venture capital and leveraged buyout transactions. Slate Capital’s primary areas of focus include business services, distribution, light manufacturing, direct marketing, food & beverage, for-profit education, consumer and retail investments. Additional information can be found at www.SlateCap.com.

National Chocolate & Dessert Show Returns to Chicago this Weekend

Published October 15, 2013

The Chicago Fine Chocolate & Dessert Show (consumer show) and National Chocolate & Dessert Show (trade show) will return to Navy Pier this Friday, October 18 through Sunday, October 20 and Sunday, October 20 through Tuesday, October 22, respectively. With over 10,000 consumer guests and 2,700 trade attendees at last year’s shows, the dual concept consumer and trade shows celebrate all things chocolate and dessert. Highlights from both shows include:

Chicago Fine Chocolate & Dessert Show (consumer): October 18-20

· Exhibitors: Experience the finest hand-painted artisan bars, uniquely-flavored truffles, decadent cakes, tarts, mousses, and more. Exhibitors include: Betty Jane Candies, Dove Chocolate Discoveries, flying noir, Four Brothers Chocolates, Madison Chocolatiers West, Mayana Chocolate, Oak Mill Bakery, Sweet Secrets Artisan Chocolate, T’s Toffee, and more.

· 1,000 Pound Chocolate Sculpture of a Chicago Blues Player by Chef Alain Roby of the All Chocolate Kitchen: The three-time Guinness World Record holder is at it again creating a replica of the iconic Chicago Blues Brother with saxophone in tow. See the renowned pastry artist at work here.

· French Pastry School’s Demonstration Stage and Chocolate Art Gallery: The world class pastry chefs and master chocolatiers will showcase classic techniques of chocolate making from truffles to marshmallows on the Demonstration Stage. See here for the full line-up. The chefs will also create chocolate art pieces from start-to-finish like the rooster from last year’s show.

· Cake & Pastry Art Gallery Presented by Icing Smiles: Six nationally-recognized cake artists from shows such as TLC’s Ultimate Cake Off and the recent Food Network Halloween Wars will showcase elaborate Halloween-inspired cakes. Attendees can place a monetary vote on their favorite and all proceeds will benefit the show’s charity partner, Icing Smiles, a nonprofit organization that provides custom celebration cakes and other treats to families impacted by the critical illness of a child. Cake artists include: Bob Brougham of The Cakery, Inc.; Mark Lie of A Piece of Cake – Custom Cakes by Mark; Michelle Boyd of Good Gracious Cakes; Deborah Ryan of The Sugar Garden; Karen Scobbie of Karen Scobbie Cake Design; and Vinny and Michelle Garcia formerly of Bleeding Heart Bakery.

· Sugar Art Gallery Presented by Edible Artists Network: Talented chefs will also showcase their artistic talents sugar, marshmallows, and more at the Sugar Art Gallery. Artists include: Peggy Tucker of School of Cakeology; Alejandra Morin of The Marshmallow Studio; Diane Simmons of Cake Connection; Rebecca Wortman of Imagine Something Sweet; Nicole Lang of Sugar Mommas Custom Cakes; Certified Master Sugar Artist (CMSA) Lorena Hernendez; Mark Lie of A Piece of Cake – Custom Cakes by Mark; and Michelle Boyd of Good Gracious Cakes.

· Interactive Seminars: Inquisitive dessert fans can learn the tips and tricks to solve their baking blunders with educational, interactive seminars from the industry’s esteemed pastry chefs like Top Chef: Just Desserts contestant and owner of By M Desserts, Malika Ameen; winner of CBS’s The American Baking Competition, Brian Emmett; and more. See the full line-up of free seminars here.

· Pastry Chicago’s Haunted Cupcake Challenge (Friday, October 18 from 5-7 p.m.): Amateur bakers will showcase their pastry prowess as Pastry Chicago hosts its 7th Annual Haunted Cupcake Competition and Costume Party. See here for more details.

· Celebrated Pastry Chefs Council (Saturday, October 19 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.): Chicago’s pastry chef elite have assembled for the first-ever Celebrated Pastry Chefs Council. The group comprised of Thomas Raquel of Acadia, Elissa Narow of Perennial Virant and Vie, Meg Galus of NoMI Kitchen, Patrick Fahy of Sixteen at Trump International Hotel & Tower® Chicago, Kym DeLost of Storefront Company, and Courtney Joseph of Takashi and Slurping Turtle will serve their signature treats for guests to sample during this limited time.

National Chocolate & Dessert Show (trade): October 20-22

· Exhibitors: Foodservice, wholesaler and retailer buyer, and chef attendees will find the ingredients, equipment, packaging and more to build out their chocolate and dessert programs. Exhibitors include: Barry-Callebaut, Cary’s of Oregon, Fabbri North America, Foodlinks, Inc., Innovative Energy, Inc., KeHE Distributors, Micelli Chocolate Mold Company, Mod-Pac Corporation, Savage Bros. Co., Valrhona, and more.

· The Material Handling Conference 1.0: The Indispensable Pastry Chef: World-class pastry chefs and industry leaders will offer expert insights and actionable tips to elevate chocolate and dessert programs. Each conference sessions is $29 per conference and includes admission into the trade show. See the full schedule here and highlights include:

o Gelato Technique with Patrick Fahy of Sixteen at Trump International Hotel & Tower® Chicago and Jimmy MacMillan of JMPurePastry; Sunday, October 20, 10 a.m. in Classroom 1; Register here

o Preserves In and Out of Season with Chef Meg Galus of NoMI Kitchen and Jimmy MacMillan of JMPurePastry; Monday, October 21, 10 a.m. in Classroom 1; Register here

o Ganaches–Spirits, Juices & Puree with Thomas Raquel of Acadia and Jimmy MacMillan of JMPurePastry; Tuesday, October 22, 9 a.m. in Classroom 1; Register here

o Everyone Loves Chocolate Truffles: Join legendary Pastry Chef Stanton Ho for a seminar on chocolate truffle making using a variety of chocolates from Casa Luker and Truffly Made’s labor-saving, high-tech silicone molds; Sunday, October 20, 10 a.m. in Classroom 2; Register here

o Winning Secrets of a Chocolate Champion: Tips and Techniques of Dessert Competition from Andy Chlebana: Pastry chefs interested in pursuing competition careers will learn how to read the rule book to win, what judges look for, and other top tips from veteran dessert competitor Andy Chlebana (Pastry Team USA, Food Network Challenge winner, Dessert Professional magazine Top 10 Pastry Chef); Sunday, October 20, 12 p.m. in Classroom 1; Register here

o Be a Part of ChocoHistory!: Join world-renowned explorers Daniel and Linda Rice Lorenzetti (ImageExpedition.com) at their first-ever interactive chocolate presentation as they share about their mission to save and document the world’s cacao. Be a part of the launch of their Interactive Chocolate App by sharing your professional knowledge after their presentation; FREE; Sunday, October 20, 12 p.m. in Classroom 2; Register for free here

o Chocolate: Unique and Savory Applications Presented by Cacao Barry

Top Ten Chocolatier Frederic Loraschi will show you how to take menus in a new but familiar direction. Join him for an inspirational seminar where chocolate has no limits. Learn how to make chocolate work for you while you taste Frederic’s unique and savory chocolate applications; Monday, October 21, 10 a.m. in Classroom 2; Register here

· First Annual Chocolate and Dessert Innovation (CADI) Awards: The expert panel of CADI judges including Franco Pacini (director, The French Pastry School), Matthew Stevens (publisher, Dessert Professional), Liz Grossman (managing editor, Plate Magazine), and John Reed (American Culinary Federation/owner, Customized Culinary Solutions) will evaluate finalists in three categories of best new product, best flavor profile, and best sustainable product to determine the winners from the country’s top pasty artisans to be on display at Chicago’s Navy Pier on Sunday, October 20. Highlights of the finalists include: a pretzel chocolate pizza; hyper local chocolates utilizing local black walnuts and spicebush berries from Ohio; chocolates with a chili sea salt; roasted chipotle chocolate salsa; a journal made out of bark from the cocoa tree; herb crystals; and more. See the full list of CADI finalists here.

This year’s consumer show, the Chicago Fine Chocolate & Dessert Show, will take place on Friday, October 18 (3 p.m.-8 p.m.), Saturday, October 19 (10 a.m.- 9 p.m.), and Sunday, October 20 (10 a.m.-6 p.m.). The trade show of the National Chocolate & Dessert Show will intersect with the consumer show on Sunday, October 20 and run through Tuesday, October 22. The show floor hours of the trade show will be Sunday, October 20 and Monday, October 21 from 2 p.m.- 6 p.m. and Tuesday, October 22 from 1 p.m. until 5 p.m. Guests can purchase tickets to the consumer show for $25 here. Attendees may register for the trade show or conference for $29, visit here.

Mom’s Pasta Sauce Earns Non-GMO Food Seal

Published October 12, 2013

Fischer & Wieser Specialty Foods, Inc. President and CEO Case D. Fischer and Chief Operating Officer Jenny Wieser, Ph.D., hold the first two of their Mom’s Pasta Sauces to receive verification for containing no genetically modified ingredients by the Non-GMO Project.

The Non-GMO Project recently verified that Mom’s Organic Traditional Tomato & Basil Spaghetti Sauce and Mom’s Organic Roasted Pepper Spaghetti Sauce, made by Fischer & Wieser Specialty Foods, Inc. in Fredericksburg, are produced to avoid genetically modified organisms (GMO).

Fischer & Wieser’s CEO and President Case D. Fischer said the Non-GMO Project verification seal reflects the company’s dedication to creating natural products. “We produce all-natural products because we believe they are healthier, and we have always believed natural fruits, vegetables and seasonings taste better,” he said.

The Non-GMO Project third-party verification program was launched in 2008 as an initiative to provide consumers with more information regarding the risk of GMO products, and products that are verified are awarded the Non-GMO Project orange, blue and green seal.

“Meeting Non-GMO standards requires food companies to go the extra mile for sourcing Non-GMO ingredients and verifying their authenticity each step of the way.” said Fischer & Wieser Chief Operating Officer Jenny Wieser, PhD. “We do it because it’s important to us, and it’s important to consumers.”

Dr. Wieser said Fischer & Wieser is also on track to verify other Mom’s products as Non-GMO. “We started the Non-GMO verification process with these two products, which have always been certified organic, and next we’ll present several of our other Mom’s Pasta Sauces for Non-GMO verification.”

A non-profit organization, the Non-GMO Verification Project lists criteria for Non-GMO verification on its website:

Ongoing testing of all at-risk ingredients—any ingredient being grown commercially in GMO form must be tested prior to use in a verified product.
Absence of all GMOs is the target for all Non-GMO Project Standard compliant products. Continuous improvement practices toward achieving this goal must be part of the Participant’s quality management systems.
After the test, rigorous traceability and segregation practices are required to be followed in order to ensure ingredient integrity through to the finished product.
Verification is maintained through an annual audit, along with onsite inspections for high-risk products.

For more details on the Non-GMO Project Verified seal, visit: http://www.nongmoproject.org/learn-more/understanding-our-seal. For more information about Mom’s and Fischer & Wieser, visit: jelly.com.