Fancy Food Product Trivial Pursuit

This past weekend I attended my 18^th Fancy Food Show. My first show ever was back in 1994; it cost $25 and there was lots of chocolate, cheese and olive oil. This year, the NASFT Fancy Food Show costs $45, and there was STILL lots of chocolate, cheese and olive oil, but there were also lots of banana jams, single garden teas, artistically packaged hot chocolate, healthy indulgence items (ginger-infused potato chips … those are healthy right?) and ancient alternative grains. But while most people peruse the show looking for trends and flavors, I look for items that challenge my food science knowledge by playing food product trivial pursuit!

Question #1: How does a jarred sauce manufacturer make a shelf-stable cold-packed chimichurri sauce?
Answer: They add a ton of vinegar, drop the pH and add sodium benzoate.
Taste: Herbs floating in oil and vinegar. Another failed attempt to shelf-stabilize my favorite Argentinean green herb sauce.

Question # 2: How are zero-calorie miracle noodles made?
Answer: A combination of water and konjac flour creates an indigestible gel that fills you up calorie-free.
Taste: Not particularly flavorful, you have to add something to it, like a creamy Alfredo sauce, olive oil, or even some shelf-stable chimichurri sauce would help!

Question #3: How are food FOMZ produced?
Answer: According to their website, they are not mass-produced in a factory, but created by a toque wearing chef. Does the chef actually manufacture them by hand? Unnecessary and unclear marketing that once again subtly implies that chef is a hero and manufacturing facilities are the enemy!
Taste: It could work on cocktails, but Ferran Adrià made much better foams in my opinion.

I spent most of my NASFT time in the new products room because that’s where all the action is. I am not interested in the Jelly Bellies or Walkers Cookies that take up half of Moscone North—I want to get with the startups, the ones with the innovative ideas that can only make it to mass market if their V.C. gives them more money. It was here that I saw the controversial bacon lube, banana-pecan salsa, frozen ready-to-eat Kugel, string cheese with bits of beef jerky in it, and Victoria’s Almond Water, which has “love” (not evaluated by the FDA I am sure!) listed on the ingredient statement. I was pleased to see that Cheribundi proudly states on their website that their juicing process was developed by Cornell University Food Scientists (unlike the FOMZ product which is mass produced by a single toque-wearing chef).

After Fancy Food Show, I always attend Food Fete, a private event that is held exclusively for food companies, and the bloggers and tweeters like @eatthelove @cookingwithamy @thetomatotart and @culinologist (me) who love them. I sampled two new flavors of Pop Chips, Sweet Thai Chili Potato and Sweet Potato, which I washed it down with a cucumber vodka cocktail and chased with Sartori Espresso Bellavitano Cheese.