The Fancy Food Show returned to the Jacob Javits Center last month, and attendees were especially excited to attend in the frenetic air-conditioning of the massive expo.
But even as temperatures dropped the following Monday, the excitement didn’t die down. This year’s speciality food extravaganza was well attended as usual, and even those who weren’t eligible or didn’t even know about it spoke enthusiastically about those who were able to attend.
But this isn’t a place for the faint of heart or weak of stomach. There are literally acres of food exhibitors from every corner of the globe, for every taste perspective, every dietary adaptation and every culinary class. So while this may sound like foodie heaven, you might find it overwhelming. Take heart: I’ve been there (and suffered from indigestion) for you, sampling the widest range of food imaginable over the course of three days.
There are some staples that are always on the show every year. Hot sauce, chocolate, pickles, cheese, and coffee are inescapably plentiful and ubiquitous. Parts of the show are divided into regions by country, and sometimes those countries seem to only have one basic specialty. For example, I couldn’t figure out if there were many specialties beyond Egyptian dates. Italy is always filled with new and old pasta brands, and Korea has countless varieties of kimchi. But even the old staples are almost always at their best, and there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
Though it’s big, it’s impossible for one person to try everything, even if they were to spend three days there. It’s a blessing that exhibitors offer pre-packaged samples to eat later. Even the most greedy of appetites have their limits. Below are just a few of the edible wonders on display at this year’s expo, but these are the ones I was most excited about:
My favorite part of the show was the coffee, and my favorite producer was the Italian company Caffe Passalacqua. The name comes from the way water passes through the coffee grounds, creating perhaps the world’s most exquisite drink. From freshly ground, hand-packed beans, the Naples-based company produces a jet-black, smooth espresso with a pleasant bitterness and luxurious crema. Italy is home to a myriad of great espressos, but this one is particularly noteworthy.
Cumin Club’s Dal Fry, shipped from Chicago, was another great find, offering shelf-stable, ready-to-eat “restaurant-quality” Indian food. Made without preservatives, the plant-based vegetarian dish already ticks a lot of boxes, but the taste of this dish makes up for the convenience. Made with just nine recognizable whole-food ingredients, this dish is creamy, steamy, and comforting, with a kick of spice and deep flavor. It’s hearty but not heavy, and can be eaten on its own or used as the base for a dish.
On the condiment side, Fleur D’Olive first caught my eye simply because of its beautiful bottle. The jewel-like pink liquid sparkles and is actually delicious enough to drink as is or drizzle on top of a meal. The creator of this vinegar, Sonia Giguiere, is new to the show from Canada, but seems to have found instant success.
Jane Foodie’s “Fresh From Scratch” Guinness Beef Stew won a Gold Sophie Award in her category, and for good reason. A native of Yonkers, New York, Jane’s stew tasted exactly like my mother’s pot roast — my favorite meal as a child, what I called “stringy meat” because of the way the tender meat crumbled into the rich gravy. Her stew was similarly seasoned with big chunks of onion and carrot (as an adult, these are my favorite parts), with the Guinness adding a sweet, rich flavor to the juicy sauce.
A completely different protein line comes from South African company SMUL, which combines “health, taste and convenience” into its range of products. The best I’ve tried is their vanilla protein powder; its aroma recalls the indulgence of a rich vanilla milkshake, but with a lighter texture. It’s also sugar-free and arguably more beneficial nutritionally, with 20 grams of pure plant-based protein per serving.
Believe me, I have had many chemical, medicinal, grainy or sugary protein drinks that made me nauseous, but this drink, aside from its excellent nutritional profile, was a pure delight.
Another healthy and delicious drink is Banana Turmeric Lassi from Dosa by Dosa. Unlike the SMUL benefits, this sweet treat contains the antioxidant benefits of turmeric and cultured yogurt-based probiotics. Plus, it’s fruity and refreshing, and tastes like you’ve just been on holiday (not to mention the mental health benefits).
Perhaps my favorite part of the show was the grilled, rehydrated, dried shiitake mushrooms lightly seasoned with Sugimoto’s umami bomb “Magical Powder.” Discovered by a Japanese Zen monk and harvested from Japanese sweet oak trees, these plump mushrooms are dusted with a proprietary powder that makes them taste far more than the sum of their parts. I’ve never tried hallucinogenic mushrooms, but these incredibly tasty wild mushrooms made me feel like I was hallucinating.
Similarly, Monterey Farms’ vacuum-packed artichokes taste better than fresh, their fleshy cores even meatier than those steamed, and a sprinkle of salt and a grilling session throws the prickly leaf muscles right out the window.
On a more extravagant note, their display of celebratory carousel cakes was so appealing I wanted one of each. Their velvet is the most velvety and they’re not just limited to red. Their cheesecake is so far above Junior’s that they shouldn’t even have the same name. They’re Oprah-recognized and relatively local, based in Nanuet with two other Cupcake branches in Jersey.
The most obvious trends are the continued preference for dark chocolate over other varieties, gluten-free adaptations, and the rise of hot and spicy everything from pickles to sauces, candies to cocktails, with heat featuring prominently both outside and on the menu. While most or all of these products can be found online, the show’s aim is to find brick-and-mortar retailers, so keep an eye out for your nearest Gristede’s, West Side Market, Gourmet Garage, or Whole Foods.
They may not have made the show itself, but the results will be on full display in these similarly air-conditioned stores.
