New Food Trends Spotted at 2010 Summer Fancy Food Show

What’s the latest thing in food?  One of the best ways to find out what’s hot is to browse the aisles of the Fancy Food Show.  Organized by the National Association of the Specialty Food Trade, it’s the largest marketplace for specialty foods and beverages in the U.S.  I didn’t make it to New York last month to attend the 56th Summer Fancy Food Show, but here’s a look at what other trendspotters found: 

• Flavored vinegars –  Hibiscus, Walnut Champagne, Peach Balsamic, Lime Rice, Apple Ice Wine Vinegar and Ginger
• Indian products – Unexpected creations: Curry Ketchup, Cashews & Cream Cooking Sauce, Tandoori Chicken Naanwich, and Tikka Masala Marinara
• Grains, nuts and seeds– Sweet and savory items make up this category with Flax Seed Crackers, Oat and Corn Cakes, Pumpkin Palooza Nut Confections, Lentil Chips and Sunny Seed Drops (chocolate covered sunflower seeds, the new M& M’s?)
• Squash, pumpkin and sweet potato – These fall favorites are showcased in Pumpkin Salsa, Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce, Sweet Potato Butter, Butternut Squash Tart, and Sweet Potato Chocolate
• Handcrafted local heritage foods– Soups, pickles and sweets including Linekin Bay Lobster Corn Chowder, Brooklyn Pickles, Wild West Steak Rub and Sticky Toffee Pudding offer fresh takes on classics 
• Figs-  Including a Cabernet wine and fig preserve
• Healthier chips – Including Beanitos (bean-based chips)
• Flavored teas – Hibiscus Key Lime, Blackcurrant Cardamon, Turmeric 
• Specialty honeys- Chestnut, lime, pine and raspberry; eco-friendly honey
• Ginger — Including upscale ginger ales, ginger energy tonic,  ginger vinegar and chocolate infused with ginger root
• Exotic ketchups – Mild Indian Curry, Peppery Moroccan and Sweet Orange Chile
• Food kits - Do-it-yourself kits for churros, funnel cakes, soft pretzels, chewing gum and home pickling kits
• Chocolate -   Dagoba Chai hot chocolate is the first ever organic chai drinking chocolate.  The drink combines the flavors of cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and peppercorn.  Hot chocolate sticks from Choc-o-lait are wooden sticks with 100 percent Belgian chocolate that melt in a cup of hot milk.  Skinny Bars from Tom & Sally’s.  These organic chocolate bars are not lower in calories compared to other chocolate.  They’re just called “skinny” because the bar is thin. Not too confusing, huh?  Unfortunately, people think “organic” means lower in calories, according to research conducted by Brian Wansink.  The bars contain 200 calories and feature trendy ingredients, (including acai berry and ginger) that adds to their health halo. 

Read more about the Summer Fancy Food Show:

Foodspring 
Epicurious 
Good Morning America 
NBC New York (slide show)
Friends Eat 
Chefdruck Musings

Tagged as: Fancy Food Show, food trends, National Association of the Specialty Food Trade