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10 4 GOURMET NEWS www.gourmetnews.com Blondie Brittle Debuts This Year Brownie Brittle, LLC kicks off the Winter Fancy Food Show this January with the debut of a brand new flavor: Blondie Brittle™. This rich, buttery, vanilla-based brittle, filled with luxurious chocolate chips, will be available to sample at booth #2535 in the Moscone Center, January 19-21. "We've often wondered whether blondes have more fun," laughed Brownie Brittle Founder Sheila G. Mains (better known in the food industry as Sheila G). "Perhaps we'll learn the answer to that age-old question when this flavor launches." Blondie Brittle joins the award-winning Brownie Brittle family in a 4-ounce resealable package with an SRP of $3.99. Additionally, Brownie Brittle will showcase its new 2-ounce and 1-ounce snack sizes, available in three flavors: Chocolate Chip, Toffee Crunch and Salted Caramel. The 2-ounce bags are sold in case packs of 24. The 1-ounce bags, which debuted toward the end of 2013, are sold in case packs of 48. Each 1-ounce bag contains 120 calories per serving. "Many of our loyal fans told us they were looking for a snack-size package, and we are delighted to be able to make it available," said Mains. These thin, delectable treats were created to honor Mains' favorite part of the brownie—its crisp outer edges. Brownie Seattle Gourmet Foods Introduces Several New Products An interview with Tom Means, General Manager, Seattle Gourmet Foods GN: Tell our readers about your company. What is your main line of business? TM: Seattle Gourmet Foods owns and manufactures 11 brands that can be found nationally. Not only do we produce our own products, but we have the capability to do private label manufacturing as well. We are also one of the largest panning operators in the United States of chocolate covered fruits, nuts and espresso beans. GN: Are you introducing any new products? TM: We are consistently doing research and development for new products to introduce into all of our brands. As a result, this year we have developed new products to go into three of our lines. Under Dilettante Chocolates, we have introduced two new flavors of Chocolate Decadence Cookies, which are shortbread cookies enrobed in premium dark chocolate. We have added two new flavors, Candy Cane (seasonal availability) and Coconut, to sit alongside the Original. Under our Coffaro's Baking Company label, we've created several new flavors of biscotti. There are two new gluten-free varieties available, Flaxseed Almond and Double Chocolate, available in 6-ounce boxes. We also offer a traditional olive oil based biscotti line within Coffaro's, and have introduced Authentic Foods, Uncompromised Quality By Madeline Fiore, Representative Viola Imports offers a line of distinctive Italian specialty foods. For those who seek out only the truly authentic and unique ingredients, we offer an incomparable selection. The range and variety of our specialty products offers something for everyone in the food industry—restaurateurs, specialty retailers and the independent gourmet. Our products are a true representation of the superior quality offered by the various regions of Italy. We are passionate about passion! We seek those producers whose artisan craft, commitment to tradition and visionary approach offer products of unsurpassed quality. We begin with Acquerello, the "Ultimate Rice." With skillful application of knowledge, tradition and innovation, the Rondolino family continues to perfect the characteristics of Acquerello. Aged from one to seven years, delicately whitened and recoated with its own germ, Acquerello is considered "The most unique rice in the world" and is the first choice of great chefs and gourmets for the perfect Slap Ya Mama: Not Only for Cajun Food For years, Slap Ya Mama Cajun Products has been a staple at the Winter Fancy Food Show, and they have experienced great success. The Walker brothers of Slap Ya Mama say that people are always asking what types of food they could use Slap on, and often they think it can only be used when preparing a Cajun dish. But as Jack and Joe explain, Slap Ya Mama is so much more than just Cajun. Although the term Cajun is synonymous with the culture of South Louisiana and it has very specific and traditional foods, a Cajun seasoning or a Cajun pepper sauce can be used in nearly any style of cooking or cuisine. To quote Joe Walker, "If you can eat it, you can 'Slap' it," meaning if it is edible, there is a Slap Ya Mama product that can be used to enhance its flavor. "One thing we quickly realized with our products is that there was an education process that needed to take place with many people that were not familiar with Cajun culture and cooking. Once that was accomplished, it was quickly followed with an explanation of different ways to use our products outside of 'Cajun cooking,'" said Jack Walker. n JANUARY 2014 n GOURMET NEWS Brittle's skyrocketing sales suggest that these delicious snacks are a favorite with many. 2013 was a banner year for Brownie Brittle, LLC. Among its many accolades from industry publications and associations, the company was named the 2nd Fastest Growing Company in the State of Florida. Additionally, Brownie Brittle was recognized by the National Confectioners Association as "Best New Snack 2012," and as a finalist for "Most Innovative Product." Brownie Brittle is made with natural ingredients, certified-kosher and peanut-free. Brownie Brittle gratefully acknowledges its extremely loyal and engaged fol- For more information, visit www.brownie brittle.com, call 800-BROWNIE, email info@browniebrittle.com or stop by booth #2535 at the Winter Fancy Food Show. GN: What distinguishes your products from the competition? GN: How can our readers find out more about your company? 6-ounce boxes of Caramel and Mocha Hazelnut biscotti. We've also re-launched our Paradise Farms brand of jams and preserves. These jams come in four flavors—Blackberry Raspberry, Fig Strawberry, Marionberry and Seedless Raspberry—and are packaged in 11-ounce glass jars. lowing with over 200,000 Facebook fans. "We're overjoyed by the popularity of our treats," said Mains, "and we look forward to what this new year will hold." Brownie Brittle's new Blondie Brittle, as well as its original bestselling Chocolate Chip, Toffee Crunch, Salted Caramel and Mint Chocolate Chip flavors are available at major retailers, by calling 800-BROWNIE and online at www.browniebrittle.com. TM: In our array of brands that make up Seattle Gourmet Foods, we always continue to uphold our commitment to quality and integrity. A company cannot survive with just great brands and products alone, but requires excellent customer service on top of all else. We consider our customers to be our most important asset. TM: All of our products are made using the highest quality ingredients. We know where we have the competitive advantage and continue to make products based around this. For example, the recipes for Dilettante Chocolates come from a third generation confectioner who is still involved with the company today. TM: If you would like to find out more information about Seattle Gourmet Foods or about the brands and products we offer, please visit our website at www.seattle gourmetfoods.com, call us at 800-800-9490, email us at sales@seattlegourmetfoods.com or visit us at the Winter Fancy Food Show at booth #4505. risotto! Also available is Acquerello 7 Years, an incredible rice of unsurpassed texture and appearance. Acetaia San Giacomo brings the "culture of the balsamic" to us together with the long history of family tradition, passion and in-depth knowledge. Just a few drops of San Giacomo's balsamic vinegar are a venture into understanding how time and nature result in an extraordinary and incomparable experience. MieliThun—a passion for the ancient profession of nomadic beekeeping and respect for the intrinsic value of the natural product, MieliThun is an experience of the complexity of honey of monofloral origins. Dedi- cated to the protection of the inestimable product, MieliThun offers the infinite characteristics attributed to monofloral honey. Included in the selection of our other specialty products you will find Savini Tartufi from Tuscany, Giachi extra virgin olive oils from Tuscany, De Carlo extra virgin olive oil and vegetables from Puglia, Pasta Gentile IGP from Gragnano, Caponi Pasta from Tuscany, Le5 Stagioni Flour and Amedei Chocolate and the Pariani selections of nuts, oils and unique defatted nut flours. GN: To what do you attribute your company's success? "It was an education process for us all, consumers and company alike. But people are starting to catch on and are starting to have a lot of fun with our products", said Joe Walker. "One thing people should know is that the Cajun culture and its food is more about flavor and not so much about hot and spicy. It's about flavor," said Jack. Jack recommends using Slap Ya Mama on pizza. "Pizza is my favorite food to put Slap on, outside of Cajun food. I sprinkle a little Hot Blend and douse it with our Pepper Sauce. It's incredible." Joe recommends using it for breakfast. "I love to make omelets, and our Original Blend helps me to make a fantastic tasting breakfast to start my day." For more information, stop by booth #4505 at the Winter Fancy Food Show. For more information, contact Viola Imports by calling 847-690-0790 or visiting www .violaimports.com. One thing that helps with the "Cajun cooking only" dilemma is the online implementation of "Mama's Kitchen." It's a recipe blog that explores the idea of using Slap Ya Mama in various foods and dishes, while providing delicious recipes. With most of the recipes and ideas provided by the Walker family, it's great information that comes from the source of what makes Slap Ya Mama so successful. You can visit Mama's Kitchen at www.slapyamamarecipes.com. Remember, "If you can eat it, you can 'Slap' it!" Have fun and be adventurous! For more information, stop by booth #481 at the Winter Fancy Food Show.