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GOURMET NEWS www.gourmetnews.com n JANUARY 2015 n GOURMET NEWS 5 6 Sticky Fingers Bakeries' Five New Flavors Sticky Fingers added three new flavors to its premium line: Cherry/Chocolate Chip Scone, Glazed Maple Scone and Glazed Cinnamon Raisin Scone Mix. It also added two new flavors to its gluten-free line: a chocolate chip gluten-free scone and a pumpkin cranberry gluten-free scone. "We all were very excited to introduce these new flavors during the show and, we felt all five new flavors were ex- tremely well received," said Ted Vogel- man, who co-founded Sticky Fingers Bakeries. "There's no doubt we appreci- ate the beautiful simplicity of a scone, but every once in awhile we yearn to kick it up a notch, maybe get a little fancy. On those days, our new Glazed Cinnamon Raisin Scones and Glazed Maple Oat Scones are just the ticket." The first is the cin- namon roll and scone. Raisins dot this cinnamon treat, and the sweet glaze hints that something a little special is in the air. But maybe maple is more your style? These scones boast a subtle maple flavor, and a per- fectly crumbly texture. The glaze mix comes right in the scone package. Simply add water and whisk. Brush the glaze on the tops of your freshly baked scones. The gluten-free chocolate chip scones are a not-too-sweet treat ideal for lunch boxes, or an after school snack. The gluten-free pumpkin cranberry scones offer an edible reminder of crisp October mornings. The subtle pumpkin taste and bright cranberries in these scones pair nicely with a cup of coffee or warm mug of tea. For more information, visit www.sticky fingersbakeries.com or stop by booth #1363. Le Gruyère AOP Continues Down the Road to Excellence Gruyère AOP celebrated its members, and especially its cheese makers, in a formal ceremony in Marin, Switzerland in mid- November. The cheese makers with the best qualitative averages of production over a span of five years were honored. The strict qualitative criteria are: the presence of openings, the quality and structure of the paste, its outer appearance and, of course, its flavor. All cheese makers whose production av- eraged more than 19 points (out of a possible 20) during this five year span were invited to receive a diploma or a bronze, silver or gold medal. Of the 170 village cheese dairies, 40 received a distinction. As for the 53 Gruyère d'Alpage AOP producers, 14 will receive a distinction. The cheese dairy of Le Crêt, led by Mr. Jean-Marie Dunand, achieved the best aver- age with 19.62 of 20 possible points. As for the Gruyère d'Alpage AOP, the Alp Bren- leires, run by the Esseiva family, is rewarded with an average of 19.82 of 20 points. Awards such as these serve to highlight the excellent overall quality of the Interprofes- sion du Gruyère members. It is important to stress that the work done on a daily basis by the everyone involved – the milk producers, the cheese makers and the refiners – brings these beautifully crafted Gruyère AOP prod- ucts to market. The "Interprofession" approach serves three primary purposes: dictates that those involved in the production maintain a con- stant attention to the quality of the process; provides a solid base of education and con- tinued training; and defends the name Gruyère and all trademarks at the national and international level. It is indeed funda- mental that everybody's efforts are not de- stroyed by usurpers of all kinds. It is also worth noting that the Parmigiano- Reggiano International Prize was awarded to the Interprofession du Gruyère at the end of October for its defense of the trademark in the American market. This is the first time that another cheese has won the pres- tigious "Premio Internazionale Parmigiano- Reggiano" award, and further goes to show the overall excellence of the Interprofession approach. Le Gruyère AOP deserves its place atop the market, but this would not be possible if the quality is not guaranteed. This quality guarantee is what the Interprofession du Gruyère honored at the Marin ceremony. For more information, recipes and news from Le Gruyère AOP, visit gruyere.com or stop by booth #4747 at the Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco. Jer's Chocolates Introduces Two New Product Lines – Jer's Groupies and Jer's Circles Jerry Swain, Founder and CEO of Jer's Chocolates, has always had a passion for chocolate and helping others. When he started his company, he simply wanted to combine his community service, business smarts and his love for chocolate into a com- pany with a purpose and passion. Today, Jer's Chocolates is a successful, award win- ning gourmet chocolate company that pro- duces all-natural, delicious, high-quality products that create a happy experience and make people feel good. The company is con- stantly exploring new ideas and products to expand the sweetness of its line-up. Swain stated, "We hope to continue to delight cus- tomers for years to come." This winter, Jer's Chocolates is excited to introduce two new product lines – Jer's Groupies and Jer's Circles. Jer's Groupies are exactly that – delicious clusters of whole nuts, premium chocolate and an all-natural flavor – grouped together perfectly. They are currently available in four flavors: Milk Chocolate Blueberry Almond Clusters, Dark Chocolate Coconut Cashew Clusters, Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Almond Clusters and Milk Chocolate Sea Salt Peanut Clusters, and are distributed in gable boxes. Jer's Circles are all-natural, gluten-free, four-ounce units of pure milk, dark or white chocolate sold in a plastic tube. They are great for baking, snacking and melting and are made from Fair Trade certified cocoa. These new products join Jer's vast collection of delicious confections, in- cluding the award-winning original Jer's Chocolate Balls, Jer's Squares and Gourmet Peanut Butter Bars that have been delighting customers for years. Jer's Chocolates are also available in gourmet gift boxes. Jer's Chocolates has always focused on of- fering great tasting, all-natural products. The company, which has won 11 International Taste Awards, only uses pure, all-natural in- gredients, sources its Valencia peanuts from U.S. farmers and uses ethically sourced chocolate that uses real vanilla. Jer's also prides itself in giving back to the community through its "Jer's Cares" program, which supports fundraising efforts, volunteer activ- ities and charity functions for multiple non- profit organizations. These qualities have been at the heart of the business since Jerry Swain first started the company. Swain developed the recipe for his first milk chocolate covered peanut but- ter ball while on a study break dur- ing college. They were such a hit that he soon turned his hobby into a philanthropic endeavor, and would serve the chocolates during holiday parties to raise money for local food banks. In 2004, 15 years after he created his first "chocolate peanut butter ball," Swain left a successful career in the technology industry to turn his passion into a business, and thus Jer's Chocolates was born. Based in Solana Beach, California, Jer's provides gourmet chocolate products to both large and small retailers across the country and overseas, including Neiman Marcus, Whole Foods, Cost Plus World Market, Bris- tol Farms, Central Market and Fresh Market. For more information, visit www.jers.com or www.facebook.com/jerschocolates, call 800- 540-7265 or stop by booth #548. Jer's Choco- lates is a subsidiary of BBX Sweet Holdings. DennyMike's Sauces and Seasoning Blends: 'One Taste is All it Takes' DennyMike's is a line of super-premium, all-natural and gluten-free sauces and sea- soning blends. Food enthusiasts from home cooks to professional chefs now count on DennyMike's to enhance a broad range of meats, seafood, poultry, game, soups, sides and more. Since its successful launch in 2006, the line of five seasonings and three sauces has won more than 60 awards at juried competi- tions around the country from well respected organizations such as National BBQ Associ- ation, The Fiery Foods Challenge and the Best in Barbecue. The top-selling seasonings are Pixie Dust and Chick Magnet, and the best-selling sauces are Sweet 'N Spicy and Mesquite Madness, although the entire line enjoys a legion of fans from coast to coast. DennyMike's recently underwent a com- plete branding overhaul. The new look is modern and eye-catching, giving Den- nyMike's impressive shelf appeal and instant brand recognition. Perhaps most important, the new sauce containers offer more volume at a significantly lower price point, and the seasonings now come in a more convenient and easier-to-use shaker top tin. DennyMike's is presently sold in four re- gions of Whole Foods from Maine to Mis- sissippi and Hannaford Brothers, a division of Delhaize with 180 stores in the Northeast. It is distributed by Seacrest Foods in Lynn, Mass., Metropolitan Meat and Poultry in Landover, Md., and UNFI as well as by special order from Hallsmith/Sysco. The History of DennyMike's Dennis Michael Sherman discovered authen- tic barbecue while traveling to Texas and Mexico as a college student. In the 30-plus years since that introduction, DennyMike's has nurtured his passion, and in 2002, he opened DennyMike's Smokehouse BBQ and Deli in Old Orchard Beach, Maine. He was unhappy with the rubs and sauces available commercially...everything had either too much salt or unnatural sweeteners like high fructose corn syrup. So, in 2006, after years of research and recipe de- velopment, he launched his own line of sauces and seasonings. His focus from day one was to cre- ate a line that was all-nat- ural and gluten-free, using only the finest in- gredients available – no high fructose corn syrup and far less salt than most. He meticulously crafts the line of pre- mium sauces and seasonings as versatile en- hancers, ideal for both indoor and outdoor cooking. Whether customers prefer season- ings or sauces, the company motto holds true: "One taste is all it takes..." and they are quickly committed DennyMike's fans. For more information, visit www.denny mikes.com or stop by booth #210.

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