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P r o d u c e S h o w D a i l y S a t u r d a y, O c t o b e r 2 4 , 2 0 1 5 5 8 MAKE THE ORDINARY EXTRAORDINARY WITH FRESH HERBS North Shore Living Herbs From cocktails to desserts and everything in between the increased consumer demand for aromatic, fresh herbs is unde- niable. Two overarching trends are driv- ing this change, and North Shore Living Herbs can oblige in this oh-so-delicious movement. You are What You Eat Americans continue to aspire to eat more fresh, healthy foods as part of a holistic lifestyle. Consumers are trading the convenient, processed foods of the 1980s and 1990s for whole foods and fresh ingredients. North Shore Living Herbs will continue to see consumers get back to the basics with a twist in the foods they consume. Free from fat, salt, sugar, hydrogenated oils or anything processed, fresh herbs simply are a healthy way to make any dish better. In addition, fresh herbs are a nutrient- dense food. Basil is known for its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory characteristics, making it king of the herbs. Mint is not just for fresh breath. Mint contains vita- min A, beta carotene, vitamin C and vita- min E. Rosemary is a mighty herb that contains dietary fiber, iron and calcium. Sage offers both antiseptic and antioxi- dant properties. Thyme is packed with dietary fiber, vitamin B-6, vitamin A, iron, calcium, magnesium and man- ganese. The Rise of the Everyday Foodie Experimenting with bright colors, bold flavor combina- tions and textures of food is not only fun, it's cool. Gone is the "meat and potatoes" man, unless that meat is a grass-fed petite filet mignon wrapped in thick-sliced pep- per smoked bacon, barely medium, with a side of mashed rosemary sweet pota- toes. Some of the most pronounced exam- ples of this over the last five years are the hamburger and beer. A hamburger used to be one of those meals that made feeding the family and friends inexpensive and easy. The recipe was hamburger patty, white bun, ketchup and mustard. If you were really fancy you might sauté onions or mushrooms. Today, in even the most mainstream of restaurants you will find bison or portabella mushroom burgers with the most gourmet of toppings and condiments elevat- ing the entire eating experience. In addition, the multitude of microbreweries popping up across the country have led to hyper- local craft brews on tap, and con- sumers beginning to experiment with their own microbrews at home. Making the everyday gourmet is here to stay. "Consumers are looking for food to engage all their senses and fresh herbs have that quality," suggests Micki Dirtzu, Director of Marketing at North Shore Living Herbs. Because North Shore Living Herbs are still alive on shelf, they have more flavor and stay fresher, longer. For more information, visit booth #3065, go to www.livingherbs.com or call 760.397.0400. SOUTHERN VALLEY KNOWN FOR ITS POLE-GROWN CUCUMBER By Katie Murray, Marketing and Public Relations, Southern Valley For over 10 years now, Southern Valley has focused its efforts on producing a new and improved cucumber – what we affectionately refer to as the Pole-Grown Cucumber. The Southern Valley Pole- Grown Cucumber is a departure from your average, run-of-the-mill cucumber bush creeping along the ground, bearing fruit wherever it pleases. Instead, you'll find the Pole-Grown Cucumber vine gracefully winding itself through trellis netting – much like how grapes are grown – and bearing an all-over green product without a scratch or blemish from the soil. Like all of our products, our Pole- Grown Cucumbers are begun as seed in our greenhouses and then painstakingly transplanted by hand into our fertile soil. Once the cucumber vine has reached a sufficient height, we then train it to weave itself through the net- ting. This process involves intensive manual labor, guiding each individual vine upwards. Once trained, the vines will continue to grow skyward until they run out of netting and reach matu- rity. In our particular case, it means they will grow to the same height as our poles – approximately six feet tall – and then gently cascade over to the other side of the netting. We have often been asked why we bother growing the Pole-Grown Cucumber with all of its intensive labor and extra costs. Without a doubt, we do so because of the superior-quality cucumber it produces, which upholds the same standard of quality set throughout Southern Valley. For starters, because it is not lying in the dirt, the product is initially cleaner than those not grown on poles. Also, since the cucumber is raised off of the ground, the belly of the cucum- ber doesn't turn yellow, leaving the customer with a solid, all-over-green cucumber. Ultimately, this growing method allows us to provide our cus- tomers with a longer, thinner, straighter and more uniformly colored cucumber. Years of experience as cucumber produc- ers have shown us this is how you prefer them. Southern Valley started growing cucumbers over 25 years ago, and over time we have transitioned all of our cucumbers to the elite pole-grown status. You won't find a single cucumber bush on our farm that isn't up off of the ground and scaling a trellis netting. Our farms have produced and har- vested literally millions of cucumbers over the years, leaving us with no doubt that the Pole- Grown Cucumber is a superior product. One glance at the solid green body plus one mouth- watering taste of the refreshing fruit, and we're sure you'll agree. Southern Valley is a female-owned and family-operated company that com- bines old fashioned values and traditions with progressive and innovative thinking. Formed as a four-man, 100-acre farming operation in 1987, Southern Valley now grows produce year-round at our three locations: Georgia, Yucatan and Tennessee. For more information, visit booth #4663, go to www.southernvalley.us or call 229.769.3676. HEALTHY FOOD BRANDS DEBUTS DRIED FRUITS Healthy Food Brands has launched a full line of dried fruits under the Welch's brand. The full line consists of dried apri- cot, mango, apple and an assortment of fruit flavored infused cranberries, includ- ing grape and pomegranate. All of Welch's dried fruit products are free from GMOs, certified kosher and are naturally gluten- and fat-free. Most product offer- ings come in traditional stand-up re-seal- able bags, which seem to be the con- sumer packaging preference these days. In addition to its stand-up bag line, HFB has developed a line of dried fruit in count items such as single serve packages and multipack box items, making Welch's dried fruit perfect for on-the-go serving. Single serve offerings include Welch's Grape Flavored Cranberries as well as Triple Fruit and Dried Honey Crisp Apple items. One item that HFB is very excited about is its Honey Crisp Apple. Healthy Food Brands is marketing the first Dried Honey Crisp Apple, which will be included in its full line-up of Welch's dried and freeze-dried fruit. Honey Crisp Apples have huge consumer awareness and demand, as previous crops limited supply of the particular apple. Welch's Dried Honey Crisp apples are a great snack, as they taste as if you were eating a fresh apple, and contain no added sugar. Product offerings are available in a five- ounce resealable stand-up bag, as well as a 1.2-ounce single serve pouch. Welch's dried fruit products are available now at national retailers throughout the United States and Canada. Healthy Food Brands is one of the leading marketers of licensed and branded confections and snacks. From its New York headquarters, HFB devel- ops, licenses and produces confections and snacks for its own labels, for private labels and for dozens of major brands. For more information, visit booth #5461, go to www.hfbusa.com/welchs or email info@hfbusa.com. NEW GIFT PACK OPTIONS FROM SUTTER BUTTES NATURAL AND ARTISAN FOODS Sutter Buttes Natural and Artisan Food's olive oils, balsamic vinegars, jams, condiments, spreads and infusions are handcrafted in California, made fresh in small batches and combine only the best quality ingredients. Its products are designed for the gourmet as well as for the general food lover. It believes that the use of simple, but exceptional ingredients can transform ordinary into extraordi- nary. Its best-selling mustards, tapenades and jams are now available in mini-trio packs for wholesale. Great for picnics, small gatherings or hostess gifts, these trios offer three flavor options from a selection of its best-selling prod- uct lines. Tapenade Trio includes: four-ounce Farmhouse, four- ounce Artichoke Parmesan Spread, four-ounce Sun-Dried Tomato Tapenade. Cheese Condiment Trio includes: four-ounce California Raw Wildflower Honey, four-ounce Meyer Lemon Ginger Jam, four-ounce Onion Balsamic Jam. Pepper Jam Trio includes: four-ounce Apricot Jalapeno Jam, four- ounce Pineapple Mango Habanero, four- ounce Hot 7 Pepper. Mustard Trio includes: four-ounce Cabernet Garlic Mustard, four-ounce Jalapeno Whiskey Mustard and four- ounce Traditional Mustard. Other new products fea- tured at the show include: new baking kit packaging, new bulk oil and vinegar flavors, Spicy Antipasto Spread, Estate Grown Lucques Olives, Apple and Maple Caramel Sauce, as well as new spices and infused sea salts. For more information, contact Sutter Buttes Olive Oil for wholesale informa- tion at 530.763.7921.