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Restaurant Daily News Marketplace E Sunday, May 22, 2016 CONSUMERS SEEKING THE HEALTHY CONDIMENT By Greg Gonzales Not all condiments were created equal. Consumers increasingly seek alternatives to condiment cornerstones high in sodi- um or high-fructose corn syrup, or that fail to meet their specific health and diet needs. Producers have responded directly by releasing products that meet individ- ual consumer needs, and some naturally healthy condiments need no alteration. Of course, a healthy condiment isn't necessarily the same item for everyone. "It's more complex than most people think," said Chrissy Weiss, a nutrition expert who serves as Director of Marketing and Communications at Culinary Collective. "We all are follow- ing different diets. Some have health issues, some are athletes, so it depends on someone's needs individually. ... Make sure the product falls in line with your own health goals." Those goals might include non-GMO products, gluten-free, no high-fructose corn syrup, low sugar, low sodium or vegan. There's a condiment for every con- sumer need. Annie's, Portland and Sir Kensington's ketchups do away with fillers like corn syrup and artificial col- ors, and the organic tomatoes they use contain more nutrients and antioxidants than their non-organic counterparts. The Not Ketchup brand adds a paleo-friendly option to the mix with its fruit ketchups, available in specialty flavors like Blueberry White Pepper and Tangerine Hatch Chile. The winner of the free-from badge contest might have to go to Primal Kitchen for its take on mayonnaise, made with avocado oil. This gluten-free, dairy- free, sugar-free, canola-free, non-GMO spread made with cage-free eggs is packed with healthy fats and is paleo- friendly. Hampton Creek's spread, Just Mayo, is also Non-GMO Project Verified, but brings mayo back to the vegan crowd by taking the eggs out entirely — in four specialty flavors, too. And consumers who want flavorful ribs without the sugar rush might try Dinosaur Bar-B-Que Sensuous Slathering Sauce. It's a gluten-free and all-natural take on the tangy-sweet stuff, with only 154mg of sodium and 5 grams of sugar per serving. It's not alone on the shelf, either. Tessemae's All Natural BBQ Sauce contains only 2 grams of sugar and 125mg of sodium. It's also gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan and paleo- friendly. "People are reading more ingredient labels these days to see if it's just sim- ple," said Weiss. "Used to be a long time ago, we wanted everything fat free." But these days, consumers know good fats are essential to a healthy diet, and can even lower cholesterol. Culinary Collective's gluten-free Matiz Catalan All I Oli Garlic Spread, made from sun- flower oil, garlic, lemon juice and salt, is high in good fats but dairy-free, low in sodium and sugar. Salsas, guacamole, hot sauces and low-sugar chutneys also make nutritious additions to healthy meals. "A lot of people believe traditional foods made from scratch, made from high-quality ingredients, can be helpful," said Weiss, adding that this attitude has been a given in the specialty food indus- try from the get-go. "We'll be part of the solution, not the problem.… There's a lot of products out there that are, honestly, just junk. They don't add anything to consumers' diets, and producers are start- ing to wake up to that. We'll definitely SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY OLIVE OIL COMPETITION WINNERS ANNOUNCED The Olive Press' Picual (Sonoma) and Coldani Olive Ranch's Calivirgin Bountiful Basil (Lodi) have been named the best of show winners in the 2nd Annual San Joaquin Valley Olive Oil Competition. The competition, open to all olive oil producers in the state of California with products made from their most recent olive harvest, received a total of 61 entries from 18 different olive oil producers from throughout the state. Entries were received in two class- es, extra virgin olive oils and flavored olive oil, with nine subcategories in total. Gold and silver medals were awarded, as well as an overall best of show selected for each of the two class- es. In total there were 39 EVOO and 22 flavored olive oil entries that were judged by a panel of seven judges from the California Olive Oil Council Taste Panel. The judging took place on March 8 in Pleasanton, California. Extra Virgin Oil Class Gold Medals Gold medals in the extra virgin oil class went to Enzo Olive Oil Company's Tyler Florence Test Kitchen EVOO (Clovis) and Rosenthal Olive Ranch's Arbosana (Madera), which both won in the category for Spanish blends. Gold medals for Spanish single variety oils went to Coldani Olive Ranch's Calivirgin Premium EVOO (Lodi), Calolea Olive Ranch's Calolea Mission (Marysville) and The Olive Press' Picual (Sonoma). Gold Medals for Italian Blends Gold medals for Italian blends went to Winter Creek Olive Oil's Winter Creek Olive Oil (Winter Creek), Winter Creek Olive Oil's Ruscello d'Inverno (Winter Creek), Coldani Olive Ranch's Lodi Olive Growers Blend (Lodi), The Olive Press' Italian Blend (Sonoma), Coppetti Olive Oil's Harvest Blend (Modesto), Bava Family Grove's Bava Monticelli Estate Napa Valley (Escalon), San Miguel Olive Farm's Tuscan Nectar of the Gods (San Miguel) and San Miguel Olive Farm's Tuscan Gold (San Miguel). Coldani Olive Ranch's Lodi Olive Oil Ascolano (Lodi) won the sole gold medal awarded for an Italian single variety oil, and Bozzano Olive Ranch's A2 (Stockton) won a gold medal for other blends. Gold Medals for Flavored Oils Gold medals for flavored oils went to The Olive Press' Lime (Sonoma) and The Olive Press' Limonata (Sonoma), which competed in the citrus-flavored category. Coldani Olive Ranch's Calivirgin Bountiful Basil (Lodi) won the gold medal for an herbal-flavored oil, and Coldani Olive Ranch's Calivirgin Jalapeno Garlic (Lodi) and Coldani Olive Ranch's Calivirgin Extreme Heat Serrano (Lodi) won gold medals for oils with other flavor- ings. Extra Virgin Oil Class Silver Medals Silver medals in the extra virgin olive oils class went to Fandango Olive Oil's Fiesta (Paso Robles), a Spanish blend; Italian blends, Frog Hollow Farm's Frog Hollow Farm Organic EVOO (Brentwood), Bozzano Olive Ranch's Toscana Organic (Stockton), San Miguel Olive Farm's Tuscan Pristine (San Miguel) and La Ferme Soleil's La Ferme Soleil (San Francisco); and other blends, Rancho Azul y Oro's Estate Blend (San Miguel) and Rosenthal Olive Ranch's Koroneiki (Madera). Among the single variety oils, The Olive Press' Arbosana (Sonoma), The Olive Press' Arbequina (Sonoma), The Olive Press' Sevillano (Sonoma), Fandango Olive Oil's Elegante (Paso Robles), Enzo Olive Oil Company's Delicate Ranch 11 (Clovis) and Coppetti Olive Oil's Fall Harvest (Modesto) won silver medals for Spanish single-variety oils; Coldani Olive Ranch's Lodi Olive Oil Frantoio EVOO (Lodi) and Alta Cresta Olive Oil's Alta Cresta Premium Coratina (Paso Robles) won silver medals for Italian single-variety oils, and Enzo Olive Oil Company's Bold Ranch 11 (Clovis) and The Olive Press' Mission EVOO (Sonoma) won silver medals for other sin- gle-variety oils. Silver Medals for Flavored Oils In the category for citrus-flavored oils, Olive Ranch's Meyer Lemon (Marysville), Coldani Olive Ranch's Calivirgin Lusty Lemon (Lodi), The Olive Press' Clementine (Sonoma) and Rancho Azul y Oro's Estate Blend Orange (San Miguel) were awarded silver medals. Coldani Olive Ranch's Calivirgin Rustic Rosemary (Lodi) and Coldani Olive Ranch's Calivirgin Oh! Oregano (Lodi) were awarded silver medals in the herb-flavored oils category, and The Olive Press' Jalapeno (Sonoma) and Coldani Olive Ranch's Calivirgin Hot Virgin Jalapeno (Lodi) were awarded silver medals for oils with other flavors. Planning is already underway for the 2017 SJVOOC, which will be held April 4. More information will be available on the organization's website in November. BISCOTTI YOU CAN ROLL WITH FROM THE BITES COMPANY By Lorrie Baumann It's a biscotti. But it's round. Like a cookie. Maybe it's a bookie? No, wait. That's a whole other thing. "I emphasize the fact that it's round, more like a cookie. That the big differenti- ating factor between our biscotti and oth- ers," says Dina Upton, Founder and Baker of The Bites Company. After many years of baking and serving biscotti to her friends, she started noticing that the women would often break them in half and then eat only half, leaving the rest on the plate. "I realized that they were not want- ing to eat something so large," she says. "People have gotten a lot more health-con- scious. It was wasteful." So, first she started making them smaller, and then she started making them round. The round biscotti still have the tex- ture and flavor that we expect from a bis- cotti, but you don't have to bite them on the side of your mouth to break off a bite- size piece, and, while they'll hold up to dunking, they don't have to be dunked to soften them first, Upton says. "When I made them round like a cookie, they were still crunchy, but they didn't have that den- sity. They're a little lighter.... The flavor comes through a lot more." The round biscotti also appeals more to children than the traditional shape, Upton has noticed. "When we changed the shape, the kids were more apt to try them," she says. "You can just grab it. It's much easier. They don't have to think about, what's that?" Biscotti from The Bites Company are made in three flavors: almond, lemon and chocolate. This year, Upton will start offer- ing an organic version. "I think that's going to be a game-changer," she says. "The ingredients are already very clean, but I feel like people are looking for more organic options in the processed food cate- gory." The organic ingredients – organic cage-free eggs, organic flour and organic sugar – for the line have already been sourced, new package designs are on the way, and Upton expects the new versions of the products to launch onto the market in June. "These ingredients are more expensive, but I'm working very hard on keeping the same price point," Upton says. "I don't want people to feel that because it's organic, they have to pay so much more." This year, Upton will also launch the lemon and chocolate flavors in single-serv- ing packages. The almond flavor launched earlier this year and has received great response, she says. A single serving, one ounce, is 10 cookies. The Bites Company biscotti are also low in sodium. "These are so flavorful and so satisfying – you only need to eat two or three, and you do feel that you've gotten some sweetness," she says. "You've gotten a treat, and you don't