Oser Communications Group

GOURMET NEWS www.gourmetnews.com n JANUARY 2017 n GOURMET NEWS 2 8 Fresh EVOO Flavor – a Measure of High Nutritional Value and Health Rich in antioxidants and supportive of car- diovascular health, extra virgin olive oil has long been known to be one of the healthiest oils for culinary use. American consumption of EVOO increases year after year based on this fact. But not all EVOO is created equal. Award-winning Bellucci Extra Virgin Olive Oil is decidedly a nutritional stand-out. Flavor and freshness are the greatest all- around indicators of nutritional value. Fruity, bitter and spicy notes, along with other aro- matic hints, are always present at their max- imum range of expression when EVOO is fresh and nutritionally rich. Since both flavor and health-giving properties subside over time, consuming the oil when fresh is key. This is why Bellucci prioritizes freshness in all facets of its production, and why every Bellucci bottle arrives fresh from Italy, with the harvest date featured on the front label, to reach shoppers when flavor, antioxidants and polyphenols are at their peak. In turn, Bellucci is regularly winning awards at tast- ing competitions for its aroma and nuanced profiles. The influence of cultivars on nutritional value and flavor can be significant. The coratina, for example, is especially rich in protective micronutrients. In Bellucci's 100% Italian, the coratina's polyphenols make their presence known on the palate through a hint of bitterness and a spicy tickle at the back of the throat. While other cultivars typically impart this quality to a lesser degree, the coratina is sure to give a big peppery kick – though, again, only if the oil is fresh. An older bottle of EVOO, regardless of the cultivars, will be lacking in nutrients and entirely devoid of spice. With robust, nuanced flavor serving as a reliable indicator of nutritional quality, con- sumers can learn to rely on their palates in selecting an outstanding oil; they simply need to know what characteristics to taste for. Bellucci is committed to imparting the skills that consumers need. The Bellucci App, which traces any bottle to its origin in rural Italy, and the company website each offer detailed tasting instruc- tions and a wealth of educational in- formation. The design of Bellucci's packag- ing does a superior job of protecting the flavor and healthful properties of fresh EVOO. Fitted with an easy- pour spout that prevents the oil from exposure to air, Bellucci's iconic bottle prevents oxidation while its dark glass shields against damage caused by light. New On-the-Go EVOO squeeze packs similarly maintain freshness and come in convenient single servings that are ideal for people with active lifestyles, for the nutrition conscious and those who are either daily or occasional consumers of EVOO. Visit Bellucci at booth #1652. For more in- formation, go to www.belluccipremium.com. Just Jan's Receives Silver sofi for Original Tangerine Sriracha By Kris Mason, Director of Brand Innova- tion, Just Jan's 2016 was an exciting year for Just Jan's. We introduced two new products and won our first major food award. The path to this award began in 2015, when I got in the kitchen and combined Jan's Tangerine Mar- malade with sriracha. This combination alone would have made a great sauce, but I took it one step further and made my own sriracha from scratch. Once the formulation was done and we were ready to go into production, we hit a hurdle; there were no red jalapeños available. As it turns out, many jalapeño peppers are harvested green before they reach maturity and turn red. A special crop was ordered and grown expressly for use in this sauce. In the end, it was worth the wait. The result is a sriracha with the tangy sweetness of tanger- ine, matched with brightness of vinegar, the savory flavor of gar- lic, the heat of red jalapeños and a smooth finish with a hint of co- riander. We brought a pilot batch with us to the Winter Fancy Food show. It wasn't the per- fect version we were looking for, but it was good enough to garner some very strong, positive reactions from everyone who tasted it. With that in mind, we felt really good about entering it for a sofi. We received notice that the Origi- nal Tangerine Sriracha was a final- ist in the 2016 Best New Product Category. Jan and I could not have been more excited and thrilled to receive this recognition. We really strive to make the best tasting, highest quality products that we can, so recognition like this has meant the world to us. We cannot wait to continue experimenting and creat- ing new flavors. Visit Just Jan's at booth #1377. Vintage Italia Introduces Pasta Bow Ties Pasta Bow Ties are the first line extension by Vintage Italia following the remarkable suc- cess of its sister product, Pasta Chips. Pasta Bow Ties are bite sized, oven baked, crunchy and GMO-free pasta snacks – and even bet- ter, they taste as good as they look. Bow Ties are available in four flavors, including Creamy Ranch, Honey Butter, Meatball Parm and Smooth Cheddar. Bow Ties are sold in 5-ounce, 1.5-ounce and .75-ounce packages. A larger, 16-ounce bag of the Meatball Parm flavor hit Sam's Club's shelves the past fall. Bow Ties hit snack aisles this fall, and are just one of many innovations from Vintage Italia. Bow Ties will be available for pur- chase at Sam's Club Southern Region, Costco Midwest, Albertson's, Ahold, Wal- Mart and Kroger. "Bow Ties are the first puffed, crunchy pasta snack – we've been lauded by our peers for this innovation and we can't wait to launch this product in July," said Vintage Italia Founder and Chief Executive Officer Jerry Bello. Pasta Chips and Bow Ties are the brain- child of Bello, whose discov- ery of fresh pasta dough lightly baked then topped with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt during a trip to the Tuscan Country- side of Italy inspired him to recreate the dish into a crunchy snack for health-conscious consumers the world over. Pasta Chips, the low-calorie, low-fat, low- cholesterol chip is single-handedly putting pasta back on the map as a baked pasta snack. Pasta Chips are very light and crispy and have just 120 calories per serving, 60 percent less fat than regular potato chips and 20 percent less fat than the leading pita chips, and are kosher and GMO-free. The snack, available in signature original, as well as eight other tan- talizing flavors including Mari- nara, Alfredo, Spicy Tomato Basil, Garlic Olive Oil, Veg- gie, Red Veggie, Rosemary and Mediter- ranean Sea Salt, utilizes the semolina flour, ancient grains and Italian herbs that were cel- ebrated more than 800 years ago. Pasta Chips are available in-store at Safe- way, Albertson's, Publix, Kroger and other re- tailers nationwide and at www.pastachips.com. Visit Vintage Italia at booth #1750. For more information, go to www.pastachips.com or call Chris Orland at 407.455.1772. The Sprouting Bud of Indonesian Specialty Tea In the realm of tea and coffee, Indonesian tea is still on the heels of Indonesian coffee in brand recognition. In the last few decades, Indonesia has established its coffee industry where connoisseurs all over the world seek out Mandheling from Sumatra and Toraja from Sulawesi. Java is even used as a syn- onymous word for coffee, much as Xerox is used for photocopying. At the same time, In- donesian tea remains relatively unknown. Tea was first introduced in Indonesia in the 1600s, and first commercially planted in the 1800s. Over the years, tea cultivation spread across the archipelago and grew to more than 200 thousand hectares just before World War II. Many plantations were de- stroyed during the occupation period, yet today, Indonesia remains one of the top 10 largest tea producing countries together with China, India, Kenya, Sri Lanka and Vietnam. Due to the tea drinking culture in Indone- sia, where tea is often considered as a pedes- trian thirst reliever, most of the teas produced in Indonesia are used for the production of ready to drink teas, instant tea powder and tea flavored drinks for general consumption. In the past decade, Harendong Organic Tea Estate, one of the pioneers in organic, specialty tea plantations in Indonesia envi- sioned raising awareness of Indonesian tea in the national and international market. Backed by internationally recognized or- ganic certification, the premium quality, hand-picked single estate organic loose leaf tea from Harendong Or- ganic Tea Estate has slowly caught the atten- tion of major tea busi- ness and distributors in Europe, the U.S. and parts of Asia. In the last few years, Haren- dong Organic Tea Estate also introduced its premium Arum Tea line to the market. According to data published by Tea Asso- ciation of the USA, Inc., the U.S. is currently emerging as the second largest tea importer in the world, importing an estimated retail value of $10.8 billion of tea in 2014. Indone- sia Trade Promotion Center Los Angeles (ITPC LA) is continuously pursuing oppor- tunities to introduce and educate the U.S. market about remarkable Indonesian tea through food and beverage events and con- ventions. About Indonesia Trade Promotion Center Los Angeles (ITPC LA) Indonesia Trade Promotion Center Los Angeles (ITPC LA) is an Indonesian govern- ment trade development agency with a mission to ad- vance Indonesia's international trade by edu- cating and promoting remarkable Indonesia products to the U.S. market. Led by its knowl- edgeable, devoted and passionate directors and staff members, ITPC LA tirelessly works with both Indonesian and U.S. businesses to bridge and facilitate the establishment of long- term trade relationships. ITPC LA is continu- ally building its cache of marketing opportunities to create a larger presence and brand awareness of remarkable Indonesia in trade shows and promotional events. For more information, visit booth #3339.

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