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GOURMET NEWS www.gourmetnews.com n JANUARY 2017 n GOURMET NEWS 1 0 4 A Grain-Free Food Company That Will Make You Feel Good About Snacking Again Kitchun™ Grain Free Food Co. may be new on the block, but is no novice to producing delicious grain free snack foods. It is co- owned by two LeCordon Bleu Pastry Chefs and friends that have been business partners for 10 years producing delicious confec- tionary treats. The two launched Kitchun in 2015 with a vision to inspire people to join the healthy snacking movement by pushing the bound- aries and notions of what healthy snacking is. Whether customers have dietary restric- tions, or are just looking to eat clean, its products are made for them. The brand is redefining the way we think about snacking. It made its first appearance of clean and conscious eating with its debut product, a paleo-certified, soy-free, dairy- free, Non-GMO Project Verified No-Grain- Ola ® , as a response to the granola craze. No-Grain-Ola is a combination of raw nuts, fruits, nutritious seeds and bold spices lightly sweetened with natural unrefined sugars. The creatively titled line consists of When Honey Met Maple, You're the Apple of My Chai, Holy-Coco-Cacao!, Yes You PeCan, Pumpkin and Wake Me Up Before You Coco! Each with its own unique flavor, mak- ing it difficult to pick a favorite. The unconventional, uncom- promised, ungrained brand of snack foods have evolved with a promise from the owners to "remain UN-, to never compro- mise our ingredients or taste." Second in Kitchun's line-up is a paleo and vegan cookie mix (also Non-GMO Project Verified, and soy and dairy free) that are un- detectably healthy, undeniably delicious and ridiculously simple to make. The Batch, Please!™ Cookie Mixes require just a 1/4 cup coconut oil and a 1/4 cup water per batch and only 15 minutes in the oven. Choose from a clever variety of flavors: Cocoa, You Didn't!, Jane Ain't So Plain, Chia Seed Knock You Out! and Show Me You Caramel, all of which utilize organic coconut sugar and naturally derived grain-free flours to give you the cleanest cookies in the game. Its latest venture breaks right through "basic snacking philos- ophy." Kitchun believes snacks can transcend lame conventions, like Behold Reincarne™ – an enlightening mix of good-for-you ingredients put together by the wise chefs at Kitchun. But the twist? It's made with jerky! So We Meat Again, the first Reincarne blend, is anchored by a custom, premium, grass-fed beef jerky for an extra boost of protein and healthy fat. No-Grain-Ola is available in five varieties and two sizes (10-ounce and two-ounce). Batch, Please! is available in four mixes. Reincarne is currently available in one size and variety. For more information, visit www .thekitchun.com. Blissful Baking Adventure Cookies: Gluten-Free & Full of Fun Blissful Baking Adventure Cookies are scrumptious cookies free from gluten, lac- tose and artificial additives. The Blissful Baking brand was founded in 2016 by parent company Bahlsen, based in Hannover, Ger- many, with over 125 years of expertise in making quality cookies of all varieties. The U.S. division, Bahlsen North America Inc., is headquartered in East Hanover, New Jer- sey. Since 1889, Bahlsen has had a tradition of quality ingredients and attention to detail that shines through in both taste and texture and is the "DNA" of every single cookie that it creates. Bahlsen, as Blissful Baking, is intro- ducing the better-for-you Adventure Cookies product line. These cookies are produced at LaViva Bakery in Peine, Germany, a dedi- cated gluten-free facility. Families who are avoiding gluten or lactose in their diet can let their children enjoy these cookies with the utmost confidence, so join the adventure today! Blissful Baking cookies come in 24 differ- ent playful shapes and three deli- cious flavors: Outer Space (Chocolate), Ocean Friends (Vanilla) and Magical Creatures (Sweet Cinnamon). Gluten-free and Non-GMO Project Verified, they contain only natural ingredi- ents with a taste and texture that rivals conventional cookies. Through the fun, unique shapes and the craftsmanship, at- tention to detail and superior quality Blissful Baking creates, customers and consumers both are sure to be delighted. The Blissful Baking product line shows that there is no need to compromise on taste, texture or fun in order to enjoy and share great tasting 'free-from' cookies. Retailers both large and small that cater to consumers seeking products for those with dietary restrictions will be well-served to carry Blissful Baking's Adventure Cookie product line. They are the only better-for- you cookie in the marketplace offer- ing 24 unique shapes that are both GFCO and Non-GMO Project Certified. Blissful Baking brings back excitement for children and ease for parents by providing children with gluten and lactose intolerances delicious treats that are both better for their health and fun to eat. For more information, visit www.blissful baking.com. Hebert: 99 Sweet Years In 1917, Frederick Hebert purchased a cop- per kettle, knife, table, thermometer and a slab of marble for the meager sum of $11 (approximately $210 today). Over the next three decades, Hebert tirelessly handcrafted chocolates and caramels in his own kitchen, selling his creations through small neighborhood stores in central Massachu- setts. As demand for the rich flavor and velvety smooth texture of Hebert's choco- lates grew rapidly throughout the region, Hebert looked to expand. In 1946, Hebert purchased a Tudor Style mansion on Route 20 in Shrewsbury. The building, affectionately known as the Candy Mansion, became the first roadside retail confectionary operation in the United States and is still home to all Hebert operations today. Always seeking the finest ingredients to perfect his recipes, Hebert introduced white chocolate to the United States in 1956 after tasting "white coat" candies while in Europe. White chocolate became a mainstay in America as a result of Hebert's discovery. Throughout the second half of the century, the Hebert name became a New England regional favorite for men and women, and boys and girls alike. The Hebert experience is universal: everyone can enjoy great chocolates. In 2012, Hebert merged with American Gourmet Group, a company that specializes in gourmet gifts for major retailers across the United States. The company understands presentation and packaging makes a huge difference with consumers. Together, they offer a variety of customizable chocolate packaging and gift options. Continuously striving for excellence, Hebert's Pre- mium American Made, Kosher Certified chocolate bars received the presti- gious SQF Level 3 certifi- cation in 2015. This is the highest certification given by the Safe Quality Food Institute. From humble beginnings to New England staple, and now growing to a national brand, Hebert is still committed to the same passion for handcrafted excellence that Frederick Hebert introduced nearly a century ago. Aunt Sally's Pralines: Rich Treat, Richer History Generally, as things are replicated, they lose value. They lose the relationship to their namesake. However, sometimes in replica- tion a certain magic happens, a magic that changes the meaning of the word entirely. The New Orleans praline was one of these magical mutations. Like life springing from the primordial soup, the rich New Orleans praline is now the universally loved and be- holden confection of Louisiana, and Aunt Sally's Pralines does them best. The traditional, proto-praline was created in the early 18th century for a French Mar- shal and Diplomat, Cesar du Plessis-Praslin (pronounced prah-lin) by his chef, Clement Lassagne. Lassagne concocted the treat by melting sugar over an almond, and named it after Praslin. When merchants and business- men traveled on old sailing vessels, they would often find whole new worlds of foods and delicacies. This was certainly the case when a New Orleanian brought back one of these sugar-coated almonds from Paris soon after its creation. Intending to replicate the French treat, his plantation chef substituted a handful of Louisiana pecans and sugar cane syrup, and gave birth to the saccharine bliss that we now know and love. This treat came to play a pivotal role in the 19th century as many black women in New Orleans with little to no economic opportu- nities would make and sell pralines on the street to support their fami- lies. This movement simul- taneously gave pralines a definitive fame while also giving them a very impor- tant face. This is the exact face that founders Diane and Pierre Bagur honor with Aunt Sally's Pralines. Aunt Sally's Pralines began in 1935, when Diane and Pierre opened a small shop in the New Orleans French Quarter where they and their four children would all work together to make and sell their confections to passersby. In just a few generations, Aunt Sally's Pralines became a multi-million-dol- lar business known all across the country and the globe as the one place to get a genuine New Orleans Praline. From the four generations of family his- tory to the delicate ritualization and adher- ence to the original recipe, Aunt Sally's world-famous pralines are as good as they get. Each praline is made from local Louisiana ingredients and hand- poured from a copper pot into distinctly unique shapes. This may be why every bite feels like it is right out of your family's kitchen, taking you back to the three-feet-tall days when you had no worries, the smell of home cooking and absolute comfort. With its expansion, Aunt Sally's Pralines now makes tweaked versions of the classic recipe, selling creamy and chewy versions of the candy, and the more adventurous "Ba- nanas Foster" and "Cafe au Lait" varieties. For more information, call 800.642.7257, go to www.auntsallys.com or email service@auntsallys.com.

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