Oser Communications Group

In Asiago, Italy, the Rigoni family has been keeping the long-standing traditions of or- ganic honey and fruit spread production alive for decades. Now, it has perfected a recipe for Nocciolata (pronounced no-cho- lata), a healthier, higher-quality, better-tast- ing chocolate-hazelnut spread. Made with organic ingredients com- pletely free of GMOs, preservatives, col- ors, additives or artificial sweeteners, Rigoni di Asiago's Nocciolata combines top quality hazelnuts, fair trade cocoa and cocoa butter, natural Bourbon Vanilla ex- tract, raw cane sugar and skimmed milk for a chocolate-hazelnut spread with su- perior flavor and smooth, creamy texture. Unlike other brands, which use palm oil, Nocciolata is made with environmentally- responsible cold-pressed sunflower oil. It also contains far less sugar than other brands and is free from hydrogenated fats. Each batch takes a slow and gentle arti- sanal preparation to develop its rich and complex flavor and easy-to-spread tex- ture. Nocciolata is perfect for snacking as well as for use as a breakfast spread or an alternative to other nut butters on breads, croissants, crepes and fruit. Nocciolata Dairy Free has the same quality of Nocciolata, but is completely free of milk. This new recipe has a deep chocolate flavor and is balanced by a generous amount of hazelnuts. Nocciolata Dairy Free is a 2017 sofi Award winner for Best New Product in the Nut Butter/Seed Butter category. "In the 1960s, every child in Asiago dreamed of buying the finest and most deli- cious chocolate from our village pastry chef local store," recalls Rigoni di Asiago Chief Ex- ecutive Officer and President Andrea Rigoni. "The memory of this artisanal treat inspired us at Rigoni di Asiago to perfect a classic in- dulgent chocolate-hazelnut spread." Nocciolata and Nocciolata Dairy Free are available in stores nationwide in a 270g (9.52-ounce) glass jar. Rigoni di Asiago 305.470.7583 www.rigonidiasiago-usa.com GOURMET NEWS JULY 2017 www.gourmetnews.com HOLIDAY UPDATE 1 8 Many of these products originated in the kitchen of Chief Chocolatier Owens, who's been Bissinger's Vice President of Taste for nine years coming to Bissinger's after a 30-year career in the restaurant business. His assignment at Bissinger's includes new product development, and in that role, it's his responsibility to ensure that the legacy brought by the company's 350 years of history is maintained as the product line also evolves to appeal to changing tastes. Doing that isn't about re- sponding to trends, Owens said: "We try to be in front of our consumers to know what they want before they want it." Like the days when Owens was devel- oping a new dish to serve in his restaurant, a new Bissinger's candy starts with a con- cept. Owens rolls that thought around in his mind until he can taste it, and then he goes into his lab to work on it. In the case of the Caramelized Blood Orange bar, it was the rosemary that got added into the recipe in the course of that work. Its herba- ceous note adds a complexity to the bar that Owens really likes and that he thinks will resonate with consumers on the hunt for a new flavor sensation. Though the other flavors change with the times, and many of them come and go in the product line, there's one flavor that doesn't change, and that's the Bissinger's chocolate. All of the chocolate that Bissinger's uses is made in Europe – it all comes from one liquor, so that the milk chocolate and the different dark choco- lates have common flavor notes. "It's all cohesive," Owens said. "That's why we have customers for life.... We meet cus- tomers in their 80s who tell us they've been eating it since they were a small child. They can tell me more about the company than even I know." Bissinger's www.bissingers.com By Lorrie Baumann Bissinger's debuted two new flavors of the company's Gummy Pandas at the Winter Fancy Food Show. Strawberry Mango and Tart Cherry & Lime join a line-up that al- ready included Blueberry Acai, Pink Grapefruit with Grapeseed, Pomegranate White Tea, Raspberry Yumberry and Blackberry Hibiscus Gummy Pandas. "They're well-liked by children, but they're sophisticated enough for adults," said Dave Owens, Bissinger's Chief Chocolatier and Vice President of Taste. "They have a true-to-nature taste." Like the other flavors in the line, the new Gummy Pandas are gluten free, dairy free and contain no high fructose corn syrup. They're packaged in a 3-ounce pouch that retails for $4.99. Bissinger's also debuted its Caramelized Blood Orange bar, which is 60 percent dark chocolate. Made with a blood orange-rosemary caramel with hazelnuts and cocoa nibs, the 3-ounce bar retails for $4.99. The bar is gluten free, and the early reviews are enthusiastic. There are 10 bars in the line, including Coconut Caramel and Honey Pepita Caramel, which has roasted salted pepitas on the back of the bar, lots of honey taste and guajillo chili for a whisper of spice. Bissinger's Chocolate-Covered Wine Grapes are made from Muscat grapes that have dried into raisins on the vine. They're infused with Shiraz wine and then enrobed in 60 percent dark chocolate. This is not a new product, but the packaging has been updated. They come in a 3.5-ounce pouch that retails for $5.99 as well as an 8-ounce gift box that retails for $14.99. New Confection Creations from Bissinger's Busha Browne's Original Hot Pepper Jelly Busha Browne's Original Hot Pepper Jelly is the traditional spicy-sweet condi- ment based on Jamaica's world famous hot and flavorful Scotch Bonnet Pepper. Busha Browne's Pepper Jelly is the per- fect accompaniment for cheeses and meats (hot or cold), and excels when mixed with cream cheese for canapes or used as a spread or a dip. It also makes a superb glaze for meats and vegetables. Busha Browne's – fresh ingredients, arti- san quality – Jamaican tradition preserved! Available in the U.S. through Source Atlantique. Source Atlantique 201.947.1000 www.sourceatlantique.com Nocciolata and Nocciolata Dairy Free from Rigoni di Asiago

• Cover