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NATURALLY HEALTHY www.gourmetnews.com n SEPTEMBER 2017 n GOURMET NEWS N H 1 0 2 La Marquesa Products Sourced, Branded by Seacrest Foods Seacrest Foods exclusive! All of the La Mar- quesa brand products from Spain are person- ally sourced and branded by Seacrest Foods International, Inc. The Fig Cake with Al- mond is hand-made by a small, family-run operation in Murcia, in the southeast of Spain. It has simple ingredients and clean flavors combined with a sharp looking pack- age that allows you see the product. These Fig Almond Cakes are made with premium whole Pajarero figs and Marcona almonds, and are available exclusively from Seacrest Foods in an 8x250 gram case pack. Also, it has recently launched a retail line of Mar- cona Almonds in a 12x4 ounce package available in Oil with Salt, Rosemary and Spicy Paprika. "We have met with many Spanish cheese- makers to build a mix of products that we feel will satisfy a variety of palates and ap- plications," said Shawn Hockert, Director of Sales at Seacrest Foods. "Quality and excel- lent flavor are consistent throughout our La Marquesa cheeses." Castellano is a cost-effective Manchego- style cheese made with 100 percent sheep's milk in La Mancha. Murcia Curado is an aged goat cheese soaked in wine. El Romeral is a rosemary encrusted Manchego-style cheese. Iberico is made with cow's milk, goat's milk and sheep's milk, creating a rich- ness and nuttiness with a piquant flavor. The young Mahon cheese is aged for three months, developing a greater depth of flavor than most young Mahon's you will find. While still mild and easy to eat, there is a hint of ro- bust flavor characteris- tic of washed-rind cheeses. "We are especially proud of our Mahon Curado," said Hockert. "It is aged for six months and packs an incredible amount of robust and savory flavor that is reminiscent of an 18 to 24 month aged gouda." Seacrest Foods has been operating under the same name and the same principles since 1982. With its unique combination of hard work and open communication throughout the supply chain, coupled with its strong and lasting relationships with vendors and cheesemakers, the company has become a preferred distributor in the industry. Its flexible attitude and responsiveness appeal to its customers and their unique needs. In addition to providing a wide array of imported arti- san products, the company prides itself on the promotion of local farms of New Eng- land and New York. Its expansive and unique product offerings reflect the diverse needs of its customers. The purchasing team searches continually to find quality foods that spe- cialty shops, chefs, caterers and fine grocery stores alike appreciate. For more information, email info@seacrest foods.com or go to www.seacrestfoods.com. SunTropics Launches Dairy Free Coconut Rice Puddings SunTropics has released a new dairy- and gluten-free coconut milk based pudding in four unique flavors: Original, Sea Salt Caramel, Cinnamon and Classic Cocoa. Each small batch of whole coconut milk, Thai rice and freshly shaved coconut is slowly simmered without the use of preser- vatives and poured into single serving cups. "According to recent studies, we see that healthy snacks, convenience foods and 'co- conut everything' are currently on trend in the food market," says SunTropics co- Founder, Sharon Lao. "In response, we de- cided to share one of our long-time family favorites from the islands – and it's just as good in snack sized cups!" With no refrigeration required, these pud- dings stand out as the only dairy-free option among other pudding snack cups. The indi- vidual portions are ready to eat and can be enjoyed chilled, at room temperature or heated in the mi- crowave for an ex- perience Lao describes as "fresh from the stove." The Lao family founded SunTropics in 2002 in response to the lack of natural tropical fruit products that originated from real fruit rather than artificial flavors. Coining the motto, "Taste More Fruit," they determined to create and share the true taste of the tropics by maintaining integrity in their ingredients. Today, the com- pany is a leading natu- ral tropical fruit juice and snack company on the West Coast. The SunTropics family is dedicated to fair treat- ment and to the com- munities from which its products derive. SunTropics Coconut Rice Puddings can be found through national distributors. For more information, go to www.sun tropics.net, email sales@suntropics.net or info@suntropics.net or call 888.323.7888. Morello Cherries, Caramelized Strawberry Star in Bissinger's New Chocolate Bars The two newest additions to Bissinger's sig- nature Chocolate Bar Collection – Tart Cherry & Cocoa Nib Crisp and Strawberry Caramel & Peanut – are the company's most spectacular confections yet. Crafted with Bissinger's proprietary cocoa blend, all chocolate bars in this collection are Rainfor- est Alliance Certified™, gluten free and con- tain no artificial flavors or colors. "These two new bars pair our rich, velvety dark chocolate with luscious fruit in exciting new ways," said Chief Chocolatier Dave Owens. The Tart Cherry Cocoa Nib Crisp is a perfect marriage of 75 percent dark choco- late, Morello cherries selected for their rich, complex flavor, and pure cocoa nibs to create a luxurious chocolate and fruit experience. A light sprinkle of puffed rice adds a deli- ciously subtle crispy-crunchy finish. The new Strawberry Caramel & Peanut is reminiscent of the classic flavors of a straw- berry ice cream sundae. Ripe California strawberries are delicately pureed in creamy caramel and enrobed in rich 60 percent dark chocolate. The light sprinkling of chopped, roasted peanuts adds another crunchy level to the tasting experience. Bissinger's signature European-style chocolate is classically crafted by Master Chocolatiers using the same technique and skills that have been handed down by generations of chocolatiers. Its proprietary cocoa blend, crafted with beans from the Côte d'Ivoire, yields a choco- late that's rich, velvety and never bitter. "We use the same formula for our base so every- thing tastes cohesive," Owens explains. "They taste like they belong in the same family." The other inspired flavors in this top-sell- ing 12-Bar Chocolate Collection include Co- conut Caramel, 75% Dark Chocolate, Coffee Toffee, Peanut Butter & Maple Oat Crunch, Banana Pecan Caramel, Dulce De Leche, 38% Milk Chocolate and 60% Chocolate With Almonds. When it comes to handcrafting chocolates and confections, Bissinger's has a 350-year history on its side. The family was awarded the title of "Confiseur Imperial" (Confec- tioner to the King) from France's King Louis XIV in the 1600s. But Bissinger's is not one to rest on its lau- rels. The company's innovative con- fections and award-winning chocolate has been featured on Oprah, the Food Network and is a celebrity fan favorite. They can be found in grocery and specialty retailers across the country, including Whole Foods Market and Central Market, and Starbucks as well as department stores such as Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdales and Lord & Taylor. San Francisco Salt Company Offers Innovative Way to Save Pantry Space San Francisco Salt Company innovates a packaging system for stackable gourmet sea salts that provides never-before experienced convenience to consumers and retailers alike. The inventive stackables interlock for easy storage. Consumers can store gourmet sea salts with easy visibility, in a way that saves space in their pantry. At the same time, retailers can provide their customers with a wide variety of salts that take up minimal space on the shelf. The affordabil- ity of stackables make them a top choice for both consumers and retailers. The beau- tiful branding reflects San Francisco's her- itage and has been designed to look eye-catching. "When brainstorming a new packaging concept, our focus was to create an experi- ence that is functional and easy to use," ex- plains Lee Williamson, President and Chief Executive Officer of San Francisco Salt Company. "People are becoming more ad- venturous in the kitchen and are looking for ways to add flavor to their daily meals. After experimenting with different ideas, we found a way to provide consumers with more flavor options in a space-saving way." While consumers are craving gourmet meals, they are simultaneously shifting to- ward a healthier lifestyle. In the past, con- sumers have focused on price, taste and convenience when grocery shopping. Now, con- sumers are seeking high qual- ity ingredients that are good for their health. They are de- manding natural ingredients that add flavor without the ad- ditional calories. "The healthy lifestyle trend is starting to spread nationwide and we are so excited to be a part of this movement," says Williamson. Salt is a common kitchen ingredient across America and has recently gained much pop- ularity as a stand-alone product. In response to the healthy lifestyle shift, food companies are "going clean" by replacing regular salt in their ingredients with sea salt. Retailers are also following the trend and beginning to offer more varieties of natural sea salts in the aisle. San Francisco Salt Company is a leading importer of sea salts from around the world. After providing con- sumers with unprocessed gourmet salts for 15 years, the company has positioned itself to be- come a go-to salt company. San Francisco Salt Company imports raw sea salts from their natural origins, including the local Pa- cific coast, French Riviera, Mediterranean Sea and more. With the continuous support of the healthy lifestyle community, San Fran- cisco Salt Company is constantly expanding its product line. For more information, go to www.sfsalt.com or call 800.480.4540 to place wholesale orders.

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