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WORLD OF BAKING www.gourmetnews.com n OCTOBER 2016 n GOURMET NEWS W B 6 Taste the Cheesecake New York Loves Best Renowned New York bakery, Junior's Cheesecake and Desserts, is gaining traction in the retail marketplace after opening a 103,000 square foot baking facility in Burlington, New Jersey, that gave the com- pany the capacity to expand beyond supplying its own restaurants with cheesecakes that have been consistently voted New York's best. "We're really excited about the progress that Junior's has made in the past year. We have successfully transitioned our business from our Brooklyn facility to a state-of-the art facility in Burlington, New Jersey," said Alan Rosen, the company's third-generation Owner. "The best part is that we have more room to make our desserts the same way we have in Brooklyn for more than 65 years. I can proudly say that the recipe has not changed one ounce." New York has voted Junior's cheesecakes the best the city has to offer every year since the early 1970s, and Junior's is still using the same cheesecake recipe developed by Rosen's grandfather, Harry Rosen, who opened his first restaurant on election day in 1950 with the idea that if Junior's was going to be a great New York restaurant, it needed to serve great cheesecake. Junior's still operates four restaurants, soon to be five, as well as the bakery. Three are in New York City – one in Brooklyn, one in Times Square and one in Grand Central Termi- nal. The fourth is in Foxwoods, Connecticut, and there's one coming in Boca Raton, Florida. Junior's also has satellites in South Korea and in the Barclay's Center in Brooklyn. "Over the past year, we have found our- selves in both bakery sections and frozen sections, depending on the needs of the re- tailer. Wegmans, Kroger, Tops Friendly Mar- kets, ACME Markets, Stop & Shop – we are well represented in the New York market, in- cluding upstate," Rosen said. "We are grow- ing, but we still listen to the needs of our customers. In the past six months, we've gained retail distribution in over 1,500 stores, and we look forward to bringing to the whole country what New Yorkers have known forever – you haven't really lived until you've tasted cheesecake from Junior's." New for this year, Junior's Cheesecake is featuring its six- inch Apple Crumb Cheesecake, seasonal specialties, and of course, traditional New York cheesecakes in 10 varieties. In addition to cheesecakes, Ju- nior's Cheesecake and Desserts also offers layer cakes, loaf cakes, shortcakes and tiramisu as well as seasonal specialties for any sweet occasion. "We are a full line bak- ery," Rosen said. "We even customize items for special customers." Junior's Cheesecake and Desserts www.juniorscheesecake.com Bred With a Brooklyn Accent Is it any surprise that Brooklyn is one of the hottest baby names for this year? These days, Brooklyn is the name to be, the place to be, and for those with guts, the way to be. Dam- ascus Bakeries is all of the above. Since 1930, this third generation family- owned bakery has planted its roots in Brook- lyn and baked award-winning Middle Eastern pitas and flatbreads, first for its own community and now for many others. Like many proud parents, Damascus Bakeries has chosen the name "Brooklyn" as its newest baby: Brooklyn Bred ® Bistro Breads. "We've been 'Bred in Brooklyn since 1930,' so the new brand name Brooklyn Bred was a natural for us," said David Mafoud, Co-Owner and third-generation Baker. First in stores have been Brooklyn Bred Pizza Crusts: Traditional, made with spe- cialty "00" pizza flour; Ancient Grains, made with organic Khorasan flour; both varieties fermented naturally for an authentic flavor and texture. "Pizza is all about the bite, and in Brook- lyn, that could be the difference be- tween life and death. Okay, I'm ex- aggerating – a bit! But without exception, in Brooklyn, the success of every great pizza starts and fin- ishes with its crust," said Mafoud. Under the same Brooklyn Bred label, Damascus has recently intro- duced its Olive Oil & Sea Salt Bistro Sticks, a savory cornucopia of culinary and entertaining options, as well as its delicious 100 calories Country Potato Bistro Buns. In the next months, these Bistro Sticks and Bistro Buns will also be available in a Sprouted Multigrain variety. By year's end, under the Brooklyn Bred label, Damascus will also introduce a line of thinner, crisper Pizza Crusts as well as party size Bistro Sliders. Says Mafoud: "It's time to roll up our sleeves, go back to the very basics and start creat- ing fresh, outspoken and edgy Bistro Breds that will speak out to all – preferably with a Brooklyn accent!" Damascus Bakeries www.brooklynbred.com Feel Good About the Meat You Eat with A Touch of Dutch Jerky A Touch of Dutch™ jerky was born of a rich tradition of locally prepared meats distinc- tively flavored with wholesome, natural sea- sonings. With roots in Central Pennsylvania, the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch Country, its focus is on doing things the right way – even if that means it takes a little bit longer. That means it won't be first to market very often, but will always deliver quality that it feels good about putting its name on. Whether it brings back memories of homemade jerky from the family farm, or gives you a taste of natural goodness never experienced before, A Touch of Dutch beef jerky is a high-quality, flavorfully seasoned meat you'll remember. Choose from Origi- nal, Sweet Heat, Sweet BBQ or Cracked Pepper & Sea Salt varieties to find your favorite fla- vor. Generous por- tions are value priced, which means you get more snack-ability for your hard-earned dollar. The re-sealable packaging makes it easy to retain freshness while snacking throughout your day. A Touch of Dutch is a growing brand that aims to make a difference in the quality of products available to you, blending traditional flavors with innovative, health-conscious prepa- ration. It knows you care about what you eat, and want to buy foods made with the best ingredients available. Choose A Touch of Dutch jerky and feel good about the meat you eat! Dutch Valley Foods www.dutchvalleyfoods.com Non-GMO Roast Beef Added to McKenzie Natural Artisan Deli Line McKenzie, out of Burlington, Vermont, has launched a non-GMO American Angus Roast Beef as the first of a series of non- GMO offerings for its Natural Artisan Deli line. It is a goal of the brand to eliminate GMOs in all of its products that fall under this line, and this is the first step in the process. McKenzie received Non-GMO Project certification on both its beef and ham items and will be rolling out the hams in the next few months. The American Angus Roast beef is a choice top-round seasoned with salt, pepper and spices. This will add an 18th item to the full line of all-natural meat and cheese offerings. The line includes turkey breast, un- cured ham, cheese, chicken and roast beef. All items are crafted with natural ingredients like whole muscle meat, raw milk and pure Vermont maple syrup. When you choose McKenzie Natural Artisan Deli meat, that's just what you're getting. All-nat- ural deli meat. Not meat plus hor- mones, meat plus antibiotics or meat plus anything, but all-natural, locally sourced ingredients like pure Vermont maple syrup and premium spices bathed in a sig- nature blend of hardwood smoke. It's not just the tastiest way to do business; it's the only way it knows how. McKenzie believes when you make it right, it simply, honestly tastes better. You shouldn't have to sacrifice quality to eat healthier. McKenzie 888.685.2686 www.mckenziemeats.com Natural & Innovative Revolutionizing Food Industry Consumers are becoming more aware of what goes into their food. They are looking for products that not only fit into their lifestyles, but also tell a story. It is as es- sential to them as transparency and the list of ingredients. They are in line with a changing food system that looks at food as a whole, from the ingredients to the people producing them, and the impact our food choices have to the environment and our- selves. But they are not alone. Smaller food brands have emerged to meet this demand for better food choices and together are shap- ing the food industry. These brands are stay- ing ahead of the curve with product innovation at its core. When it comes to food, smaller brands are more trusting and relatable to this new generation of consumers. Element is ahead of the game with a reinvented snack – a rice or corn cake coated in different fla- vors. It sources high quality ingre- dients from small local farms in Italy and uses traditional recipes to create a natural and flavorful snack. The different flavors fit different taste pro- files, from Dark Chocolate to Sweet Vanilla Orange. There is something for everyone, and the most recent flavor is a fresh and unique addition to the family. Sweet Mint is a corn cake made with non-GMO, or- ganic Italian corn and a rich coating of fresh mint. What makes it so special is the ad- dition of chia seeds to the corn cake and a one of a kind mint flavor. It's the first of its kind in the rice cake category and not to be missed. Element www.elementsnacks.com

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