European Union

Continued from PAGE 1 indications from their country can be incorporated into a dish But they also share their love and passion for the products they grew up with and which have made them so successful ”

From Belgium’s Jambon D’Ardenne (cured pork thighs) to Sweden’s Kalix Löjrom (caviar of Kalix), the 174-page book is packed with photos and delicious recipes

Scotland wasn’t happy with the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union, voting to remain in the EU when Great Britain wanted to leave But Scotland was well represented at the Winter Fancy Food Show with a couldn’t-miss-it-if-you-tried tartan-filled booth from Walker’s shortbread near the entrance to the show floor

Ken Lee of Lotus Foods couldn’t agree more, except with them, it’s rice, which also has been cultivated for thousands of years

Levine and Lee were signing copies of their new book, “Rice Is Life: Recipes and Stories Celebrating the World’s Most Essential Grain ” Levine and Lee are passionate about their openly shared process of producing rice that is not only better for the planet, but creates a better-for-the-body rice

The biggest change is not keeping the rice fields soaked When the rice fields are constantly flooded, it does reduce weeds, but it doesn’t allow carbon to permeate the field and enrich the soil

“From the beginning, we committed ourselves to fair trade and organic agriculture,” the couple wrote in the introduction to “Rice Is Life ” “This wasn’t just a niche for us We believe that agriculture must wean itself from inorganic fertilizers and toxic pesticides for the health of people and our planet We also believe that providing farmers with a sustainable livelihood is a moral imperative ”

Levine and Lee learned about the System of Rice Intensification that could help conser ve water, improve soil health, increase food security and mitigate climate change, which they discuss in detail in their book able in Walmart, but Chef Mike O also has a line of specialty jams for anyone who doesn’t shop at Walmart

As Chef Mike O says, many chefs love using bacon jam in their recipes, but it’s a time-consuming process So, he’s made it easy for chefs and home cooks to use bacon jam in their recipes, as a condiment or on a charcuterie board The line ranges from Classic Bacon Jam, Sweet Chili Bacon Jam, Black Peppercorn Bacon Jam and Honey

Habanero Bacon Jam Chef Mike O noted that he can’t be in the room when the habanero jam is being made because the steam carries a sting from the peppers tanesca Sauce and Pumpkin Marinara

She also has a line of spices: BBQ Dust, The Dill and Taco

Chef Michael Tashman was exhibiting his fabulous line of flavored butters, Churn The Truffle Butter flavor, a balance of truffle and high-quality butter, was impressive Chef Tashman is new to the CPG world, but he has plans to present more “chef for ward” products to the specialty food market He calls it “chef to table ” (He didn’t coin the term, but likes calling it that )

Chef Stephanie Izard, who was the first woman named “Top Chef” (season 4), has a new line of sauces, spices and add-ons developed out of her esteemed Chicago (and now Los Angeles) restaurant, This Little Goat When I walked up to her booth, she was stirring a pan of halved Brussels sprouts, bathed in her Asian sauce They looked good, but I’m not a Brussels sprouts fan Until now I do love Brussels sprouts now – Chef Izard’s Brussels sprouts! She adds her new Everything Crunch puffed rice toppers on them for the contrast in textures that she’s famous for

It’s always fun to see the new additions to familiar lines Our friends Susan and Gary Snow, founders of Tabletree Juice, are coming out with some innovative additions to their established line of scrumptious bottles of pure cherr y juice made from Flathead Lake, Mont , cherries Keep a lookout for Cherry Lemonade, Cherry Limeade and Cherry Pineapple They’re delicious!

This year marks the remarkable 125th anniversary of the company ’ s popular version of Scottish shortbread The company has come out with some new tins including, under a royal warrant, a tin commemorating the reign of Queen Elizabeth II

Plus, the company is unveiling new packaging and adding an apostrophe, Walker’s, to honor the founding family’s ownership and continued stewardship

Offering shortbread to guests is a longstanding Scottish tradition Here’s a tip: Warm them up a little before serving them; it brings out the butter y goodness of the cookies

Many exhibitors were eager to talk about regenerative farming as part of their brand’s mission I heard one succinct definition of regenerative farming from Michael D Ham, co-founder and president of Wild Orchard Tea

“Sustainability is equal to net zero, ” Ham said, “which is keeping ever ything the way it is ”

However, he noted, in terms of climate change, the effects are spiraling downward, so maintaining the status quo doesn’t do anything to alter that

“Regenerative farming,” he said, “is net positive, making everything better What we need to do is make things better ”

Net positive farming practices, he said, results in better, healthier food products, which equates to net positive health

As Ham noted, tea has been grown for 5,000-plus years But that doesn’t mean it has to be produced the way it was 5,000 years ago Caryl Levine &

The Fancy Food Shows draw their share of chefs, some who are well-known and others who are making themselves known for their products

Chef Mike Orachewsky (pronounced orah-CHEF-sky – really) is the creator of TBJ Gourmet and the BJ stands for Bacon Jam What’s not to like, right? Chef Mike O was a restaurateur with a catering business when a client left him stranded with 50 pounds of bacon His business partner suggested he make bacon jam So he did, and what he came up with was such a favorite with friends and family, he decided to launch the brand

The company ’ s classic Bacon Jam is avail-

Chef Mike O is a founding member of the Upcycled Food Association The bacon he uses in the jams are remnants from smoked pork belly slices “Rescued bacon,” he calls it

TBJ Gourmet is also coming out with a line of onion marmalades

Best-selling cookbook author and popular podcaster

Anna Vocino is the creator of Eat Happy Kitchen, which includes a line of high-end, no-sugar added, no gluten or GMOs, highquality pasta sauces As the founder of a fledgling food company, Vocino was thrilled to be at her second show (and second Fancy Food Show), because she knows the more networking she does, the more her sauces will get into the hands and kitchens of consumers and chefs

Vocino’s entertainment background (actor, comic, voiceover artist) no doubt helps her make connections in the specialty food industry After just a few minutes talking to her, you feel like you ’ ve been friends for years

It was her diagnosis of celiac disease in 2002 that led her on a journey to make gluten-, sugar- and grain-free versions of her favorite comfort foods Her aptly named Eat Happy Kitchen sauces include Marinara, Arrabiata, Pink Crema, Put-

Briannas, which is famous for its dressings, has marinades now Samples of the Roasted Garlic and Herb marinade on chicken were a big hit at the show Other marinades are Sriracha Honey Ginger, Classic Steak, Citrus Mediterranean and Smoked Chipotle and Lime There are also two new dressings, sugar-free Blush Wine Vinaigrette, Avocado Oil Caesar Dressing, Avocado Oil Classic Balsamic Vinaigrette, Avocado Oil Herb Vinaigrette, Avocado Oil Dair y-Free Garden Ranch and croutons: Honey Mustard, Parmesan and Fine Herbs and Poppy Seed

Our friends at The French Farm were excited to introduce an award-winning line of artisanal jams from Francis Miot from the southwest of France Not only that, but The French Farm has added to its own Epicurean line of products, jars of tasty spring and summer veggies such as Zucchini & Ramp Spread and some aiolis GN