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Fancy Food Show 2024 Ethnic Trends

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The Specialty Food Association’s 2024 Winter Fancy Food Show

(Roberta Deen with Gerry Furth-Sides) The Specialty Food Association’s 2024 Winter Fancy Food Show is famous for showcasing thousands of artisanal products from more than 1,200 domestic and global specialty food and beverage makers and manufacturers.  It is considered the show for predicting trends in the $194 billion specialty food industry.

For example, “Global flavors and upscaling the everyday while paying attention to sustainability and the environment is key to this year,” reports SFA President Bill Lynch. “The variety of options ranging from soup to cell-based meat and seafood to peach.” 

Eight trends the FFS Trendspotter Panel anticipates for 2024:

Beverages are in the spotlight, booming with sophisticated, as natural as possible, single-serve, non-alcoholic fizzy and non-fizzy drinks. So are coffees, teas, and broths with functional ingredients for an additional boost of energy, clarity, focus, or calming effect,” adds Trendspotter Kanta Selke.

Cell-based meat and seafood continue to gain popularity due to their sustainable and ethical production methods, along with familiar taste experiences to consumers,” Trendspotter Patsy Ramirez-Arroyo notes. “We may see the world’s first cultured burger and a focus on seafood products.”  

 Peach as “a flavor of the year” is being reevaluated and reinvented in fancy classic and new variations that rival the chili peppers 2023 trend.   New interpretations include condiments and candies.

Peach is the fruit of the year with specialty items at the 2024 Winter Fancy Food Show

Calabrian chili peppers. “Chiles continue to trend, cresting most recently on Sriracha and Gochujang. New products include hot honey and cured meats” according to Trendspotter Stan Sagner.

Tahini, the Middle Eastern specialty, is being paired or sometimes blended in mainstream foods and beverages, such as milk shakes and coffees,” reports Trendspotters Mikel Cirkus and Hanna Rogers.  Tahini (and the trending mushroom) stars In a brand new cutting-edge cookbook, THE POWER FIVE.

Dr. Michael Crupain uses the 2024 Fancy Food Show‘s trending lion’s mane mushrooms, tahini.

Soup. Soup recipes on TikTok are so popular the segment has been dubbed SoupTok, and continue to be a top seller, says Trendspotter Jenn de La Vega. 

Black Sesame, ube, and milk tea are following the path of now mainstream matcha in new and unexpected formats. Milk-tea–filled donut and bright purple ube hot chocolate from Bear Donut in the Penn District of NYC, are standout examples, as are salty and sweet snacks like Tochi’s Black Milk Tea Popcorn, which also contains the black sesame, “the one to watch.” 

Value and convenience are key as consumers watch their finances. “The emphasis is on more versatile uses and longer shelf life,” notes Trendspotter Melanie Bartelme. “Consumers are also looking for portable, healthy products.”

CONTINUING TRENDS: Global flavor exploration translates into new flavors and cultural dishes with more small producers around the world. “Add a continued increase heritage tradition food, and shared family recipes rich in flavors and stories,” Trendspotter V. Sheree Williams point out, “including more obscure regional ones.”  Watch for African flavors and ingredients. 

Fancy Crown Melons from Melissa’s Worldwide Produce, known as a Japanese hostess gift, an international heritage food at the Fancy Food Show 2024
A 2024 Fancy Food Show “elevated classics trend at Melissa’s Worldwide Produce: Fancy, high-end PINKGLOW pineapples, tree-ripened mangoes from Peru
Melissa’s Worldwide Produce Marketing Director, Robert Schueller, with trending heritage, international, elevated fruits: wildly popular Tasmanian Cherries (photo by Roberta Deen)

Upscaling the everyday with ingredients like high-end truffle salts, finishing oils, spice blends, and cultured butters elevate simple dinners at home to restaurant-style flavorful indulgences, notes Trendspotter Jonathan Deutsch. One example is charcuterie boards, adds Ramirez-Arroyo, pointing out its shared merits of community dining and originality.

Matching a 2024 Fancy Food Show consumer trend, charcuterie boards, are cheese knives in the new Everyday Entertaining Cookbook

Environmental and Sustainability impact. Environmental impact, sustainability, carbon footprint, and food waste concerns continue to be on the minds of a growing number of consumers. “Regenerative, upcycled, and sustainably packaged are not just buzzwords but keywords in consumers’ quests to eat well while doing good,” explains Deutsch. “Expect more focus on regenerative agriculture as those in food industries “focus on solutions to combat climate change,” adds Williams. 

Mushrooms are on the trending list for taste, mushrooms for texture, mushrooms for health benefits and in every food and beverage, especially really fancy ones like “Lion’s Mane” and the now more affordable portobello.

Mushrooms trend at the 2024 Fancy Food Show, such as Lion’s Mane Mushrooms, as rich as they look!

The not-for-profit Specialty Food Association (SFA) is the leading membership trade association and source of information about the $194 billion specialty food industry. Founded in 1952 in New York City, the SFA prides itself on being an organization by the members and for the members, representing thousands of specialty food makers and manufacturers, importers, retailers, buyers, distributors, brokers, plus more, in the trade. 

The SFA owns and operates the Fancy Food Shows—which are the largest specialty food industry events in North America—as well as the sofi™ Awards—which have honored excellence in specialty food and beverage annually since 1972. 

Professionals from diverse segments of the culinary world comprise the SFA’s Trendspotter Panel. Please see the website for details.

Botticelli Italian Tomato Pasta Sauces

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(Gerry Furth-Sides) You can taste the difference in Botticelli Pasta Sauces from the first spoonful. You understand why the term “premium” is used for the ingredients entirely sourced from Italy and made up in small batches. We opened the Spicy Vodka first, and then tried it on everything we could (see below). //botticellifoods.com/

A rich Sicilian selection of Botticelli products

Family owned and operated since 2002, the company roots run deep in Italy, the company goes back four generations to the island of Sicily. Ancestors there were local farmers and grocers dedicated to the art of Italian food.

Botticelli is the the only Italian specialties importer and supplier offering a range of premium products grown, packed, and produced in Italy. Their line includes sauces, olive oils, balsamics, pastas and specialty foods. 

Tomatoes in Botticelli are heirloom from Italy

First, you can taste the fresh tomato and basil in every bite. Perfect to go with Celestino Drago pasta. The Drago family is from Sicily.

The Drago restaurant family and the Botticelli company owners are from the island of Sicily.

For decades I never bought tomatoes after not unhappily giving them up for a non-acidic diet. Then Marino Ristorante Chef, Sal Marino, put one on a plate, insisting on dotting it with salt, and I fell in love. From then until now it was farmers market, Melissa’s when available or nothing. Until we discovered Botticelli sauces.

Advising homemade pasta under your hand or a shop for Botticelli sauces
Luscious Botticelli Tomato, Porcini Mushrooms & Truffle Premium Sauce even sounds wonderful!

Botticelli Tomato and Basil sauce on ruffled fettuccine called curly pappardelle or ‘pappardelle ricci‘.
Botticelli, perfect for Shakshouka!
Botticelli Roasted Garlic Pasta Sauce is perfect for Shakshouka
Spaghetti dressed in Botticelli tomato, Porcin, Mushrooms & Truffle Sauce
Sumptuous, rustic Botticelli Truffle Alfredo, 120 calories in 1/4 cup perfect for bowtie paste!
Botticelli Truffle Alfredo dresses bowtie paste or pasta ricci

The sauces are so satisfying that a little goes a longer way. Yes, they are rich but the Truffle Alfredo calorie count is 120 for a quarter cup of sauce and the Red sauces are 140 for a cup. Mange!

Cafe Sanuki – A Japanese Gem in Las Vegas Chinatown

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A warm greeting at the door

(Roberta Deen) In Las Vegas, “Chinatown” is a “stir-fry” of many different Asian countries. There is a jumble of Thai grocery stores, Indian restaurants and tiny Hawaiian sites. Viet Nam, other southeastern Asian, Japanese and, of course, Chinese eateries and shops are all to be found on a stretch of Spring Mountain Road, just west of the I-15 freeway.

Cafe Sanuki is in an unassuming corner of a Chinatown mall. A planter of welcoming greenery runs the shaded length of its building – definitely a plus in this hot, dry valley. Entering, you encounter an grand showcase of the famous Japanese plastic replicas of the food served at Sanuki. To your left, the long, narrow dining area features a window table top with high stools. The four-top tables, chairs and lighting fixtures that reference Japanese houses are done in soothing blond wood.

To your right the adventure begins. Cafe Sanuki is a “modern cafeteria concept of traditional Japanese noodle shops”. You take a wood-textured black lacquer tray and study the numbered photographs on a board above you. Then the entree chef stationed at the center of the totally open kitchen takes your order. Next is a display of freshly fried tempura, sushi, gyoza (pot sticker dumplings), pork belly bao (nestled into its own wooden bowl) and other small dishes. Each choice is priced ala cart on the glass cover in front of you. You pay at the end after selecting your beverage from the Bottomless Drink Station (featuring four flavors of high-end Harney & Sons iced tea, sodas, lemonade (house-made), Calpico and flavored syrups to be creative with) and take a seat. In a few minutes your order arrives freshly made-to-order, served in oversized Japanese-styled bowls or cast iron cauldrons.

Cafe Sanuki Shoyu Pork, white fish tempura and dipping sauce

Three of us in our party of six ladies ordered the Shoyu Pork ($7.80) featuring three slabs of meaty pork belly, a rich pork broth, the slightly al dente udon, slivers of red ginger and a soft-cooked egg fried in tempura batter. One ordered the Zaru cold udon ($5.80) topped with slivers of toasted nori (seaweed). There was an order of Braised Pork Belly ($7.80) served with hard-cooked egg and slivered red ginger over rice. And last #10 Yaki Udon ($7.80), stir-fried udon with miso pork belly and vegetables.

Zaru Udon – chilled fresh udon with seaweed

Yaki Udon – Stir-fried udon with miso-marinated pork belly, asparagus and shrimp tempura and a set of gyoza

Cafe Sanuki bills itself as “Slurp-worthy, Japanese Comfort Food”. It is one of the few to make its udon and soba noodles fresh daily. The ingredients needed are imported from the Sanuki area of Japan in order to remain true to the noodle master who developed the recipe. The soft, pillowy noodles are tossed into what looks like a butterfly net, briefly immersed in a bath of boiling broth and served up when ordered. If a cold noodle dish is chosen, the noodles get a follow up dip in fresh ice. The cold noodle dishes (Bukake, Zaru and Mujina) are especially welcome in our blazing summer heat.

One third of the kitchen is devoted to the preparation and serving of the udon noodles

Sanuki’s personable, welcoming staff makes dining here into an experience. The entree chef, Chris, told us that he had been hired because he was eating at the restaurant four days a week. He happily went to work because he loved the food so much. The bubbly cashier, Tracy, is very knowledgeable about the menu, obviously loves her job and values her customers.

Be sure to look up Cafe Sanuki’s web site – www.cafesanuki.com. You will find the story of the fierce determination to produce the prized noodles in this country, the menu with beautiful photos, prices and hours. There is even a map to encourage out-of-towners to visit.

Cafe Sanuki, 4821 Spring Mountain Road, Suite G, Las Vegas, NV 89102 702.331.9860

 

The Best Israeli Experience at Hummus Bar and Grill Restaurant

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Fresh baked pita right out of the oven. Classic, onion and herbed are offered.

Gerry Furth-Sides and Roberta Deen) At Israeli Chef-owner Tomy Talio’s Hummus Bar and Grill restaurant in Tarzana Village Shopping Center on Ventura Boulevard, one of the blissful add-ons is the plentiful parking that makes a trip to the valley start with a smile. You might expect a variety of Hummus, Babaganoush, and warm pita out of the oven and perhaps even Chopped Liver.  But finding the best, most refined and beautifully seasoned grilled Beef Sweetbread skewer anywhere, including any French restaurant?  Read on.

Mushroom hummas

Chopped liver

First comes a small bowl of cabbage salad and one of lightly pickled cucumber with tiny green olives (pits are in) with your menu.   The menu is cleverly divided into whimsical categories: First Bites, I’m on a Diet/I’m so Vegetarian, Everything That Doesn’t Fit In A Category, No Utensils Needed.  

This is the perfect time to introduce white and red wines offered offered by the glass and bottle. There are Israeli wines on the list.  The “Golan Heights” Sauvignon Blanc (by the glass) tastes of cool rock and the slightest touch of tannins, perfect to accompany any of the dishes.

A choice of  16 colorful small dishes filled with salad (more than enough to feed 4-6 guests) comprise Ima’s Mediterranean Salads. They are served and priced by half pints or pints.  Each and every bite is so satisfying, it becomes an instant favorite. On the list: Garbonzo beans w/tahini, egg salad, Hummus, excellent, slightly sweet, chopped liver,  Moroccan Beet salad, Greek eggplant, babaganush eggplant with tahini and mayo, spicy eggplant with Harrisa (our personal favorite), corn and red bell pepper, tabuli (finely chopped herbs and bulgar wheat), spicy fennel and green grapes and Turkish salad (roasted red bell pepper).

There is a small touch to almost every salad that makes it special.  Green grapes are the unusual twist to a fennel salad, and the contrast in textures is perfect.

Fennel Salad with green grapes and cucumber

Earthy Baladi Eggplant is a cult favorite.  A whole eggplant, fire-roasted, butterflied and dressed with white tahini, honey dates, pistachios, and fresh thyme that tastes like silk in the mouth.

Baladi Eggplant

Israeli salad with tomato and cucumber in a very, very small dice

Shakshuka, another middle eastern favorite, is served in the classic iron skillet. Here the tomato background to the egg is more of a tomato sauce than paste.


Butcher Shop offers entrees with one or two skewers and two sides (the vegetable rice is light and fluffy). Choose from four chicken versions, rib eye, beef fillet, Middle eastern ground beef kabob, lamb, fois gras and for the venturous, sweetbreads expertly done and served with a light lemony dipping sauce.  From the Grill: Rib-Eye Skewers Romanian Kabob with rice and red cabbage so delicious it has almost become signature.

Grilled Sweetbread Skewers

The two desserts we tried where eye-opening versions of familiar middle eastern standards. The Inside-out baklava comes on a shale slab with a wood-pile stack of tightly rolled nut and filo logs, a snowfall of finely shaved halvah and a melon dipping sauce. The Knafe Mallabi is a stuffed wheel of golden kataifi (shredded filo) filled with a mild, melting white cheese with a delicate touch of rose water in a pool of lightly sweetened syrup.

Knafe Mallabi

Knafe Mallabi and Inside-out baklava

Mint tea is a do-it-yourself glass mug of fresh mint in hot water with a tea bag of your choice of Lipton black, green or camomile tea.

Service is brisk and knowledgeable and friendly.  The place feels like a party and the staff rightfully calls themselves “a team”. Customers are congenial. Hummus Bar & Grill regulars (who told us themselves it is as much fun as a Tel-Aviv outing) also love more classic fare like Schnitzel and Shawarma.  For the larger appetite or groups there is a Jerusalem Mix with tons of meats and vegetables to try, along with a falafel plate.

Simple setting, black and white, cloth napkins, crisp black and white photographs march along the walls at seated eye level.

Hummus Bar & Grill is open daily from 11:00am to 12:00am and on Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. Hummus also offers a delivery system provided daily from 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., except on Sundays, when it resumes at 6:00 p.m.

If You Know Gado Gado & Krupuk, You Know BONE KETTLE

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(Roberta Deen, Gerry Furth-Sides; individually credited Bone Kettle photos) Bone Kettle dots the north end of charming Raymond Street’s restaurant row in Pasadena.  It finds its heart and warmth in the Tjahyadi family team that runs the kitchen and front of the house. Tjahyadi brothers, Manager Eric and Executive Chef Erwin, creators of Bone Kettle, are widely acclaimed for their wildly successful fusion/fast/casual Komodo concept conceived during the 2009 recession. The Komodos are tiny box spaces packed with food-to-go customers and minimal seating.

The Raymond Street space is warm and inviting, feeling as though it interacts with the walking street outside. Only a full wall of window separates diners at a common table that fronts the bar on one side from the active street scene. Banquette seating tables on the other side are punctuated by a window seat filled with plants.  A dynamic mural, bamboo-like paneling and intimate individual booth seating beckons from the back room. The lingering redolence of the simmering broth in the eponymous kettle wafts throughout.

The focal point of Bone Kettle’s kitchen is undoubtedly the signature Bone Broth. The well-balanced soup is created by using time-honored cooking techniques and fresh ingredients reflective of Southeast Asian traditions. Consisting of typically undervalued cuts of beef, filtered water, onions, garlic, ginger, and an exclusive Bone Kettle mix of dried spices, the broth cooks for 36 hours.

A bed of Prime Top Sirloin and Bone Kettle Noodles ready for the Broth to be poured over it

The bowls are brought to the table with a layered mountain of ramen noodles (your choice of prime top sirloin, chicken breast, brisket, oxtail or tempeh) and micro greens. Steaming hot, mild, unfiltered broth is then poured over the ingredients tableside.  A “bowl” and a small plate or two make for a hearty, healthy meal.

Broth is then poured over the ingredients tableside by first generation Tjahyadi restaurant owner and dad at Bone Kettle.

The menu provides an approachable introduction to exotic Indonesian cuisine. One look at the menu shows such key Indonesian dishes as Gado Gado & Krupuk.  While the ingredients in Southeast Asian cooking are familiar (ginger, garlic, beef and chicken) the combinations are distinctly different.  Chef Erwin updates the heirloom recipes of his family with fresh California ingredients and French techniques. His emphasis is on small plates, which are hearty and shareable. The evening began with a toast of signature Dragonfruit Lychee Lemonade, as pretty to look as it is tasty to sip.

Dragonfruit Lychee Lemonade

We sampled a tasting menu of Oxtail Dumplings filled with finely shredded oxtail meat, seasonal mushrooms and leeks with a San Bai Su sauce; Spicy Papaya Salad featuring julienne green papaya, mangoes, tomatoes, chili, cilantro, chopped peanuts and tender shrimp; Chicken Wings, citrus-brined, free range, battered and fried with grilled lime; Fried Oxtail Tips sauced with lime juice, fresh herbs, Thai chili, star anise and ginger with tiny crisp chips made from baby fingerling potatoes; and last, a generous plate of Bone Marrow features two  “canoes” of the roasted marrow, grilled baguette and a salad of red endive, frisse, mizuna, and apples with rhubarb dressing which tames the richness of the marrow.

Bone Kettle Spicy Papaya Salad

Bone Kettle’s Fried Oxtail Tips

Bone Kettle ChickenWings

The truly lovely, well thought-out design of Bone Kettle matches the integrity of old classic Pasadena craftsmanship. Soft lighting, blonde bamboo and black lacquer elements plus the combination of bar and common table seating, pretty banquettes and individual booths are all crowd pleasers.  This was evident as we watched the restaurant enthusiastically fill on a bitter cold, mid-week night.

The common table and bar (Photo courtesy of Bone Kettle)

The dynamic mural painted by a family friend

Group seating in the back room

Brothers and partners Eric Tjahyadi and Executive Chef Erwin Tjahyadi  created Bone Kettle as a love letter to the flavors and peoples of Southeast Asian after the Executive Chef Erwin took a transformative journey home to reacquaint himself with the enriching flavors of his youth. For the story of this adventure, please see.//localfoodeater.com/chefspotlight/bone-kettle-co-owner-and-executive-chef-erwin-tjahyadi/

Chef Tjahyadi

(A hint of “white tablecloth” days to come at the first LUCKY RICE Asian Food Event)

Chef’s Specialties include Garlic Steak Nasi Goreng (short rib, fried rice, eggs, chicharron gremolata, Nam Pla), Maryland Blue Crab Fried Rice, and Singaporean Chili Lobster.

Desserts provide an exotic finish.  On the list are a Trio of Crème Brulee (Pandan, Durian and Ube); Cassava Cake with Avocado Ice Cream; Black Rice Pudding with sweet corn and coconut and a rotating selection of Southeast Asian Ice Creams.

Beers, Sakes and Wines are offered as well as non-alcoholic Blood Orange Fresca, Mango Mimosa, and Guava Prosecco.

BONE KETTLE, 67 North Raymond Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91103, 626.795.5702.  For details or reservations, please visit www.BoneKettle.com.

SWEET LAUREL Brings Sweet Luxury to Limited Diets

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(Roberta Deen) Laurel Gallucci and Claire Thomas’ book, SWEET LAUREL, Recipes for Whole Food, Grain-Free Desserts is a guide to overcoming adversity and limitations in the home kitchen. These two friends have written the perfect “make lemonade” cookbook.

 

Authors Claire Thomas and Laurel Gallucci

Like many things, SWEET LAUREL, the bakery, was born from necessity. Laurel Gallucci had baked all her life. Sweet things were her life. Then shortly after the birth of her son, she was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s disease and told that she would never eat chocolate cake again. Laurel found that unacceptable and set about conquering the severe limitations of this auto-immune disease. She would have her cake!

When Laurel had developed her simple methods and a limited list of “whole” ingredients, she approached her friend Claire Thomas, a food blogger, with a chocolate caramel cake. Claire, who had no dietary issues, could not tell that the cake was completely free of sugar, gluten, and dairy. A bond was formed right then and blossomed a few months later into SWEET LAUREL bakery. Then generosity, a willingness, and desire, to share their knowledge led to creating their beautiful book, SWEET LAUREL, Recipes for Whole Food, Grain-Free Desserts.

Authors Laurel Gallucci and Claire Thomas have compiled a compendium of sweets and bread that will brighten the lives of those with celiac disease, gluten-intolerance issues, and most vegetarian limitations. They have created a beautifully photographed (styled and photographed by Claire), thoroughly researched cookbook that guides the reader through a pantry of unfamiliar ingredients necessary for this new approach to eating. To quote them from the introduction: “Our book will give you an outlet to enjoy great-tasting, grain-free, gluten-free, refined-sugar-free, dairy-free, gum-free, soy-free, and filler-free recipes that benefit your body. All of our treats are paleo, and some are vegan, raw, or nut-free as well.” Add to that statement, that the recipes are simple to make. Most involve a few steps, clear instructions and tasty outcomes.

The first chapter, The Sweet Laurel Kitchen, is a complete outline of their food philosophy, core ingredients and pantry “staples” with concise definitions, uses for each item, and what basic equipment is necessary to have on hand. “If you have a bowl and a whisk, you can create almost every single one of our recipes.”

 

cakes

One of Sweet Laurel’s romantic “naked” cakes

The second chapter, Our Essential Recipes, explains how to create the necessary substitutes for grocery store basics such as marshmallows, applesauce, coconut whipped cream (It really does work and tastes good too!) The authors lead you through additive-free vanilla extract, baking powder, vegan egg substitutes, making nut milk and butters, even vegan chocolate chips. It is well worth reading these two chapters carefully, as you will gain a deep understanding of what these new diets require.

Then, we plunge into the making.

In the chapter, With Tea or Coffee, I chose to make the “Fall-in-Love Banana Bread”. Most recipes in the book begin with little reflections or stories. This one was introduced by how her mother won her about-to-be husband’s heart with this bread. They had me “at hello”.

Oven

Ready to Go into the Oven

I must say, all my tasters loved the moistness, full banana flavor, and nutty texture. I would recommend using blanched almond flour for a lighter, more familiar cake-like texture  (Trader Joes .com at $6.00 per pound) and whole almond flour for a darker, grainier texture (Sprouts $11.99 per pound). The recipe makes two, 1-1/2” thick, 9”x 5” rich, extremely moist loaves. The bread holds well, lightly covered, overnight which makes it perfect for that sleep-over breakfast or early office meeting.

 

Oven

Although all the cookie and bar photographs cried out for attention, “Mom’s Lemon Bars” won. I was intrigued by the sugar-free lemon curd and the almond flour crumb crust. Gluten-free or vegan bases for cheesecakes and bars are hard to find. This one did not disappoint. The lemon filling was tart and firm, with a perfect smooth curd texture. I recommend using a knife run under hot water and cleaned after each cut for even-edged squares or a spoon if you just can’t wait that long.

I ran into a bit of trouble making the “powdered coconut sugar”. I found the processor just tossed the coconut around and did not make it fine enough; though I kept trying until I turned it into coconut butter. I think a coffee grinder or mini-processor might do a better job. However, I pushed it through a sieve and it certainly looks like powdered sugar, just not as fluffy as in the gorgeous photo. The tasters all loved these for their creamy texture, sprightly lemon flavor, and crumbly nutty base. The yield is 16 2”x2” bars. They store beautifully at room temperature and can be made 3 days ahead of serving.

Lemon BarsNot quite like the picture but everyone loved Mom’s Lemon Bars

My final excursion into the SWEET LAUREL cookbook was the “Pink Strawberry Layer Cake”. I didn’t have 3 – 6” round cake pans (Wilton at Joann.com, $8.99 each) so I used my 6” heart-shaped pans. Again, I recommend using blanched almond flour. I used whole almond flour again. The cake came out very well (in all it’s 5-layer glory) but the pretty pink color was masked by the darkness of the flour.

Even though the cake looks bake-shop difficult, the steps are simple, and the results are as promised. One caution: don’t heat the jam too much or it simply slides off the cake and takes the frosting with it. The coconut whipped cream is amazingly stable and tasty. Making it is like magic, it makes peaks and all. Who knew? I didn’t have access to fresh strawberry flowers as did the photo stylist, so I used unsweetened dried coconut curls as stand-ins.

Laurel and Claire have delivered on their promise at the beginning of SWEET LAUREL: “Our goal is to create an empowering, transformative, and sweet experience that makes you excited to take your next bite…It’s about loving the food you eat instead of punishing yourself for craving it.” Those who must, or choose, to eat outside the mainstream will be well rewarded by using SWEET LAUREL to open a new and delight-filled path to satisfying those cravings with a buffet of delights.


“So Much To Celebrate” with Katie Jacobs

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(Roberta Deen) Katie Jacobs’ new cookbook “So Much to Celebrate”,  subtitled “Entertaining The Ones You Love The Whole Year Through”, is as refreshing and welcome as an evening breeze on a Southern veranda. It is well worth seeking out.

Katie more than achieved her goal  to “create a book that is not only beautiful but also a guide to creating lifelong memories….to live a little more life together with the ones you love.”  The author dedicated her book to the women in her family, all with names reflecting the south: grandmother Honey Mama, her mother and her daughter Emmaline better known as Emma B.   Still,  Jacobs makes you, the reader, part of her family by gently leading you through creating engaging, comforting and easy moments with your own friends and loved ones.

The cookbook is divided into the four seasons with simple DYI decorations, recipes, locations (such as that veranda mentioned above), tips and stylish serving suggestions. Each season’s offering is accompanied and supported by Amy Cherry’s luscious richly-colored photographs.

Because my sister is celiac, I chose the Spring Menu with Gluten-Free Lemon Ricotta Pancakes. Katie developed the recipe for some visitors who had food issues, as “being aware of food allergies is part of being a gracious host” Southern or not. I promise you that your guests will never know they are G-F. These lovely, lemony, fluffy pancakes would fool anyone. The batter can be made the evening before, and refrigerated until you make a show of perfectly cooking them.

Perfectly shaped and colored.
Everyone will be in the kitchen watching you.

The seasonal berry garnish is simple, from golden to red raspberries in summer. I chose  blueberries. A drizzle of maple syrup finishes the presentation. My guests didn’t even use any butter. They just made yumming noises as they ate them as fast as I could cook them. There were a few words interspersed: “great,” “wow,” “lemony,”” fluffy,”” more.”

Ah. Utter gratification and beauty.

Staying with the gluten-free theme, I made Katie’s unique Bacon Jam. She uses it to garnish Deviled Eggs, a deep-south picnic favorite. But I had already used so many eggs in the other items, I decided to make this Bacon Jam into more of a star. The jam is easy to prep and make a joy to listen to, and enjoy the fragrance, as it simmers on the stove.

Jam cheerfully bubbling away

After the jam reduced to a deep mahogany hue, it is cooled to room temperature. I topped gluten-free crackers with a schmear of whipped cream cheese topped with Bacon Jam for a tasty appetizer. There were none left. We all thought that it would work just as  good on chicken or pork chops, too. Two home runs from Katie.

Savory-sweet bite-sized Bacon Jam appetizers

I wanted to try one of the Celebrate desserts, again with celiac limitations. I chose Katie’s Lemon Blueberry Tart without the tart crust. Her recipe was simple and straightforward to prepare. The wonderful lemony custard cooks quickly and cools to a lemon curd-like texture. I would caution you to measure the cornstarch carefully and level each spoonful. Too much cornstarch and you will have something reminiscent of jello shooters and, as I did, will have to start over.

The finished result, once assembled and garnished was met with oohs and ahhs. Not too sweet, not to tart, they are light with the unexpected addition of the sour cream-blueberry mixture topped with unsweetened whipped cream and a few berries.

Two styles of crustless individual presentation. Mini creme brulee dishes and crystal shot glass with tiny spoons.

So Much to Celebrate (Thomas Nelson, $29.99, ISBN: 9780718075187) is available from many sources. Katie Jacobs is a lifestyle guru. Katie’s food and lifestyle blog can be found at //www.stylingmy everyday.com.   It is no surprise that Katie has worked as a stylist, photographer, and content contributor featured in Martha Stewart Living, Southern Living Weddings, and Nashville Lifestyles.

Five-To-Try and Why SIMPLE MILLS GLUTEN-FREE MIXES

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(Roberta Deen, food stylist, photographer) Simple Mills is a thriving young company founded by Katlin Smith. She holds the firm belief that clean “intentional ingredients” can be combined to create wholesome baked goods, easily used by home cooks.

Each of the Simple Mills mixes is printed with clear instructions and with suggestions for changing up or garnishing the item. The only basic ingredients to add are eggs, water, sometimes apple cider vinegar and oil of your choice.

This makes it easy to add ethnic touches in the form of spices, flavorings, and fruits add a personal touch.  Several of the ethnic ingredients are ethnic as well, such as tiger nuts, coconut oil, and arrowroot.

Historically, English-style muffins, prepared with yeast-raised dough and cooked on a griddle, may date back to the 10th or 11th century in Wales. American-style muffins, made with a batter rather than a dough and baked in individual molds, are categorized as ‘quick’ bread. That change occurred with the arrival of manufactured baking powder. (See Linda Civatello’s “The Baking Powder Wars”.)

Smith questions “why would you need more than six items to mix up a batch of muffins!” referring to all the “mystery” ingredients listed on most mixes.  Her inspired minimalist mixes and ready-to-eat Simple Mills products employ combinations of only 15 ingredients with “no preservatives ever”.

Simple Mills

Simple Mills Banana Muffin & Bread mix muffins

And, I assure you, that these mixes are a long way from the older sticks-and-twigs versions of vegan, paleo, and everything-free offerings from not so long ago.  Easy to prepare, everyone who tasted them was very excited.

My sister has been medically diagnosed as a celiac, so I am always on the watch for “good” things for her to eat. She and I were both pleased with the moist textures, really present flavors, very fast production time and visual appeal of the new products. Although Katlin cautions on each package, mix or product, that you must refrigerate any left-over items, we found that everything survived refrigeration and a brief reheating quite well.

 

Katlin’s sunny, informative website, //www.simplemills.com, is a source of easy-to-follow recipes, information and photos of ingredients, a tutorial on her mission, a store location finder and online purchasing information.

We started our Simple Mills adventure with the Banana Muffins (photo above). It took less than 10 minutes from mix to oven, then 20 minutes to bake. After ten minutes to cool, they were ready to garnish. I brushed them with a light coat of warm honey and topped with a slice of banana, finished with a final brush of honey. I think these would be wonderful little PB&J snacks for when the kids come home from school or for an indulgent weekend breakfast.

We experienced equal success with each of the five Simple Mills products we went on to sample with the pizza being compared to the best of the in-house, restaurant gluten-free pizzas. Photos of the excellent results follow.

Cupcakes

Simple Mills Vanilla Cupcakes made with Almond Flour

 

Flatbread

Savory Parmesan Flatbread

 

 pizza

Two flavors of crisp crust pizza. Both great for breakfast the next day!

 

crisp

We loved the two, of four flavors, Simple Mills crackers (above) crisp, well salted and perfect for a creative variety of ethnic toppings or straight out of the box.

All adventures in the kitchen end on the plate, but not always with people licking their fingers and asking for more, please.  This delightful venture from Katlin and her Simple Mills company won’t be ending anywhere soon. She is busy adding new mixes and products all the time.

We encourage readers to make the effort to try these products, which we loved. They will not disappoint.

Garden Lites’ Stealthy Veggie Muffins

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Garden Lites

(photo courtesy of Garden Lites)

 

 

(Roberta Deen) The Garden Lites company is focused on getting more vegetables into home menus and they are sneaky about it. Carrots and zucchini are the first two ingredients in their veggie-forward snack muffins. You would never suspect it from the flavors and textures of these moist little cakes.

While we are not personally hooked on them, they were okay, especially, when you warm them in the microwave straight from the freezer for just 35 seconds and enjoy one with a freshly-brewed “cuppa” tea for breakfast or an afternoon pick-me-up snack.  And they will fill a spot in the celiac/organic/healthy list. They will work for older people who might not want to bake, and for non-cooking, health-oriented, organic-minded mothers.

These Garden Lites tasty marvels are gluten-free, peanut and tree nut-free, non-gmo and veggie-rich. They include a boost of fiber (3 grams), and protein (4 grams) but at 11 grams are not sugar-free. Egg whites and whole eggs are used so they are not vegan. This product is Weight Watchers-rated and Oprah-noted. Look for them in the freezer section of well-stocked grocery stores in packages of 4 of one flavor and in Costco in packages of 12 of one flavor.

Chocolate Muffins

Of the flavors on offer, the Blueberry Oat pleased us most with its ample portion of plump berries and fresh berry taste. Dark, tender Chocolate was next with a moist, brownie-like texture and dark cocoa flavor. (They would make a nice office party addition with a spritz of real whipped cream.) The Banana Chocolate Chip was full of dark chips with a light banana presence. (These would dress up nicely with a chocolate-dipped slice of fresh banana.)

Blueberry OatGarden Lites veggie muffins (They now come in five flavors.) are a welcome addition to the growing supply of gluten-free products that have come so far in such a short time. True celiacs enjoy these as will the vegetable-challenged.

I highly recommend visiting the colorful Garden Lites website at for their simple-to-prepare recipes, coupons, and tips for getting kids to ease into loving vegetables. Even, perhaps, husbands.  For more information and recipes like the one below, please see //www.gardenlites.com/.

Mudslide cupcakes

Note: the first two ingredients in Garden Lites Chocolate Muffins are zucchini and carrots! Heat in the microwave to enjoy a decadent lava cake experience for only 120 calories. Deliciously moist and a good source of fiber.

Allergy-friendly! Gluten, Dairy & Nut Free

Mudslide Cupcakes

Yields: 12 cupcakes
Step 1: Heat Chocolate Muffins according to package directions.
Step 2: Brush Kahlua ontop top of the muffin and allow to cool.
Step 3: Top with Bailey’s Frosting
Step 4: Enjoy Responsibly!

Bailey’s Frosting

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Butter (1 sticks), softened
1 1/2 cups Powdered Sugar
2 Tablespoons Bailey’s Irish Cream
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1/2 Teaspoon Salt

Directions:

  1. Cream butter in mixer
  2. Gradually add Powdered Sugar until blended
  3. Stir in Irish Cream, Vanilla Extra, and Salt
  4. Blend until smooth and creamy

New China Lights “Lite” and LA’s Historic Chinese New Year Festivals

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China Lights

(Roberta Deen, photos by Roberta Deen) The new China Lights festival in Las Vegas, and in Arkansas, and the growing popularity of historic Chinese New Year celebrations show how important this Asian holiday is becoming with mainstream America.  The Chinese New Year Festival and Golden Dragon Parade in Los Angeles, described below, is in its 199th year.

  dog lanternThe year of the dog lantern

The new events are impressive.  The lanterns in the Las Vegas show can hold their own against the Downtown and Strip neons and glitz anytime.  While both events can certainly be labeled commercial or even political, what Chinese event would not be purposely be connected with money?  See: //localfoodeater.com/celebrate-chinese-new-year-dog/

The Las Vegas China Lights celebration, open from January 29 to February 25, earned announcements in most local entertainment calendars.   Additional activities such as fire works, dance and cultural presentations and a few take-aways add to the lantern viewing on the most important night of the actual holiday on February 16 (also higher priced).

We visited the China Lights event two days before Chinese New Year when it was well attended but not crowded. The cool night air was perfect for a leisurely stroll to viewing the amazing silk and light exhibits against the ink-black night sky.

The comparison between the booming, military Japanese taiko (drum) parades and observing the cherry blossoms in the spring comes to mind. Reputedly, one of the first uses of taiko was as a battlefield instrument, used to intimidate and scare the enemy – and this ferocious noise was copied afterward by many cultures. On the other hand, the cherry blossom festival was calm, quiet and honored the gentle “snow” of pink petals falling. //www.taiko.com/taiko_resource/history.html

The traditional, loud banging and clanging in the Chinese Dragon parades are not warlike but was meant to ward off demons while the lantern displays are as serene as the cherry blossom celebrations.

 

 

Guests were in camera heaven photographing the lights and taking cell phone photos of their children standing against life-like zebra lanterns and the bigger- than-life-sized Chinese Dragon.

The serious photographers were focused on the floral and sea life lanterns surrounding the reflecting pool, the upside-down images disturbed only by Canada geese and mallard ducks.

Calming Chinese music played in the background. Chatter was in low tones. Even the children were quiet in the presence of the glowing, imaginative clusters of lanterns. It was a breath-taking break from the renowned hustle and crowds that most people envision when one says “Las Vegas”.

The strangest and only issue, I had was that the skimpy idea of food included not one Chinese-oriented item.  Friendly vendors sold well if expensive mini doughnuts, with samples at the entrance;  Kettle corn; corn dogs; funnel cakes, and  Americanized teriyaki yakisoba.  My guest remarked that there wasn’t even a Chinese restaurant nearby!

The crafts that were promised were very limited but several of them were being demonstrated by the artisans themselves.  Visitors can have photos taken in modern representations of the costumes of high-level officials, have their name painted in island-inspired letters, or view a gold wire dragon come to life in the artist’s hand.

China Lights, 628 W. Craig, North Las Vegas at the Craig Ranch Park (about 30 minutes from the Strip).

Parking is free and very accessible. Please go to //www.chinalightslv.com for detailed event information and a sample lantern slide show.

 

 

The oldest celebration of its kind in America continues in a more traditional way at the  119th Annual Golden Dragon Parade and Chinese New Year Festival February. 17 in downtown Los Angeles.  It takes place in the still lively if smaller thriving historic Chinatown area.

We have attended the parade and happily celebrated by eating dim sum in the area.  You can’t help but be caught up in the excitement.

The 119th Annual Golden Dragon Parade and Chinese New Year Festival The parade celebrating Lunar New Year in Chinatown features about two dozen floats and multiple marching bands. Chinese New Year Festival offers a culinary stage, cultural performances, family-friendly workshops, food trucks, face painting, magic and more. Parade 1-3 p.m., festival noon-8 p.m. Free, parade grandstand tickets $10-$20.  For more details, please visit, lagoldendragonparade.com