Trends and Thrills from the Fancy Food Show

I've spent the last two days gorging myself at the Fancy Food Show in New York City. If you haven't been to a trade show, just imagine a couple of football stadiums filled with aisle after aisle of exotic food. When confronted with mountains of creamy gelato, rosy smoked hams, and enough rich chocolate to feed a small nation, it's easy to lose your head, and eat until you either a)explode, b) collapse, or c) start speaking in tongues. Either way, it's bound to be a pretty decadent way to go.

I attacked the show strategically and gingerly, using my first day to simply get the lay of the land and scheduling a few meetings to explore some brands in greater detail the second day. Of course I left plenty of time for obscene amounts of tasting.

I was dazzled by much of what I saw, but a few clear and exciting trends emerged.

1. Hibiscus is much more than an exotic flower - It seems to be the hot new flavor. I saw it in drinks, chips, gelato, and even shakers. As a rule, I'm not a big fan of floral flavors (lavender usually tastes like soap to me) and hibiscus is no exception, but I'm sure that local chefs will get creative with it and prove me wrong.
2. Indian is going mainstream: If the show is any indication, your local supermarket is about to be taken by storm by Indian flavors, but not in an overwhelming fashion, thanks to simple and tasty jar sauces and spice blends. I stopped by the Roland booth and sampled some delicious sauces that were a snap to prepare.
3. Wasabi is just getting started: And here I thought that wasabi was already passe. It seemed that everyone had some sort of wasabi product at the show. Wasabi sesame seeds, wasabi pepper grinders, wasabi chips. I am most excited to try some of the wasabi rubs I saw - they were just crying out for a nice ribeye.
4. Organic is still expanding: This may be old news, but I saw some products touted as organic that were fairly mind-bogling such as honey and wild mushrooms. The representatives I talked to explained that they must prove their forests have not been sprayed to guarantee their organic label. I find it reassuring that some brand are going to great lengths to ensure that the food we buy has not been treated by pesticides and hother harmful chemicals.
   
5. Gluten-Free is THE hot new product. Everyone was hawking their latest gluten-free line, so the great news for families affected by allergies is that more variety will be hitting the shelves soon.
6. Gelato: Not sure how scientific this observation is, but I certainly felt as though I sampled a whole lot of gelato. There were so many irresistible booths!