Bottom Line: Virgin olive oil plays well with cocoa beans? Yes!
Every year, I scout the annual Fancy Food Show in New York City for the tastiest new products. Here are my favorites this year…
Cauliflower Pretzels and Crackers. Cauliflower, naturally low in carbs, is the new kale. But many cauliflower-containing snacks just don’t taste that great. These crunchy vegan pretzels and crackers, made by From the Ground Up, are an exception. $3.99 for a 4.5-ounce bag of pretzels or a four-ounce box of crackers. FromTheGroundUpSnacks.com
Turmeric Latte Mix. Turmeric’s health benefits make it popular, but some turmeric drinks taste acrid. The ginger in this Turmeric Latte Mix really changes the equation. Just add the powder to a cup, then add steamed milk, almond milk or water. $17.88 for a 10-pack. GingerPeople.com
Lemon Turmeric Hummus. This Blue Moose hummus, brightly flavored with turmeric plus lemon, is made with organic ingredients and no preservatives. I offered a taste to a friend, and he walked off with the container. $3.57 for an eight-ounce tub. BlueMoose.com
Ginger Root–Infused Maple Syrup. On my pancakes, I prefer maple syrup straight up, but Runamok’s ginger-flavored maple syrup makes a great sauce or glaze. I like it tossed with fresh strawberries. $16.95 for an 8.5-ounce bottle. RunamokMaple.com
Pineapple Coconut Mango Tequila Glaze and Finishing Sauce. The Robert Rothschild sauce combines sweet citrus flavor with creamy coconut and a splash of tequila. Brush it on meat after grilling or sautéing, or mix a little with mayo to spice up a chicken salad. $7.99 for a 12.1-ounce bottle. RobertRothschild.com
Kettlewood Cherrywood Smoke & Chocolate Barbecue sauce. This Original Juan sauce imbued my grilled steak with a slightly sweet, smoky taste. The leftover tasted even better the next day sliced for sandwiches. Try it on chicken, turkey and fish, too. $5.99 for a 15-ounce bottle. OriginalJuanSpecialtyFoods.WorldSecureSystems.com
K+M extra-virgin dark chocolate. Celebrity chef Thomas Keller of French Laundry fame, along with legendary food producer Armando Manni, have created chocolate bars with extra-virgin Tuscan olive oil instead of cocoa butter. Result: A silky texture and deeper chocolate flavor. I especially like the dark chocolate bar with 75% cocoa. $14.95 for a 2.5-ounce bar. KellerManniChocolate.com
Pacari chocolate. The Pacari family sourced organic cacao from Ecuadorian farmers to produce this single-origin, small-batch, award-winning chocolate. I am partial to the orange-flavored chocolate bar. $5.50 for a 1.76-ounce bar. PacariChocolate.us
