Summer Fancy Food Show: The Hits (and one shit)

As a first timer at the Summer Fancy Food Show,  I was feeling two ways: overwhelmed and overwalked. While I went prepared with a list of GF/DF vendors I planned to visit, there was so much more to see. Here are the hits - featuring some new brands, new products, and one disappointment (but only one, which is impressive).

Yeah Dawg

I've always been a fan of veggie burgers, 'chik'n,' veggie dogs, and so on and so forth. What I'm not a huge fan of is the laundry list of ingredients and fillers that come along with many popular veggie products (do your research before you buy). Now picture this: I'm walking through an aisle at the show, extremely focused on my gluten-free stroopwafel in hand. In passing, I hear 'they're great because they are vegan, gluten-free, AND soy-free.' I stop in my tracks and proceed to walk backwards until I reach the booth (mouth still full of stroopwaf). Lucky me, I came across a magical little veggie hot dog booth.

Not only is the flavor on point, but so is the ingredient list. Yeah Dawg hot dogs are made from a mix of veggies, seeds, gluten-free flour, and seasoning. That's it. No soy, no artificial coloring, no chemical preservatives. They can be found in health food stores around the country (list available here), but are not in any mainstream grocery chains yet.

Pan's Mushroom Jerky

I have been looking EVERYWHERE for gluten-free, vegetarian (and ideally soy-free) jerky. No such luck. I wasn't even aware that Pan's had a booth at the show; I just gleefully stumbled upon it. Now I haven't had real jerky in about 15 years or so, but I do recall loving the chewiness and saltiness of it. Believe it or not, mushroom jerky satiated that long-term craving I've been having. After trying all of the flavors, I highly recommend the Applewood BBQ. There's only a few stores that currently sell it in NYC, find out the closest location to you here.

(cc: Pan's Mushroom Jerky - will you sell wholesale to me?)

My/Mo Mochi

Generally speaking, mochi has been one of my favorite rising food trends in the past few years. More and more companies seem to be coming out with mochi ice cream, but not all mochi is created equal. It is supposed to be naturally gluten-free because it is made from glutinous rice flour. In my experience, some of the mochi ice cream brands on the market cheapen out and use a blend of rice and wheat flour (so be careful folks). Back to My/Mo and why they are superior - they're delicious, ALL are gluten-free (even the cookies and cream flavor!), AND they have vegan options that are just as creamy and flavorful as the regular ice cream. Enough said. 

Dave's Gourmet Specialty Foods

If you have been following along on my account, you are well aware that I'm an overnight oats enthusiast. But there are just some days that I cannot be bothered to dirty a dish, am missing ingredients, or am just feeling lazy. Cue entrance of Dave and his oats. These single serving oats are perfect for those days when you simply cannot even. I prefer these over their competitors because the sugar content is lower than other brands' flavored oats. All you need to do is add milk and refrigerate overnight. Oats can also be prepared hot, AND there is still room within the container to load up some toppings and take it to go. Did I mention they're certified gluten-free and USA made? Winner winner oatmeal dinner.

Siete

Siete products have always been a go-to, being they are a great provider of gluten-free, grain-free wraps and chips. I'm happy to report that this brand just keeps on giving. Available in stores beginning in August, Siete has released a new line of hot sauces and *drum roll please* - DAIRY FREE QUESO. I came, I saw, I quesoed, and my oh my was I impressed. Finally, a dairy-free cheese product actually reminiscent of the real thing (for the record, dairy free cheese will never replace cheese for me). The Spicy Blanco doesn't pack too much heat, but is my favorite between the two. I firmly believe that this vegan option will impress even your dairy-consuming friends.

Caulipower

Here's a brand that has been killing the gluten-free, plant-forward pizza crust game. Caulipower has offered both cauliflower based crusts and pizzas for some time now, and they continue to impress with innovation. This past June, the company has launched a new product to their line: cauliflower-based baking mix. Currently there are two blends available: original (which is vegan) and paleo (contains egg), both of which are certified gluten-free. Cauliflower is the first ingredient in both the blends, and the idea behind the mix is to provide a lower carb, nutrient-dense, gluten-free alternative that can be used at a cup-for-cup replacement in recipes. I was skeptical and decided to try out brownies made from the mix, and let me tell you I was shooketh. The product is currently available on Amazon, and I'm looking forward to seeing them in grocery stores.

GrandyOats

BRAND AS OLD AS TIME (okay not really, but since 1979). These guys have been in the oats business for a long time running. You know those bulk granola bins at Whole Foods and the health food store? Chances are if you buy from bulk, you have crossed paths with GrandyOats before. While their original granola is a classic, the company (and the granola) have gone through a bit of a brand evolution. That of which goes hand in hand with their new, grain-free Coconola line. GrandyOats has  introduced a range of flavors, all of which are made from a blend of seeds and nuts. They offer options that are certified gluten-free, paleo, vegan, certified organic, non-GMO verified, and made in the USA (this criteria varies between products and flavors). MAKE SURE YOU TRY THE COFFEE CRUNCH. You can thank me later.

Purely Elizabeth

Ahh, the one shit. Not so much the product in this case (except for being overpriced), but more on the company culture. In short, the Purely Elizabeth team was not so friendly (which is quite odd, when you're an exhibitor at a trade show). I was ever-so-kindly greeted with a sassy 'may I help you,' laughed at by the entire team based on the title on my press badge, and had my business card rejected by one of the team members. Keep in mind I was not asking anything of the company, just merely introducing myself and telling them I am a fan of the product. I've lost respect for the brand, presenting positive values of wellness and giving back to the public, but not exhibiting those values behind closed doors.


There you have it. So go, run, find these products! Chances of a food-related happy dance after consumption are very high.

Stay fancy,