Editor's Choice: Gearharts Peanut Butter Pups

If you've read this blog, you know that I am a fan of chocolate, peanut butter, and chocolate with peanut butter in it. It's not surprising that I loved these Peanut Butter Pups from Gearharts Fine Chocolates - they feature premium milk chocolate and Virginia artisan peanut butter, and are then decorated with a dark chocolate face and toasted almond ears. The puppy-faced treats are extremely cute and would make a great gift.

I am also a fan of dogs - to be specific, shelter dogs. Cursed with a tiny apartment and a huge heart for dogs, I have never been able to have a dog of my own so far in life. To get my puppy fix, I spent time volunteering at Chicago Animal Care & Control, and fell in love daily with every dog there. I was overjoyed to spend time with these friendly and lovable pups, but left feeling empty because of the enormous quantity of dogs that were brought in daily, knowing that many would inevitably not get adopted. 

That's why I love that Gearharts has decided to donate 5% of sales for their Peanut Butter Pups to Companions for Heroes, a terrific organization that provides companion animals, skilled companion dogs, and service dogs obtained from shelters and/or rescues, who might otherwise be euthanized, free of charge to active duty military personnel, military veterans, and first-responders recovering from the psychological challenges they suffered during service to our country. C4H increases public awareness of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury (TBI) and other challenges confronting our country’s heroes; and rally’s support for animal welfare and the adoption of shelter and/or rescue animals.

Tim Gearhart, the owner of Gearhart's Chocolates, started cooking as a Marine in Kuwait. He's created a quality chocolate item and partnered with a great organization to make something to be proud of. 

Who invented the Piña Colada?

An e-mail crossed my virtual desk (actually, the virtual desk of former editor Brooke Smith) from a publicist for the Caribe Hilton, bearing what was touted as the recipe for “the original Piña Colada.”

This touched off a distant memory of my first (and only) trip to Puerto Rico. As my bus rolled through San Juan, I spotted a plaque on a wall declaring the building to be the birthplace of the Piña Colada. It was the kind of plaque you could spot from the street—as big as a window.

I no longer remembered exactly where that was, but a little Googling revealed it to be, not the Hilton, but a restaurant in downtown San Juan called La Barrachina. More Googling, and I learned that the Caribe Hilton and La Barrachina have been locked for decades in a rum war over who truly originated the popular drink. According to Team Hilton, their bartender, Ramón “Monchito” Marrero, invented it in 1954; the plaque at La Barrachina claims it to be “The house where in 1963 the Piña Colada was created by Don-Ramon Portas Mingot.”

For an excellent explanation of the controversy, see this post on “Wanderlust and Lipstick,” a travel blog by Lanee Lee. Lanee’s post includes the dueling recipes; the Hilton one almost exactly matches the recipe in my e-mail.

I have to say, they both sound good, but since the Hilton one uses heavy cream and fresh pineapple, it might have an advantage (for the tastebuds, if not the arteries). Judge for yourself—here it is:

The Original Piña Colada: 

Ingredients:

2 oz. white rum
1 oz. coconut cream             
1 oz. heavy cream
6 oz. fresh pineapple juice
½ cup crushed ice

Directions:
Add the rum, coconut cream, heavy cream and pineapple juice together in a blender. Add the ice and blend for about 15 seconds or until smooth. Serve in a 12-ounce glass. Garnish with a fresh pineapple wedge and a maraschino cherry.

Pan

June/July's Digital Issue of Fancy Food Magazine is Now Available for Viewing

Dear Fancy Food Reader,

Welcome to the June/July digital issue of Fancy Food & Culinary Products.


This Month's Featured Content:
• Savor The Sauces
• All-Star Snacks
• Spread It On Thick

• A Taste Of The Sweet Life

• Mustard Magic

• Stirring It Up

• Bake Up Some Memories

• Ghoulish & Gourmet
• Seven
• Flavor Focus
• Retailers Respond
• Ad Index

New Feature:
Now Viewable on all devices

Please Note:
The FF digital requires NO special downloads or applications to view in its entirety on any device.... 

Please click HERE to begin reading now!

We hope you enjoy this issue and all future digital issues of FF. Feel free to contact us with your thoughts and feedback at fancyfood@talcott.com.

Sincerely,
The FF Team

Editor's Choice: Guittard Gourmet Baking Bars

I can't imagine a situation in where I turn down the opportunity to try some chocolate. Even if I was told that if I were to eat one more bite of chocolate, someone would kick me in the shins and steal my wallet, I would still probably take the chocolate. I can always get another wallet, and I can be distracted from the physical pain to my shins by candy. Gimmie the chocolate!!

As if chocolate in bar form wasn't irresistible enough, Guittard Chocolate Company had the genius idea to put THREE of their 2 oz. gourmet baking bars in an attractive box package. These all-natural, Fair Trade certified products are a great way to infuse your desserts with elegance, style, and taste. And I will also vouch for the idea of simply eating it by itself.

The three varieties sampled were Semisweet, Bittersweet, and Unsweetened, with each being made with 64, 70, and 100 percent cacao respectively. When you see a number such as 64 percent cacao on these bars, this means that 64 percent of what is in that bar comes from the cocoa bean as chocolate liquor and added cocoa butter. The remaining 36 percent is mainly sugar. The higher the percentage on the package, the more chocolate there is in the product. Which means the Unsweetened version is an all-out cacao explosion. I made some hot chocolate with it, and it was tremendous. I can also imagine that using this in brownies would be an awesome idea.

The quality of Guittard chocolate is undeniable. The flavor is so incredibly rich, that you know you are enjoying a truly gourmet item. Guittard Chocolate is made with shade-grown cacao, the overall quality of which is superior because the delicate pods are protected from excessive direct sunlight during development. Guittard's emphasis on shade-grown cacao also means the jungle environment surrounding the cacao is preserved. Guittard has over 135 years of custom chocolate making and conching experience, and some conching formulas have been handed down over four generations.

If you're looking for top-notch baking chocolate to use in a recipe, or just want some rich, delicious chocolate to snack on, you can't go wrong with Guittard. The packaging is attractive, and these new boxes would certainly stand out in your store. For more information, check out guittard.com.

Editor's Choice: Mary's Gone Crackers

Maybe it’s the way I grew up, but I like to end a meal with dessert. It doesn’t have to be anything big or elaborate, but just a little something. Often, that little something is a cookie or two. But as we all know, cookies are also a great snack any time of day. My co-workers have been known to go on mid-day “cookie runs” to the fast food place across the street.

When it comes to cookies, I enjoy practically anything with chocolate. But I am also fond of Oatmeal Raisin. There’s something kind of homey about the chewy cookie. That’s why a sample I picked up at the Sweets and Snacks Expo really had me curious. It was a “N’Oatmeal” Raisin cookie from Mary’s Gone Crackers (marysgonecrackers.com), who also has a introduced a line of cookies.

The cookie was amazing. It was chewy and sweet with the same texture of a traditional oatmeal cookie, but it has no oats. I’m not sure how they do it, but the cookie had a rich flavor. The cookie is made with organic, gluten-free flour and is wheat free. It is perfect for people with food allergies. It also is vegan.

The cookies are also available in Chocolate Chip, Double Chocolate and Ginger Snaps. So now everyone can enjoy a little something whenever they want.

Barbara

Editor's Choice: Gimbal's Cinnamon Lovers

My dad always had candy hidden somewhere in the house. Growing up, I would often find it in strange places when I wasn't even looking for it (even though there were also plenty of times where I was looking for it). Coming upon a stash of chocolate bars or hard candy was cause for celebration. Eventually, my father gave up and just put everything in a cupboard above the microwave. To this day, I know that any time I come back home, there will be some kind of candy treat in that cupboard.

It was hard not to think of my dad and his love of candy as I walked around the Sweets & Snacks Expo, held here in Chicago a few weeks ago. It was fun to meet some of the people behind the sugary creations that I've enjoyed for most of my life. I was particularly pleased to get some of my dad's favorites, Cinnamon Lovers from Gimbal's Fine Candies. Admittedly, I used to try and eat as many of these at once as I could stand - they can get pretty hot. I know, I wasn't that smart. At least now I have reached the level of maturity (maybe) where I can enjoy them one at a time.

These candies are very addictive - they're soft, chewy, and bursting with flavor. The heat takes a few seconds to kick in. It's true when they say that the taste finishes with "hot, hot, hot!" The heart-shaped candies are made with real cinnamon oil, resulting in big time flavor.

If you're looking for a classic cinnamon candy to stock in your store, then you need to have Gimbal's Cinnamon Lovers. These handcrafted treats will tingle your senses and delight your taste buds. As a bonus, they contain no high fructose corn syrup, and are peanut free, gluten free, soy free and trans fat free.

Editor's Choice: 12NtM Sparkling Beverages

As warmer weather finally arrives here in Chicago, like most Midwesterners, my thoughts turn to outdoor dining, summer outdoor concerts or just sitting around outside with friends. And just in time for that good food and conversation, I’ve discovered a beverage that will add the perfect gourmet touch. 

Available from 12NtM Sparkling Beverages (twelvebeverage.com), the sparkling beverage is an all-natural blend of herbs, spices, fruit juices and organic tea. Chef David Burke, one of the pioneers in American cooking, helped develop the beverages as an accompaniment to great food and as an all-natural refreshment. 

It is carbonated, so you get that soda water fizz with a combination of those other good flavors. It is a nice non-alcoholic alternative, and just like wine, it is available in two choices: Blanc and Rouge.

The Blanc has a more citrusy taste and has ginger for a little kick. Just as its name implies, it is a lighter and the taste is crisper. The Rouge features pomegranate and black currant. It has a little fuller taste and a bit sweeter.

The beverages would be great served any time of day. The frosted bottle makes a nice addition to the table. Their 6.3 ounce size also makes them the perfect take-along to pop into a cooler for those outdoor evening suppers.

For retailers, sampling would be an ideal way to introduce customers to the product. The beverages would be fine in an outdoor dining display. They can even be used as part of a gift basket.

Barbara