Live(ish) from the Fancy Food Show

Hello, food lovers! I tried to tweet photos live from the Fancy Food Show, but was thwarted at every turn by my arch-nemesis, Technology. So, you’ll have to settle for an update the day after. After a few years of attending, my trusty cohorts (Maud & Tommy) and I made it through the show in record time – practice makes perfect! We left fat, happy, and with a long list of new items soon to arrive at Cheesetique. Examples, you say? Read on to see just a few…

1. New salami, because nothing is better than new salami
This one hails from Creminelli and is flavored with Whiskey. Sadly, it won’t be available till later this year, but when it’s ready, you know we’ll be the first to have it. I was also reminded how super-delicious Creminelli’s Prosciutto Cotto (cooked ham) is. So much so that we’re already working on a new sandwich with this and Grafton’s new raw milk take on Leyden. Check out the photo – yes, that is a buffet of cured pork.

2. Who you callin’ a Jerky?
Ah… road trips. The reason beef jerky was invented (at least in my world). All it takes is a tall cup of coffee and a bag of jerky to make the miles fly by (and give you the greatest breath ever). Well, what’s old is new again with Field all-natural beef jerky. Super-tasty, super-chewy, and deliciously déclassé. This screams, “I’m gonna dry my beef and I don’t care who knows it, dog-gonnit!”

3. Me with a big Gruyere
No explanation required.

4. Funniest cheese label ever
We affectionately call this the “Dirty Old Man Cheese”. Who even cares what’s inside when the label looks like this? Older bearded gentleman. Pert young ladies hand-feeding him cheese. What’s not to smile about?

5. Chocolate with deliciously wacky ingredients
From one of our favorite producers, Vosges, comes a new line of “Wild Ophelia Road Trip Chocolate”. These ingenious creations feature the best chocolate filled with ingredients like BBQ Potato Chips, Peanut Butter & Banana, and even Beef Jerky.

Things we took away from this year’s show:
1. I officially declare 2012 the year of Jerky. It’s in chocolate. It’s in cheese. It’s free range and all-natural. Down with the Cupcake – long live Jerky!
2. Raw cheese is everywhere! I rank this right up there with the proliferation of free wi-fi and the invention of the deep-fried candy bar. It warms my heart. Thank you, brave cheese makers, for sticking to your guns and producing the best cheeses you can.
3. Entrepeneurship is alive and VERY well. There were pickle people (yeah Gordy’s!); there were chocolate people; there were milk straw people (don’t know what that is? you will soon!); there were cheese people (lots of ’em!); there were ham people; there were jam people. You name it, someone has thought of a way to eat it. It was inspiring to see them all at work (and play). Bravo, exhibitors, for bringing us your inventive and inspiring wares!

See you next year…