![]() |
The plantains were really good! Who knew??? |
![]() |
The “Iron Chef” Judges…they don’t look too intimidating! |
Burning Bush Hot Sauce – Neil D. Wenick President: This hot sauce is awesome on it’s own as a dip, or added into your favorite foods like soups, pizza, hummus, eggs, burgers, chicken wings, or even hot chocolate! burningbushhotsauce.com
RC Fine Foods Soup Bases & Mixes – Steve Byruch Director of Sales & Marketing: Delicious Kosher soup bases that you don’t have to be hesitant to use. Why? Because they are gluten, egg, dairy, and msg free…but not flavor free! www.rcfinefoods.com
Gus’ Pickles “Imitated But Never Duplicated” – This old timer is one of my all time favorites. It brings back memories of buying Gus’ pickles straight out of the barrel on the Lower East Side of NY. It’s the first booth I always stop at, there’s nothing like a super sour pickle for breakfast to start your day! www.gusspickle.com
Aromaville Iced Cappuccino – The indisputable winner for the nicest vendors. Somehow I found myself magically in front of the Aromaville Iced Cappuccino sample machine, and every time I just had to have another sample of the awesome Aromaville sugar-free iced coffee. If you don’t have the Aromaville Iced Cappuccino in your local store make sure to ask for it – I did and now my local store will be carrying my new beverage of choice! aromaville.com
De La Rosa Products “Bringing the ‘Soul’ back into food” – One of best “healthy” vendors, I was so impressed by the quality of De La Rosa toasted oil varieties, traditional and black hummus, sesame flours, coconut products, juices, and vinegars that I became the food writer waiting for samples at the end of the show. I wasn’t disappointed! Stay tuned for some exciting sesame flour & black hummus recipes! www.delarosa613.com
Chocolate Chips – With the “demise” of high quality, easy to find pareve chocolate chips on the market several vendors came out with some excellent options. Califonia Gourmet premium quality 45% cocoa chocolate chips www.californiagourmet.net and Best Ingredients for Best Results – Five Star Foods made from 100% Barry Callebaut chocolate. Wait for these to arrive on your local shelves…they will be worth the wait!
Cheese: It’s hard not to be a fan of my local Chicago “landsmen” Oneg & Shtark Cheese company. Fabulous smoked and spicy cheese blends were my favorites. Kosher cheese used to be limited to your yellow or white American Cheese. Fresh Mozzarella Cheese and other gourmet cheeses were prevalent at the convention. A new company Milano’s Isaac’s is a taste straight from Italy! It has no fillers, is gluten free and delicioso!
Manischewitz Company It used to be that Manischewitz meant matzo and gefilte fish. Not any more! The winner of the best new Kosher for Passover product (Carrot Cake Macaroons) and Best new Pasta, Rice & Grain (Gluten Free Matzoh Ball Mix) the company is a leader in gluten free products. I expected the gluten free brownies to taste like the old, dry, tasteless, passover brownie mixes we all remember. These were not your grandmothers passover brownie mix…they were moist and chewy! Although not gluten free, Manishewitz even has a “Chanukah House” kit for fun with kids of all ages! manischewitz.com
Empire Family Farm Raised Poultry Company Another company keeping up with the times is Empire, socially responsible dedicated to the principles of sustainable farming, antibiotic free, with truly natural products. Empire is not just a chicken roaster and turkey company anymore. You can find tasty, speedy-to-use marinated chicken and turkey products, and awesome chicken sausage. My favorites were the Gourmet Mild Italian Chicken Sausage and the Honey Barbecue Chicken Thighs. www.empirekosher.com
Gevina Farms Greek Yogurt – Rich and creamy you would never guess that the 100 calorie version was only 100 calories. The company also makes a fruit on the bottom Yo Pri that is made with real fruit and no artificial colors in “9 ridiculously delicious flavors”. gevina.com
Zelda’s Sweet Shop Caramel Corn – Winner of the Best New Sweet Snack, Cookie or Cracker. Zelda’s, based in Chicago, run by my friend Linda Neiman, makes the best caramel corn anywhere on the planet. Guests often will bring me a tub when invited for a Shabbat meal, and my family knows I don’t share the caramel corn! Get your own tub! zeldas.net
Blends by Orly Gluten Free flour mixes – Winner of the Best New Mix. Orly is a professionally trained pastry chef and has developed a line of specialty gluten-free flour mixes to suit every type of baking need at a one to one ratio to regular flour. I have my package of London blend which is perfect for cookies etc. It actually stood up to my chocolate chip cookie test! Now my gluten-free cookies will “Taste as good as they look!” www.blendsbyorly.com
![]() |
These guys were having a blast! |
![]() |
Sushi baby! |
Maccabee Italian Breaded Mozzarella Sticks – so simple but OMG, they are SO good!!! Crunchy on the outside, gooey on the inside. www.macabeefoods.com
![]() |
This just says it all! |
DeeBee’s Tea Pops – Winner Best Overall New Product and Best New Frozen Dessert. 100% Natural, made from tea, organic, non gmo, and naturally non-caffeinated these popsicles taste fresh and gourmet. Made with the best ingredients they are low in calories too ranging from only 25 to 50 calories, with enticing flavors like Tropical Mango (my favorite!) and Southern Iced Tea. www.deebeesorganics.com
Azuma Gourmet Seaweed Salad – Never. Not in one hundred million years did I ever expect that I would eat seaweed. And like it! Azuma Gourmet makes several beautiful, super unique and interesting salads that taste great. I especially liked the hijikiquinoa and seaweed salads, really. www.azumafods.com
Marzipan Rogelach – Straight from the back of Machaneh Yehuda in Israel, the famous best-in-the-world Marzipan Rogelach are now available here in the U.S.!! That’s a relief, now I don’t have to bring an extra suitcase with me the next time I go to Israel to bring back kilos of Marzipan Rogelach! www.MarzipanBakery.com
Osem Gratify Gluten Free Cookies & chocolate covered pretzels. For the Gluten Free Nosher, these simple snacks are the perfect grab-and-go, or tea and coffee accompaniment. The chocolate covered pretzels were crazy good. https://www.osem.co.il/en/brands/osem-products
HONORABLE MENTIONS
*Toffuti ravioli, pizza & lasagna – I even got to see the “cutie car” www.tofutti.com
*Shay’s Chocolate Old Fashioned Soft Caramels www.shayschocolate.com
*Smokinlicious Gourmet Wood Products Smokin’ Dust www.smokinlicious.com
![]() |
Use it in your smoker box on your grill! |
*Chilla Beverage Co – Smoothies, Frappes, Coffees, Lattes, and Belgian Waffle Mix www.chilla.com
*Connecticut Coconut Sugar www.ctcoconut.com
*Dodilly Elegant Desserts ElegantDessertsNY.com
![]() |
SO pretty I brought it home and am using it this Shabbat! |
![]() |
I told you Kosherfest 2014 was FUN!!! |
![]() |
My new favorite wine…sweet! |
![]() |
Awesome liqueurs! My favorite was the Dulce De Leche…right after the pickles (HA!) |
![]() |
Hot Dog! |
![]() |
Black Mushroom Truffle Paste. Holy Cow! This is a mushroom lover’s fantasy. |
![]() |
In case you wondered why they called it a truffle PIG! |
Leave a Reply