The international specialty food business puts on the Fancy Food Show; the winter version in San Francisco and the largest one at the Jacob K. Javits Center in New York City in the summer. I don't believe I've missed either attending or working the summer version in over 20 years. Larger than ever with a new conventional hall at the Javits Center added just last year it is impossible to see everything in one day, in fact, I spent almost 2 whole days and know there were booths I missed.
When walking the show my focus is on savory items, items that are a little bit different and limited sweets. I'm always looking for that "different" item – something that would have never crossed my mind and bazinga, in the first row I found two. One was Teriyaki Tuna Jelly with cooked tuna and mentaiko that is used with sushi or a condiment with finger food and what looked liked green olives but were baby peaches that you pop in your mouth whole, so sweet and tender you even eat the pit.
What was big this year, what had an overpowering presence was cheese, ever kind of cheese – so many vendors, distributors and international companies. Lots and lots and lots of cheese – everywhere you turned.