Every year, this show is one of the highlights of the season for a food writer. The 2015 edition did not disappoint. My only regret ? There’s never enough time to see it all. Believe me, I tried.
So many products! So much to see! Booths vied to catch the eye with striking visual displays and the nose with delectable smells of cooking. Some of the standouts were old standbys, some were new (at least to me).
There were big things, like the hundred-pound cheese at the Auricchio booth in the Italy pavilion.
Big Cheese
The prototype for the World’s Largest Cannoli was on display at the Cento pavilion. The actual WLC was made for the San Gennaro Festival in New York’s Little Italy in 2014 by Ferrara Pasticceria and Espresso Bar, weighed 350 pounds and was 12 feet long. The cannoli on display was not nearly as big, but still large enough to catch the eye.
Cannoli Chef Lauren and Her Creation
Chef Lauren was filling smaller but tasty relatives of the Big One, as well as takeaway tiramisu.
A little cognitive dissonance popped up in Spain. The Taj Mahal brand of saffron is marketed as if it came from the wilds of India, but it’s Spanish all the same.
Spanish Saffron
And wait! Sushi? And yes, still in the Spain pavilion! This chef was showing off Spanish tuna as well as his knife skills.
Spanish Sushi
More expected were the legs of ham on display, in Spain and Italy. How hard is it to choose between Iberico and Prosciutto? Really, really hard.
Spanish Ham
Very Up Close and Personal
Ham Overhead!
There were eye-catching images along with those gleaming red slicers
Great Visual
and friendly people helping you to samples of tasty meat.
Delicious, Thanks, Johanna!
And this Guy From Last Year, Back Again.
Here was one of my favorite snacks, being made by a machine: the DeliManjoo brand of the Korean filled pancakes (manjoo). These are also popular all over Japan, where they are known as taiyaki, and come with various fillings.
Korean Filled Fish
And at Melissa’s booth full of wonderful exotic fruit, I finally got my hands on a product that I had been seeking for a long time: a finger lime. When I was back in my hotel room, I cut it open to taste all the little “cells” that grow inside it, each a little pop of flavor, like a vegetal version of caviar. I emptied the contents of the little fruit into a glass of seltzer water and created a weird but wonderful version of bubble tea.
Finger Lime
And when I got home, I planted the four seeds I found inside. One grew. Now, I have my own finger lime tree!
Well, My Own Seedling, At This Point.
Stay tuned for more about the events and exhibits at the Show.
