Specialty Food Magazine is the leading publication for retailers, manufacturers and foodservice professionals in the specialty food trade. It provides news, trends and business-building insights that help readers keep their businesses competitive.
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1119718
4 ❘ SPECIALTY FOOD MAGAZINE specialtyfood.com JULIE BESONEN Producer Profile: Genevieve Brazelton, Improper Goods Writer for The New York Times and restaurant columnist for nycgo.com ESTHER CRAIN Big Apple Bites, Hudson Yards New York City-based freelance writer DAVID DONNAN Opinion: The Tech-Wellness-Food Connection Partner emeritus with A.T. Kearney JANET FLETCHER Cheese Focus: Q&A: Profitable Pairings Writer of email newsletter "Planet Cheese" and the author of Cheese & Wine and Cheese & Beer MARK HAMSTRA The Latest in Olive Oil, Selling to Discounters: How Low Can You Go? Regular contributor to Specialty Food Magazine and Specialty Food News SARA KAY Industry City Education specialist for the Specialty Food Association ANNA KLAINBAUM North African Cuisine Freelance writer specializing in food and beverage NICOLE POTENZA DENIS Frozen's New Relevance Contributing editor to Specialty Food Magazine DENISE SHOUKAS Trends & Happenings Contributing editor to Specialty Food Magazine RON TANNER Building a Food Defense Plan: What You Need to Know Vice president, philanthropy, government, and industry relations for the Specialty Food Association Specialty Food Magazine is pleased to publish insightful and actionable articles from leading journalists and retail practitioners. CONTRIBUTORS MEET THE CONTRIBUTOR MICHAEL GAGE COSTA A n avid lover of food, SFA's art director, Michael Gage Costa, proudly brings his creative experience to the design of Specialty Food Magazine. He takes great pleasure in tasting new specialty foods while expanding his artistic and culinary horizons. What is one of the favorite articles you've worked on in the magazine? Curating images for our Buyers' Picks article is a la- bor of love. It gives me a chance to interact with so many food makers at different stages in their lives and careers, and I find their enthusiasm and excitement at being mentioned as a 'fan fa- vorite' to be absolutely infectious. What's your fondest food memory? As a kid growing up in Rockaway Beach, Queens, I learned to love food at family bar- becues and beach day lunches. My family would grill clams and steam artichokes with lemon and butter. We'd go out afterwards to Baskin-Robbins and I'd get my all-time favorite—daquiri ice, which is lime sorbet with a splash of rum flavoring. I can barely find that flavor these days, but just one taste and I'm six years old again. I hope one day my son will be as adventurous! What's your favorite food city? Barcelona, mainly because of how many times it was able to catch me off guard with unex- pected flavor experiences. Escargot sautéed in garlic, prosciutto- wrapped melon, good wine, and every kind of tapas. Dining there was like an endless cocktail hour with a variety of tasty, uncon- ventional surprises. Plus, you can't beat the afternoon siesta! What was the strangest food you've had recently and how did you like it? A hot dog with andouille alligator and shrimp sausage, cabbage, tomatoes, jalapeño remoulade, and scal- lions. It's one of my favorite entrees from a great restaurant in New Brunswick, N.J. called Destination Dogs that serves gour- met hot dogs inspired by flavors from around the world. What are some of your non-gastronomic interests? I'm an escape room junkie. I love finding clues, cracking codes, and solving puzzles and riddles. ere is something about this type of creative problem solving, the challenge of exploring every per- spective, that I find endlessly satisfying. I also love creating these types of experiences for others to enjoy. Eat out or stay in? at's a tough one. My wife is an excellent cook, and I also do secretly love when she texts me to say, "I don't feel like cooking tonight, let's just order sushi." at said, there's nothing like going to a good restaurant, ordering a hand-crafted martini (dirty, with gin), and trusting the rest of your evening to the chef. ? What's your favorite thing to bring to a cookout? sweet Italian sausage pasta salad wheat beer or an IPA fresh, organic vegetables