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/438836
& A look at the events, issues, and innovations shaping specialty food, plus store and restaurant openings, legislative and regulatory updates, an d more. 14 ❘ SPECIALTY FOOD MAGAZINE specialtyfood.com USPS Cooks Up New Stamp Series The U.S. Postal Service has released limited-edition celebrity chef stamps that may inspire food enthusiasts to send snail mail again. The fve chef honorees are James Beard, champion of American cuisine; Chinese-food expert Joyce Chen; legendary cookbook author and TV personality Julia Child; Southern cooking ambassador Edna Lewis; and South American chef Felipe Rojas-Lombardi. "The chefs were chosen because they revolutionized our understanding of food," says Connie Chirichello, USPS spokeswoman and corporate communications representative. The stamps were designed by artist Jason Seiler, who depicted each chef "in a style meant to resemble oil paintings," Chirichello adds. A dedication ceremony, which took place at the Park Grill in Chicago, paid tribute to the fve chefs by showcasing their most iconic dishes. In August, the Postal Service released another food-themed set: a series of farmers market stamps. trends happenings Transforming Food & Drink Neurogastronomy is one of the top three 2015 megatrends to come out of Baum+Whiteman's think tank. Known for creating high-profile restaurants for hotels, restaurant groups, museums, and other clients, the firm predicts neurogastronomy—how our senses cumulatively react to food—is poised to become part of the dining and drinking experience. Take beverage company Diageo, which found that a room with real grass and the sounds of birds makes single-malt whiskey taste grassier. Or how Nestle's labs discovered that curved rather than angular choco- late bits melt better and release different flavors. BY DENISE SHOUKAS First American- Grown Chia Seeds Louisville, Ky.'s U.S. Chia is growing the first domestic chia seeds, a low- calorie source of omega 3, dietary fiber, antioxidants, and protein that can reduce heart disease and risk of stroke. While U.S. Chia is focused primarily on the equine trade, the company began selling food-grade chia to the industry this summer. PHOTO: USPS