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/83609
(continued from p. 31) FOODS IN FOCUS "As a father, I will purchase chocolate sauce for my kids, but the caramel sauce is strictly for the adults."—Fortino Gomez, Hubbell & Hudson Market & Bistro Hemm says. "Those memories, along with our affordable price, make us a strong competitor in the specialty topping marketplace and keeps customers coming back." Sanders' classic flavors, such as Milk Chocolate Hot Fudge and Classic Caramel, are top sellers in the line that includes Cinnamon Pear Caramel and Caramel Apple. Though chocolate will never lose its appeal, caramel is coming Mexican Torta ("Sausage" Vegetable Quiche) Yield: 1 (9-inch) quiche to serve 4 to 6 Prep time: 50 minutes, plus baking and cooling time Shelf life: 3 days For the naysayers who believe vegan food has no flavor, this torta—filled with robust chipotle faux-sausage meat, mushrooms, red bell peppers and scal- lions—will change their tune. The chipotle sausages are quite spicy; to dial down the heat, substitute one Italian or other milder variety of vegan sausage. 1 ( 9-inch) vegan pie crust, defrosted coarsely ground cornmeal 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 4 ounces trimmed and sliced white mushrooms 4 ounces diced red bell pepper 2½ ounces chopped scallions, including green parts 2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic 7 ounces (2 links) chipotle sausages, casings removed, diced ¹/3 cup each chopped basil and flat-leaf parsley 2 teaspoons ground cumin 2 teaspoons salt, divided 1 (16-ounce) container silken tofu, drained ¼ cup arrowroot 6 ounces vegan jack cheese 2 tablespoons lemon juice ½ teaspoon ground black pepper ½ cup vegan shredded pepper jack cheese 2 t ablespoons vegan grated parmesan 1. Heat the oven to 350 F. Carefully slide the pie crust from its tin, sprinkle the bottom of the tin with a little cornmeal, and return the crust. Prick the crust several times with a fork, line with aluminum foil and fill with bak- ing weights. Bake for 10 minutes, then transfer to a baking sheet and remove the foil and weights. 2. In a very large skillet over medium-high, heat the oil and saute the mush- rooms, bell pepper and scallions for 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in garlic and sausages, cook for 2 minutes, then add the basil, parsley, cumin and 1 teaspoon of salt and mix well. Remove from heat. 3. In the jar of an electric blender, combine the tofu, arrowroot, vegan cheese, lemon juice, remaining salt and black pepper and puree until smooth. Scrape the mixture into the tart shell, sprinkle on the shred- ded pepper jack and bake until the edges are firm, about 55 minutes. Sprinkle on the parmesan and broil briefly to brown the top. Remove and cool for 1 to 2 hours. The tart will firm up as it cools. Serve warm, not hot. NUTRITIONAL DATA (per portion): Calories: 460; Cholesterol: 25 mg; Sodium: 450 mg; Fat: 33 g; Dietary Fiber: 2 g. Joanna Pruess is a regular contributor to Specialty Food Magazine. specialtyfood.com/ onlinehighlights. up as a frontrunner. "Our chocolate syrup is a favorite go-to top- ping, but our caramel syrup is quickly growing in popularity," notes Karen Atkinson, director of retail sales for Guittard Chocolate Co., Burlingame, Calif. Caramel's smoky, brittle quality may be what makes it so versatile and appealing—especially for the newfangled food adventurer. "You can have far more application options with caramel sauce as you would with chocolate sauce because its flavor profile is more compatible with savory items like coffee or cheese," Godinez explains. "As a father, I will purchase chocolate sauce for my kids, but the caramel sauce is strictly for the adults." At Hubbell & Hudson, La Salamandra Dulce de Leche from Argentina, made with just sugar, vanilla and milk from grass-fed cows, is by far the most popular caramel sauce. Straub's McElroy also touts this brand. "La Salamandra Dulce de Leche is one of our biggest-selling dessert toppings," he says. DeMedici Imports has been importing La Salamandra since 1999; Steve Kaufman, executive vice president of DeMedici, says he has seen its sales continually grow over the years, ultimately drawing more customers overall for the gourmet importer. "As more com- panies make products with the dulce de leche flavor, it draws more attention to us," he says. Another favorite caramel sauce at Hubbell & Hudson comes from Somebody's Mother, a family-owned business, which also offers Chocolate and White Chocolate sauces. "I call it the Ten- Dollar Dessert Sauce, but it's worth every penny," Godinez says. Cross-selling and creative merchandising are key to drawing attention to this growing category. Thinking outside the realm of sweet by placing dessert sauces at the cheese counter or flavored beverages in the coffee or soda aisle is sure to open a dialogue with customers and offer new sales opportunities. |SFM| FIND INGREDIENT cost worksheets at Nicole Potenza Denis is a contributing editor to Specialty Food Magazine. OCTOBER 2012 55