FANCY THAT

I ATTENDED MY very first NASFT Fancy Food show at Moscone in San Francisco some 10 years ago. I can still remember the awe and shock I felt when faced with the prospect of eating through miles of aisles of food purveyors, each one serving up bites of their newest and best. I tasted and tasted, then tasted more. And went home with a tummy ache.
Every year, I'd eat a little less, talk a little more. But still -- the tummy ache.
This year, I did the unthinkable. I deliberately avoided all cheese until the last two hours of the show. I tasted sauces and meats and salts and pickles and seaweed and olives and juices and teas and caramels and chocolate... and so much more. Cheese, I saved for my last course, which I followed up with a glass of wine at a nearby party. This year, for the first time ever, no tummy ache!
I tell you all of this because having a strategy for covering a show of this magnitude is imperative. It's critical to keep in mind that the NASFT Fancy Food Show is a marathon -- not a sprint.
As the months unfold, I will be sharing in detail about foods I discovered at the annual show, both here and in my column, The Picky Eater, that runs in the Bay Area News Group publications, but for now I will share my list of top bites. Trust me, you want to know about these; you may even want to bookmark the page so it's handy the next time you do some online gift-shopping for your favorite foodie.
Twice the Vice Spirited Chocolates -- Spiked with everything from Bailey's Irish Cream to whiskey, these expertly made, ample-sized chocolates are in a category all their own. http://www.twicethevice.com/
Cypress Grove Chevre PsycheDillic -- I wanted to eat the entire round of this smooth, tart goat cheese flavored with dill pollen, but the cheesemaker manning the booth didn't give me the chance. http://www.cypressgrovechevre.com/
Unbound Pickling Bacon Pickle -- This is an odd idea but it totally works. The entire line is good, but the bacon-flavored pickle is standout. http://www.unboundpickling.com/
Sparrow Lane Pear Rose Vinegar -- Splash this drinkable vinegar (yes, it would make a lovely cocktail) on top of anything from fish to veggies; it's sweet and tart and packed with flavor. http://www.sparrowlane.com/
Nuubia Chocolate -- Just launched a few months ago in Pleasanton, these ridiculously delicious and gorgeous chocolates are to die for. http://www.nuubiachocolate.com/
Bellwether Farms Ricotta Cheese -- This is the freshest and most delicious ricotta I've ever eaten. http://www.bellwetherfarms.com/
Republic of Tea's Banana Chocolate Tea -- Bananas and chocolate in my teacup? Yes, please! http://www.republicoftea.com/
Hepp's Salt Barrel Truffle Salt -- This fragrant salt kills the competition. It's a truffle in the hand at a fraction of the price. Their other flavored salts smelled incredible. http://www.heppssaltbarrel.com/
Skillet Bacon Jam -- On a cracker with goat cheese... Sounds gross, but it's really good! http://www.skilletbaconjam.com/
Agave in the Raw -- this caramelly and viscous sweetener is a revelation. It's good enough to drizzle on ice cream, yet so much better for you than most syrups. http://www.agaveintheraw.com/
Rogue Creamery's Smoky Blue Cheese -- If you love blue cheese, this deep, rich cheese is a must-try. http://www.roguecreamery.com/
The City Bakery Hot Chocolate -- Just yum. It comes in asceptic boxes so they're easy to tote around. http://www.thecitybakery.com/
Yakami Orchard Yuzu Mayonnaise -- I'm not a huge fan of mayo, but if I'm going to eat it, it better be good. This citrusy Japanese mayo redefines the category. http://www.waimports.com/

MINTY MIXOLOGY

ICY COLD DAYS and crazy cold nights call for extra measures -- like serious warm-up drinks courtesy of the creative team at Bailey's. The company, best known for its Bailey's Irish Creme liqueur, has introduced a new and incredibly delicious version, Bailey's Mint Chocolate.

The liqueur is perfect as-is, but this concoction tastes like pastry in a glass. The contents?
1 part Bailey's Mint Chocolate
1 part Butterskotch schapps
1 part good quality vodka (totally optional)
2 parts milk, half & half or cream (depending on how rich you want it)
1/2 cup ice
1 tablespoon (or more) caramel sauce
Fill blender with ice, add Bailey's, vodka (if desired), schnapps and milk/cream. Blend until smooth. Pour into a glass and top with caramel sauce.

POTATO TALK

I ADORE POTATO soups of all kinds. I've made more than a dozen different kinds myself -- some with the help of recipe-writers, some without -- but today I am staring at one that I can't wait to try:  Poblano Pepper and Potato Soup with Bacon, the winning recipe in Wisconsin's Potato Recipe Contest. The recipe comes from the kitchen of Josie Shapiro of San Francisco, and if you ask me, it's promising. I just got the ingredients for it today. I'll let you know what I think about it after my first bowl. Until then, here's the recipe (in case you find time to try it before I do.)
Poblano Potato & Pepper Soup with Bacon
Serves 6

3 tablespoons butter

3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 cup onion, chopped

1 cup carrots, peeled and chopped
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 1/4 cup chopped poblano pepper
1 pound russet potatoes, peeled & diced
12 ounces beer
2 cups chicken or veggie stock
2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup parsley leaves, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
6 strips bacon, cooked crisp
Heat butter in a 4-quart saucepan. When melted, sauté garlic, onion and carrots for 2-3 minutes. Add paprika, cumin and chili powder. Sauté 30 seconds.
Add poblano peppers and potaoes. Stir to coat and add beer and chicken stock. Bring to a vigorous boil, turn down heat and simmer, partially covered, for 20-22 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Puree with a hand held blender or in a food processor.
Add cheese and stir until melted. Add sour cream and parsley, cider vinegar, salt and pepper. Serve garnished with chopped bacon.

EAT AND TELL

ONE OF MY favorite foodie shows, Check, Please! Bay Area, is looking for some hungry (and picky!!) folks to eat and tell on upcoming episodes. The show, which airs on KQED, asks locals to review restaurants in the area and report their opinions as they sit around a table sipping wine. If you want to join the fun, fill out an application online at www.kqed.org/checkplease.
Note that guests need to be able to travel at their own expense to the restaurants they recommend, and to travel to the KQED studio in San Francisco, where the show is filmed.

TASTE AND TELL

IF YOU LOVE wine and have big opinions about what you drink, now is your chance. Sign up to be one of 100 consumer "wine evaluators" at the 5th Annual Consumer Wine Awards in Lodi. The awards, hosted by the Lodi Tokay Rotary Club, is slated for March 17-18.
Judges must not be connected with the wine trade and are responsible for getting themselves to Lodi and paying their own expenses. The judges will evaluate more than 1,000 wines. To join in the fun, go to http://www.consumerwineawards.com/ and fill out an application.  

UNWRAP AND ROLL

CHEESE FANS need to sit up straight and pay attention: Bel Gioioso has introduced the coolest new product just for us! It's a sheet of fresh mozzarella that we can literally unwrap, stuff and roll to create the best appetizer ever. Love it. I got two rolls and stuffed them with two sets of ingredients; smoked salmon and capers in one, prosciutto, sundried tomato and pesto in the other.
The result? Gorgeous two-bite rounds of light, fresh deliciousness. I would suggest keeping the other ingredients to a minimum, and avoiding oily items such as the pesto, as it makes the roll difficult to slice. And I'd roll them good and tight next time. But even if you mess up a little, the product is genius, especially for non-cooks. It's a pretty gourmet appetizer in the hand. A 12-ounce roll is $5-$6. http://www.belgioioso.com/