Touted as a nutritional powerhouse with superior antioxidant properties since its explosion on the food scene, the ruby-seeded fruit today flavors everything from juice to salsa to cocktails. Its meteoric rise has opened the door for other exotic fruits that are turning up in produce departments or as out-of-the-ordinary flavorings in specialty foods like beverages, jams and condiments.

Hydrating in Style
April 2, 2007
The signs of specialty water’s ascendancy are undeniable at retail. Eight-plus feet of linear shelf space are often devoted to premium bottled water, in addition to end-cap displays of specials. Even space-conscious merchants are doing some creative cross-merchandising, outfitting smaller bottles near the prepared foods counter or in coolers at the front end for grab-and-go sales.

Retro Desserts Go Modern
March 7, 2007
When turmoil and chaos thrive, reminiscing begins and memories soon turn to food. Today—blame it on war, politics or even non-stop email—Americans are craving classic treats like cupcakes, layer cakes, cobblers, puddings and other traditional favorites from decades past. Store-bought versions or packaged mixes of these desserts have been modernized for today’s busy schedules, sophisticated tastes and dietary concerns, yet still offer the homemade taste that makes revisiting childhood worth the trip.

The New Look of Soups: Hearty, Healthy, Ethnic
November 7, 2006
Move over Cream of Mushroom.

Always crowd pleasers, heartier, healthier soups with expanded flavor profiles are bolstering the sluggish sales of mass-market staples. Undoubtedly still a companion to Sandwich, soup is also becoming a year-round one-dish-meal, showing off homemade styles, quality ingredients, ease of preparation and identifying with myriad nationalities.

Appetizers for Easy Entertaining
October 3, 2006
Even professional cooks often opt for an assembly rather than from-scratch approach to appetizers and hors d’oeuvres. With a little guidance, your market can become the go-to solution for consumers looking for quick yet sophisticated entertaining solutions for the holidays and year-round.

Specialty Food for Holiday Entertaining
September 12, 2006
Amusing themed treats and delicacies that overwhelm the senses and conjure up memories of holidays past.

Warming and inviting hot mulling spices; whimsically shaped marzipan; soothing yet stimulating winter herbal tea; novelty Santa- or dreidel-shaped cutout cookies and chocolates; eggnog—oh, the sales opportunities that arise during the holiday season.

The Foods of North Africa
July 31, 2006
As a food writer who has written and studied the national cuisines surrounding the Mediterranean for more than 40 years, I approach the cooking of the region in terms of its key flavors and tastes—the tang of its lemons and pomegranates; the soft textures of its dates and capers; the striking and unexpected combinations of its vegetables and fruits; its olives and olive oil—because these are among the things that Mediterranean food is all about.

Cured, Smoked & Salted Meats
June 1, 2006
The panoply of specialty and ethnic foods in the 125 vendor stalls at the West Side Market in Cleveland, Ohio is impressive, especially the enormous array and diversity of smoked, cured and salted meats and sausages. Polish, Czech, Hungarian and German meat specialties that reflect the region’s settlers all but eclipse both familiar and lesser-known Italian deli products. Dotted among the kielbasas, bratwursts and Pick salami, vendors sell Spanish chorizo and Serrano ham, Irish or Canadian bacon and Middle Eastern-style halal smoked meats. It is a testament to the old and new food cultures in the U.S. that emphasize the global origins of preserved meats.

Rubs, Brines & Other Grill Accompaniments
May 2, 2006
Rubs and spice blends give grilled items personality. They enhance flavor and often do not add fat, creating a healthy cooking option.

With grilling being one of the most popular activities among specialty food consumers—40 percent say barbecuing is one of their favorite leisure activities, according to Today’s Specialty Food Consumer 2005—the demand for rubs and spice blends is booming. As grilling becomes a year-round indoor and outdoor activity, these products have become pantry staples.

Granola, Muesli & Other Healthful Cereals
March 1, 2006
Whole grains—the basis for granola, muesli and other healthful cereals—have emerged as agriculture’s superheroes for their valuable nutritional benefits.

That formerly down-market granola, commonly purchased in bulk in health food stores, would emerge as an upscale specialty food once seemed unlikely. Yet, within the past decade, consumer awareness of the nutritive value of foods perceived to be fresh, natural and minimally processed has increased dramatically.

The Indian Spice Kitchen
January 10, 2006
The adventurous, savvy American palate no longer limits Indian food to a bowl of curry. Professional chefs, home cooks and diners are discovering the culinary splendors of Indian cuisine, recognizing the difference between North and South Indian styles of cooking as well as variations from regions such as Kerala and Chettinad in the south, and Gujarat and Goa on the western coast.

America Adopts the Asian Pantry
November 7, 2005
Once a week growing up, cartons of Lo Mein, Beef with Broccoli and Chow Mein were strewn across our kitchen table on Chinese take-out night. The food always took a back seat to what lay at the bottom of the bags: endless packets of soy sauce. These packets made dinner flavors pop—and the pleasing memory of the bold, strong, exotic salty-bitter flavors they imparted lingered well into dessert.

Chocolate's Evolving Taste
October 1, 2005
ne-note sugary chocolate treats such as M & M’s® and Snickers® bars Have given way to artisan truffles made with lemon, basil, sherry vinegar or beer; chocolates accented with exotic spices; and nuanced bars lauding a new lexicon of virtues such as single origin and high cocoa content—all creating an evolution of taste satisfaction for consumers.

Customary Holiday Breads from Around the World
September 1, 2005
Sweets and candies are often associated with holiday celebrations in the U.S., but breads ranging from yeasted to unleavened, sweet to savory, are traditional worldwide. While varieties differ, these breads have in common a special flavor, ingredient or significance that sets them apart from everyday assortments. Often ethnic or regional in origin, they have a growing appeal to sophisticated shoppers who are discovering time- honored celebration offerings from places such as Mexico, Scandinavia and Eastern Europe in addition to classics like Italy’s panettone and German stollen.

Healthful Spreads of the Middle East
June 23, 2005
Not long ago, most Americans had never heard of tahini and had no idea what hummus tasted like. “Baba ghanoush” was an exotic-sounding term that might have been the name of a character in 1001 Arabian Nights. Today, as Middle Eastern restaurants and groceries have popped up in cities thanks to an influx of immigrants from Lebanon, Syria and Egypt, these words have crept into the culinary lexicon. Healthful spreads are steadily growing in popularity and burgeoning on mainstream acceptance.

Specialty Rice: An Ancient Grain Gets a Modern Twist
May 10, 2005
Rice has been getting an extreme makeover as manufacturers, retailers, chefs and consumers are finding it to be versatile, nutritious, exotic and inspiring. The old favorite Minute Rice now has new competition in Kalijira rice that cooks in just 10 minutes. Uncle Ben’s Converted Rice is in the shadow of beautifully aromatic red rice from Bhutan. And fluffy and separate black Chinese rice joins sticky sweet black Thai rice as a popular choice.

The New American Soft Drink
April 8, 2005
There's a new spin on fizz and it is brewing in the beverage aisle. Called “new age,” “super premium,” “grown up,” “alternative,” or “boutique,” new carbonated beverages boast hip flavors. Many are appealing to consumers because they are healthful alternatives to the high-fructose competition.

Jams, Preserves and Marmalades: A Sweet and Savory Explosion
February 21, 2005
When I was a kid, jelly had two purposes: To be grape and to be sandwiched between peanut butter and two pieces of crustless Wonder Bread. Unconcerned about the differences between jams, jellies, preserves or that bitter orange stuff Grandma spread on dry toast, I knew jelly as peanut butter’s mate for life.

Crackers, Crispbreads and Other Crunchy Treats
January 14, 2005
My mother always kept a box of either Ritz® or Saltines on hand. Sometimes these salty treats were spread with peanut butter as a snack; at other times, they were topped with sliced cheese for guests.

Pasta Sauce Goes American
December 1, 2004
Pasta sauce is no longer strictly Italian. Although born into Italian descent and traditionally functioning as a flavor carrier for pasta dishes, U.S. pasta sauce has broadened its horizons to meet myriad tastes, foods and pasta shapes. In 2002, the jarred pasta sauce market, which includes shelf-stable and refrigerated sauces from tomato- and cream-based to pestos and vegetable varieties, stood at $1.5 billion, according to Mintel International.

European Christmas Traditions
October 25, 2004
You can barely see over the tiers of Italian panettone and mounds of German stollen at most specialty food stores during the holidays. Items that once screamed “fruitcake” and made consumers run now sell out before Christmas Eve nears. Inspired by tasting the highest-quality versions available, American consumers have made European Christmas foods regular guests at the holiday table. Here are some traditional products that contribute to spirited holiday sales.

The Comeback of the Pickle
July 13, 2004
In the early years of the 20th century, pickle purveyors operating out of pushcarts and wooden barrels spilled onto the streets of Manhattan’s Lower East Side and ethnic enclaves across the country. One hundred years later, pickles are experiencing a rebirth as a specialty food, with some merchants opening shops solely devoted to the cured cucumber—and other sophisticated pickled vegetables.

Specialty Deli Meats, European Style
June 11, 2004
I started working in my father’s deli when I was 15. The view from behind the counter was always skewed by the masses of Italian dried sausages that hung from the ceiling encased in their fashionable molds. The work left me smelling like Parmigiano-Reggiano, a sweet, but unforgettable scent that seemed to linger for days—a smell I will always associate with my dad.

Cookies of the World
April 29, 2004
Cookies such as Toll House’s Chocolate Chip and Nabisco’s Oreo have historically been staples in American households. But the mix in the cookie jar is gradually changing.

Opportunities Beyond Olive Oil
April 1, 2004
My introduction to what I then considered alternative oil was 11 years ago on a dinner table piled high with perfectly charred cuts of beef and delicately roasted artichokes. The oil was not in a fancy bottle, nor did it don a hefty price tag. Instead, it lay in an ordinary wooden bowl with a tablespoon. Chunks of freshly cut garlic, generous amounts of Italian sea salt, and a sprinkling of some red pepper flakes swam its circumference. The oil hurriedly made its way around the table between 15 hungry Sicilians who would not eat their steak until it was anointed with what seemed to be a holy concoction. When it came my turn to partake in this ritual, all eyes were gazing at my plate. After the deed was done, I realized that, although simple and rustic, the oil added a new dimension to the meat.

The New American Potato Chip
February 27, 2004
The simple potato chip has come a long way in the past decade. Today, the chip aisle in nearly every store—from mainstream supermarket to neighborhood specialty shop—is packed with selections featuring a range of flavors, textures, and styles to suit all tastes.

Specialty Yogurt
December 23, 2003
With sales topping $2.6 billion in the U.S. in 2002, up 13.6 percent from 2001, according to IRI and ACNielsen, yogurt has grown into an all-occasion product, consumed by almost everyone in the family, at any time of day.

Caviar: A Luxury Food in Flux
November 3, 2003
Caviar. The mere word conjures up images of extravagant galas thrown by Hollywood moguls or grand international receptions hosted by heads of state. Many Americans view caviar as a luxury lifestyle product—a food for the rich. Yet recent developments in aquaculture, combined with American ingenuity, are making caviar increasingly accessible to all.

The Explosive Taste of Ginger
October 6, 2003
Ginger doesn’t discriminate. It crosses cultures and culinary boundaries and has an appeal that is working its way into every cuisine and type of specialty food. This ancient, ageless, hand-like “horn root” rhizome that grows underground may evoke nostalgia in cookies, breads and soda, but its repertoire does not stop there. From savory to sweet, ginger is taking its fragrant and heated reputation to new levels by harmonizing dishes and challenging palates.

Gone Nuts: The Explosion of Specialty Nuts
August 21, 2003
When I was a child, I could always find a dish overflowing with walnuts, almonds, Brazil nuts, filberts and pecans sitting on the sideboard in the dining room. I loved cracking open the nuts and tasting the fresh, savory flavors almost as much as I loved using the nutcracker as a torture device on my brother. Twenty years later, I have replaced the shelled varieties my mother favored with a supply of wasabi-coated peanuts, cinnamon-spiced pecans and caramelized, seasoned almonds. I miss using a nutcracker, but I love what specialty nuts have added to my life: Exotic spices, intriguing flavor combinations and complete satisfaction.

Heirloom Produce: Potential from the Past
June 20, 2003
From rough stalls in farmer’s markets to five-star restaurants and upscale specialty food stores, heirloom fruits and vegetables are being embraced by consumers willing to pay for “real” food that often tastes better than it looks.

The Great Cheeses of Italy
May 29, 2003
Authentic Italian cheeses are exploding in popularity, as they become increasingly available in specialty markets, supermarkets, and on menus at quality restaurants throughout the U.S. Yet for many Americans, the image of Italian cheese is still processed mozzarella on a pizza or imitation Parmesan in a cardboard container. Which means it’s up to retailers and cheesemongers across the country to turn their customers on to the great cheeses of Italy. Since there are hundreds of Italian cheeses, there is much debate about which ones are great. Some would argue that they all are. But one thing is unequivocal: Parmigiano-Reggiano—the flaky, aged cheese made exclusively in the provinces of Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena, part of Bologna and part of Mantua—is not only considered to be a great Italian cheese, many consider it to be the world’s greatest cheese. Others that top many a cheesemonger’s best-of list include Grana Padano, Pecorino Romano, Mozzarella di Bufala, and Gorgonzola.

Gelato & Sorbet:The New American Ice Creams
May 1, 2003
My earliest ice cream memory is getting a heaping scoop of green mint chocolate chip atop a crispy sugar cone. There was something about that bright green color, the chunky chocolate chips, and ultra-creaminess that set it apart from the dozens of other flavors in the case. One lick and I was hooked.

The Intricacies of Specialty Salt
April 18, 2003
My relationship with salt blossomed the first day on the job as a line cook. Salt and I butted heads, only temporarily, thankfully. After diligently seasoning a white bean dip spread that was to accompany Tuscan grilled bread for a VIP table, I sent the chef gasping for water and screaming, “Throw it out; it’s over-salted.”

The Nuances of Green Tea
February 18, 2003
“You are crazy if you don’t drink green tea.” This lead sentence of Jonathan Reynolds’ article in the New York Times Magazine on January 19 makes it official: the trend toward green tea has arrived in the U.S. And with slogans like that, it’s hard to doubt this is going to be “Something Big.”

Authentic Regional Cooking Sauces of Mexico
January 7, 2003
Striving for Mexican cultural integrity and preserving regional authenticity are trends increasingly visible in the specialty food and restaurant industry. Not long ago, salsa and chips were the closest that non-ethnic consumers, retailers and restaurants came to Mexican cuisine. Those times are over...