The 2010 summer Fancy Food Show in New York last week was awash in condiments, confections, and, notably, cookbook authors. Among the stars at this year's fair were Lidia Bastianich, Rick Bayless, and Ina Garten--as well countless entrepreneurs, many who hope to become tomorrow's cookbook stars.
While the upper level of the Javits Center was a morass of major food companies, both fancy (D'Artagnan) and not quite (Haribo), smaller vendors congregated downstairs, where regional pavilions highlighted foods from Virginia, New York, and other states, and tiny purveyors, such as Blue Moon Sorbet in Quechee, Vermont, could barely keep up with the demand. Bastianich had prime real estate near the bottom of the escalator, and her bright booth was stocked with jars of her tomato sauce and boxes of her pasta. Although her main focus was on the new food line, she couldn't help talking about her upcoming children's book, Nonna Tell Me a Story: Lidia's Christmas Kitchen, due out in October from Running Press Kids. And her daughter Tanya Bastianich Manuali, who was stirring the penne alongside her mother (pictured), told PW about a book she's working on, also coming in October: Reflections of the Breast: The History of Breast Cancer Through the Eyes of Artists Through the Centuries (Brick Tower Books). Bastianich, an art historian, collaborated with a doctor who specializes in breast cancer for the unique book.
Elsewhere at the show, chef Rick Bayless was giving cooking demos using his new skillet taco sauces, and red chile chicken tacos seemed to be a big hit. Though Bayless was pushing his line of jarred salsas, he also had a new book to promote: Fiesta at Rick's, just out from Norton. Bayless also noted that he picked up some cool samples on the show floor--including ki'xocolatl organic chocolate from Yucatan, which he told people would be appearing soon at his Chicago restaurant Frontera Grill. Another of Bayless's finds: Askinosie hazelnut chocolate spread ("Don't even dare to compare it with Nutella," he said).
Cookbook author and Good Morning America food editor Sara Moulton combed the exhibits, too, and later appeared on GMA talking about trends she'd picked up on, including gluten-free, fair trade and flavors from India. Moulton, whose Everday Family Dinners came out from Simon & Schuster in April, was all about the bacon-flavored popcorn at J&D's Bacon Pop, an aged goat cheese called Bijou from Vermont Butter and Cheese Creamery, and Dagoba Chai hot chocolate--the first ever organic chai drinking chocolate.
Other bright lights from the cookbook world included Ina Garten (whose Barefoot Contessa How Easy Is That? Clarkson Potter will publish in October), the people from Tate's Bake Shop (whose owner, Kathleen King, wrote the fabulous Kathleen's Bake Shop Cookbook so long ago), and reps from Nirmala's Kitchen, the purveyor of spice blends, salts, and grains, whose head, Nirmala Narine, wrote Nirmala's Edible Diary (Chronicle) last year.
As for the yet-to-be-published, the show was a scout's dream. Sure, it might be a stretch to imagine a cookbook from the creators of Veggie Life Happy Hips Chicken & Apple dog treats, but Rosie Daykin, proprietor of Butter Baked Goods Ltd, could probably write a terrific book. She started out making flavored marshmallows for a local bake sale, and now she sells them--in flavors such as toasted coconut, matcha tea, peppermint, and strawberry--at her shop in Vancouver. Her raspberry marshmallows were a finalist in the confection category for the show's Sofi Award.
For more cookbook coverage from PW, check out our cookbooks page.
