DATE: Sunday, July 13, 1997                 TAG: 9707100084

SECTION: FLAVOR                  PAGE: F1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY ANN WRIGHT, SPECIAL TO FLAVOR 

                                            LENGTH:  203 lines

VIRGINIA TAKES MANHATTAN: AT THE LARGEST GOURMET FOOD EXHIBITION, OLD DOMINION'S PRODUCTS TEMPT RETAILERS, RESTAURATEURS AND FOOD WRITERS

TRADITIONALLY peanuts and hams have been eastern Virginia's contributions to the world of fine food. But the 1997 New York Fancy Food Show, held June 29 to July 2, demonstrated that this area is attracting attention for other foods as well.

For four days the Jacob Javits Convention Center in Manhattan became the epicenter of cuisine, attracting exhibitors from more than 30 countries. Sponsored by the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade, the show is the largest and considered by some to be the most prestigious.

It is the ultimate gourmet grocery experience, but it's also overwhelming, putting even veteran attendees on sensory overload. Tasty samples, wonderful aromas and beautiful product presentations are seductive invitations to linger at every booth Comfortable shoes and antacids are necessities for the 36,000 retailers, restaurateurs and food writers who come to sample the 44,000 products.

Virginia's Finest red flags flew the length of an aisle that started with Rowena's of Norfolk on the right and S. Wallace Edwards & Sons of Surry on the left. Next was Blue Crab Bay Co. of Onancock. Virginia is one of only a dozen states to sponsor a pavilion.

Not only do these companies exhibit together, but they also collaborate on products and packaging. Crab Norfolk, a new soup from Blue Crab Bay, features bits of Edwards' Surry ham. A gift package from the trio contains the soup, Edwards' ham slices and Rowena's lemon pound cake and a jar of lemon curd. This ``Country Comfort Cuisine'' gift box is being sold by all three companies through fall catalogs.

Edwards and Rowena's are long-time participants at this annual Big Apple event. As such, they serve as anchors for the Virginia aisle. Fifteen or more other Virginia companies fill booths nearby. While the Old Dominion cachet remains attractive to buyers, local companies feel compelled to introduce new products at each show.

``The first words out of customers' mouths is `What's new?' '' said Sam Edwards, president of S. Wallace Edwards & Sons. ``That puts tremendous pressure on us to come up with new offerings.''

For this show, the company introduced a line of smoked sausages including venison, garlic, barbecue and ham and cranberry flavors.

The New York Fancy Food show is also a great time to test-market products still under development, said Edwards as he served up portions of his company's new barbecue pork loin seasoned with Chownings Tavern Barbecue Rub. The rub, developed by Colonial Williamsburg executive chef John Gonzales, is manufactured and distributed by Williamsburg Foods. Edwards said he was encouraged by the response from showgoers.

A summer show is an ideal way to debut products and packaging, since many retailers plan their Christmas buying based on what they see.

Caribbean Cookie Co. of Virginia Beach displayed its new Jouvert Confectionary Treasures in a selection of liqueur- and fruit-drenched flavors. The new truffle-like morsels will be featured this year in catalogs from Neiman Marcus, Harry & David and American Express.

Ashman Manufacturing of Virginia Beach offered a three of its Pass Out brand of hot sauces as well as bottles of restaurant-created salsas, marinades, dressings and spice blends. Restaurant condiments are part of a national trend, and among the samples at the show stood Fellini's Vinigairette Vinaigrette Salad Dressing from Fellini's Restaurant in Norfolk.

Purely American, a Norfolk company that celebrates American regional cooking, launched five new products. President Ray Leard was delighted with the kudos his Old Mission Cherries Rice Pudding received.

And apparently, the world can't get enough Virginia peanuts. The Peanut Patch from Courtland and Whitley's Virginia Peanuts, headquartered in Gloucester, each unveiled new packages. The Peanut Shop of Williamsburg dressed its goobers up in snazzy St. Andrews tins as a new gift for golfers.

In an arena where almost everything tastes wonderful, packaging takes on added importance.

A knock-out presentation can get out of hand, though, as Chris St. James of Portsmouth's Thunder Bay discovered.

St. James thought it would be clever to market the world's most expensive hot sauce, so the businessman-sculptor designed a hand-cast granite-composite decanter to sell for $175. Thanks to the show, it's a sellout and Thunder Bay is scrambling to fill orders.

For all its size, the Fancy Food Show is a surprisingly intimate affair. None of the producers are mega-manufacturers, nor do they want to be. They'd rather be top quality than top sized. Most are entrepreneurial companies, where owner and customers are on a first-name basis. Even the larger manufacturers are tiny in comparison to the behemoths that supply supermarket chains.

``You're there to reinforce your current business by talking to your customers face to face,'' said Tom Brockenbrough, vice president of Norfolk's First Colony Coffee & Tea and a veteran of more than two decades of food shows. ``At the same time, you hope to attract new buyers for your products.''

Half of First Colony's business is making coffee for other labels. Chances are, the coffee offered by high-end department store catalogs is roasted, blended and packaged in Norfolk. For instance, Ghirardelli coffee, offered by that renowned San Francisco chocolate company, is manufactured by First Colony.

In addition to java, First Colony's new line of teas is a hit. ``Macy's has put up a large display of our teas, and I understand they're flying off the shelves,'' said Brockenbrough.

Retailers also appreciate the chance to talk to the manufacturers and distributors.

``Our business has to stay fresh,'' explained Peter Coe of Taste Unlimited. ``The New York show allows us to meet with our suppliers, observe new trends in the food industry, to develop new products, and to plan Christmas.''

Coe, his daughter Sabra and buyer Connie Weis walk the show for three days and compare notes each evening. By the fourth day, they've decided what they want to order. ``It's hard work, but we visit every single booth,'' Coe said.

While the show is aimed primarily at retailers, chefs and restaurant owners visit to learn about trends and cultural influences.

Todd and Barbara Jurich, of Todd Jurich's Bistro in Norfolk, and Sam McGann, of the Blue Point in Duck, N.C., and Ocean Boulevard in Kitty Hawk, make the New York show an annual event.

``We come up here to see what's new and then we take what we've learned back to Norfolk and the Outer Banks,'' said McGann.

Louise Nagourney, owner of Cuisine & Company, gives special notice to finalists in the product competitions. Many things she found will appear on Cuisine's menu, in the take-out and catering business as well as on the store shelves.

``I go to New York for ideas and a few good things,'' Nagourney said. ``I found suppliers for some wonderful new ingredients.''

Two local products, Sting Ray Bloody Mary Mix from Blue Crab Bay Co. and Pirate's Pleasure cookies from Caribbean Cookie Co. in Virginia Beach, were among the five finalists in their respective categories for awards. These are the food world's Oscars.

Pam Barefoot, founder of Blue Crab Bay, was pleased. ``Being a finalist for best beverage brought a lot of buyers,'' she said. ``That silver statue you get certainly results in a lot of attention.''

Virginia was also well represented in judging. A select group of savvy retailers from across the nation is asked to evaluate the finalists in the product competition.

From Taste Unlimited, the trio of Coe, Coe and Weis sampled and awarded points. Tom and Mary Ellen Power, their daughter Cathy and retail buyer Charlotte Gourley from The Cheese Shop of Williamsburg applied their taste buds to the same enviable task.

Still others go to research the scene before jumping into the national arena. The cost of booth rentals, hotel rooms and transportation make the New York show an undertaking worth thousands of dollars.

Mary Griffith, owner of Virginia's Finest Chocolates in Williamsburg, wants to exhibit in 1998. ``I came to look at the competition and see what I'm getting into next year,'' she said.

Tony Saady of Azar's Natural Foods in Virginia Beach was on a similar mission. ``The time seems right with the increasing popularity of eastern Mediterranean ethnic foods,'' he said. ``Just a few years back, who'd ever heard of hummus?'' MEMO: Products from the Fancy Food Show should start appearing on

shelves of local specialty shops soon, but most of the items will appear

with fall and holiday merchandise.

MEDITERRANEAN FOOD AMONG TRENDS

PERHAPS the greatest trend of the 1997 Fancy Food Show is the

burgeoning popularity of specialty foods. With consumers' expanding

awareness of regional and ethnic cuisines, more and more people want the

authentic ingredients. Even supermarket shelves reflect this by stocking

such once-hard-to-find items as couscous, risotto and balsamic vinegar.

Mediterranean is the latest focus of the food world. Look for new

foods from Greece, the Middle East and Morocco. The emphasis on cooking

with whole grains and legumes reflects American cooks' growing interest

in healthy, natural foods and alternatives to meat.

``Expect more dried fruits in snacks, grain salads, and combined with

entrees,'' predicts Robin Tuite of Bella Monte in Virginia Beach. ``The

vegetarian trend so prevalent among the young is reflected in a

back-to-nature awareness that's affecting the entire food industry.''

Look for estate coffees as well.

First Colony of Norfolk sells estate coffees from Colombia, Jamaica,

Africa and Hawaii. These connoisseur coffees are hand-picked and

sun-dried before being shipped to Norfolk for roasting. They won't be

heavily promoted because their availability varies with the success of

each coffee plantation's harvest.

Estate olive oils are another trend. Olives reflect the climatic and

other conditions where they're grown and there's a growing appreciation

of local variations. Grape-seed oils and nut oils, such as pistachio,

hazelnut and macadamia, are winning new fans as top chefs demonstrate

how to use them.

Flavored oils and infused oils remain big draws. One California

producer, O Olive Oil, crushes blood oranges or Meyer lemons with the

olives for a powerfully aromatic oil.

Fruit-flavored vinegars are also still making a big splash. Look for

pomegranate and citrus to join raspberry and blueberry as ingredients

for salad dressings. Herbal vinegars remain very popular and many

bottles are works of kitchen art.

``Everyone seemed to have something dipped in chocolate,'' marvels

Connie Weis of Taste Unlimited, who had more than her fill of chocolate

covered berries and coffee beans.

``They were as ubiquitous as biscotti and salsas in previous years. I

think some of the new olive tapenades (pastes) are wonderful,

particularly one I liked that was made with portobello mushrooms.''

``The show seemed bigger than ever,'' reflected Louise Nagourney of

Virginia Beach's Cuisine & Company. ``I particularly noticed that more

than ever before, chefs and restaurants are licensing their names. That

identification with their products is part of what makes the specialty

food business so much fun. It's an industry of nice people who care

about good food selling to an audience who appreciate all the hard work

that goes into making it.''

-Ann Wright ILLUSTRATION: Photo

BETH BERGMAN/The Virginian-Pilot

The Country Comfort Cuisine gift box includes Blue Crab Bay's Crab

Norfolk, Edwards' Surry ham and Rowena's lemon pound cake.

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