By Suzanne Parker
When it comes to catching the hottest trends and the next big thing foodies will be blogging about the world descends upon on New York City each summer to check out the Fancy Food Show.
Although the event, which attracts more than 40,000 retailers, restaurateurs, distributors and food writers, takes place at Manhattan’s Javits Center, Queens is always a presence at this foodapalooza.
The variety of products Queens-based businesses concoct in the area of confections, cheese, coffee, snacks, spices, ethnic and organic mirrors the diversity of the borough.
And because shopping local is a trend that has been gaining traction, below is a list of Queens companies represented at last month’s show, and where you can find their products.
Cocktail Crate
Astoria resident Alex Abbot Boyd launched Cocktail Crate through crowd funding site Kickstarter in the fall of 2012.
Cocktail Crate hand makes craft cocktail mixers in New York City from fresh, local, and organic ingredients. The mixers come in 375 milliliter glass flask bottles and flavors include Sriracha Margarita, ginger bee, lavender bloom, and spiced old fashioned.
23-23 Borden Ave.
Long Island City
(718) 316-2033
www.cocktailcrate.com
Grand Prix Trading Corp.
Grand Prix Trading Corp. is a leading full service food importer from the Mediterranean and Balkans region with distribution centers in New York, Chicago, St. Louis, Detroit, and Atlanta. It imports over a 1,000 varieties of packaged Eastern European delicacies, with emphasis on cookies, crackers, candies and soup mixes.
Their brands include: ADM, Adria Zadar, Apicola, Bambi, Belje, Biljana, Borsec, Brother and Sister, Cedevita, Cockta, Crvenka, Dana, Damirex, Dem Coffee, Doncafe, Droga, Emo, Franck, Fructal, Grand, Ivkis, Jupi, Karolina, Kiseljak, Klas, Knjaz Milos, Koestlin, Kras, Podravka, Radenska, Raureni and Sejega.
75a Onderdonk Ave.
Ridgewood
(718) 821-8563
(718) 418-9300
www.grandprixtrading.com
Kopi Trading Co.
The Kopi Trading Co. is a coffee roaster, based in Long Island City. It specializes in single origin, organic Indonesian coffee roasted locally in small batches. Currently it sources coffee from South Sulawesi, Bali, and Aceh. The Aceh varietal from North Sumatra is a medium roast coffee with notes of cherry and chocolate. The Toraja, from South Sulawesi, is brought to life through a full city roast, alluding to hints of cedar and vanilla. The Bali is a medium roast with touches of chocolate and cinnamon.
The Kopi Trading Co is also one of a handful of American based producers of humanely harvested Wild Civet (Kopi Luwak) coffee – the kind that is harvested from civet poop!
11-25 45th Ave.
Long Island City
(516) 448-7816
www.kopitradingco.com
Madelaine Chocolate Co.
After being devastated by Hurricane Sandy, Madelaine Chocolate Co. is up and running despite the absence of government assistance from those elusive recovery funds, according to Jorge Farber, president/CEO.
The Madelaine Chocolate Co. has been a leading U.S. manufacturer of seasonal and other molded foiled chocolate novelties for three generations spanning over sixty years. Whether it is scary treats for Halloween, or chocolate cigars to trumpet your family’s new arrival, they’ve got chocolates for every occasion. The company is family owned and located in Rockaway Beach.
9603 Beach Channel Drive
Rockaway Beach
(718) 945-1500
(718) 318-4607
www.madelainechocolate.com
Maya Overseas Foods
In business for over 25 years now, Maya Overseas Foods Inc. is currently a major supplier of Indian groceries and spices to over 800 stores on the East Coast. What is now a thriving, well established business, began back in 1973 as a simple grocery store in Queens.
Maya’s extensive product line includes a variety of spices, pickles, ghee (clarified butter), oils, pastes and chutneys, snacks, sweets, atta (wheat flour), rice, mango pulp, dals and beans, basmati rice and many more, all of which are specifically attuned to the South Asian palate.
48-85 Maspeth Ave,
Maspeth
(718) 894 5145
www.mayafoods.com
Mother-In-Law’s Kimchi
Mother-in-Law’s Kimchi produces artisanal kimchee, the incendiary pickled cabbage that is a staple of Korean cuisine. Although Mother-in-Law’s Kimchi’s recipe comes from the kitchen of founder Lauryn Chun’s mother’s California restaurant, its name refers to the Korean tradition of new bride’s receiving their mother-in-law’s kimchee recipe.
In addition to kimchee, they have introduced a Gochujang collection of condiment pastes made from fermented chile paste in four different flavor profiles. They can be used as you would tomato paste in cooking, dips, sauces or sandwich spread for spicy umami flavors. The Sesame 02 version was a 2014 sofi (specialty outstanding food innovation) award finalist at the Fancy Food Show.
Po Box 8517
Long Island City, NY 11101-8517
917-940-5972
www.milkimchi.com
The Ravioli Store/The Quesadilla Store
For more than 25 years The Ravioli Store has been supplying all natural, hand crafted pasta products to thousands of professional chefs. It uses locally sourced seasonal ingredients encased in a special extra thin pasta to create memorable flavors like lobster and scallop mousse, artichoke pesto and wild mushroom and truffle.
The Ravioli Store has recently added the Quesadilla Store to its operation. The all natural quesadillas are available in a variety of flavors including manchego, corn and truffle, wild mushroom, tomato salsa, Chipotle shrimp, spinach and goat cheese. All are hand crafted, wrapped in fresh tortillas, and ready to heat and eat.
39-01 22nd St.
Long Island City, NY
(718) 729-9300
(718) 729-9370
www.raviolistore.com
Schaller & Weber
Schaller & Weber was founded in 1937 by Ferdinand Schaller as a company specializing in German American style charcuterie including bacon, ham, sausages, salami and pâtés. His grandson Jeremy Schaller is active in the business, and like an old-fashioned grocer, lives above the Manhattan retail outlet on Second Avenue. He asserts that his grandfather introduced the first recipe for Black Forest ham to the United States.
The signature product is double smoked bacon, cured, cooked and hardwood smoked. A full new line of all natural pâtés was offered for the first time at the Fancy Food Show.
22-35 46th St.
Astoria
(718-721-5480
718-956-9157
www.schallerweber.com
We Rub You Korean Marinades
This Forest Hills micro-company was a 2013 sofi (specialty outstanding food innovation) gold winner for its authentic Korean marinades.
While the flavor profiles are authentically Korean, the attitude is unmistakably New York, starting with the playful name. WRY uses a family recipe made the way sisters Ann and Janet Chung like to eat at home without any added MSG, HFCS, artificial colors or preservatives.
We Rub You Spicy showcases the spicier side of Korean cuisine by featuring the delicious, quintessentially Korean ingredient gochujang — an ancient food of fermented beans and chili peppers.
Their products can be used as marinades, BBQ sauces, cooking sauces or even dipping sauces. We Rub You Original is a blend of preservative-free soy-sauce made in upstate NY, cider vinegar and apple juice to add tartness and sweetness, and the essential garlic and ginger.
115 Greenway North
Forest Hills, NY 11375-6040
917-701-5162
347-960-7090
www.werubyou.com
Wholesome Kitchen
Wholesome Kitchen is a Far Rockaway based company, that manufactures of premium lines of Quinoa, QuinoChia (quinoa + chia), Freekeh (farro), Couscous , Gluten free Couscous and Israeli Couscous mixes. Their products are made with all-natural ingredients without preservatives, salts or colorings. They manufacture with high-end quality assortment of dried vegetables, dried fruits, nuts and exotic spices, all of which are ready to eat in a short time.
Farro sold under the Freekeh name by Wholesome Kitchen, it is the oldest cultivated grain in the world. This whole grain cousin of wheat has a rich nutty flavor, and lower gluten content. With twice the fiber and protein of regular wheat, Farro is an excellent alternative to many grains and can be used in a variety of cooking preparations. Available in two flavors: Considered the new super food, it’s high in fiber and protein and richer in nutrients compared to many other grains. Also rich in calcium and iron, it’s low in available carbohydrates and glycemic index. It has a nutty, smoky flavor. Add to salads, side dishes or as a complement to vegetables.
1285 Redfem Ave.
Far Rockaway, NY 11691.
718-705-8203
413-828-8393
www.wholesome-kitchen.com
