By A.J. Flick
Senior Editor

The official delegation of the European Union to the United States kicked off the U.S. launch of its ambitious, two-year plan to acquaint the world of the bounty of European products.

Michael Curtis, deputy ambassador/deputy chief of mission, and Silke Boger, first counselor of the Agriculture Trade and Agriculture Section at the D.C.-based delegation stressed that the goal is not to promote certain products over others, but to share the quality and policy behind European products.

They acknowledge the big task ahead of catching American consumers’ attention, since the U.S. market is so diverse.

We can expect to see more from the EU as the plan rolls out.

Scotland wasn’t happy with the United Kingdom’s vocal exit from the European Union, voting to remain in the EU when Great Brotain wanted to leave. But Scotland was well represented at the Winter Fancy Food Show with a couldn’t-miss-it-if-you-tried tartan-filled booth near the entrance to the show floor.

This year marks the remarkable 125th anniversary of the company’s popular version of Scottish shortbread. The company has come out with some new tins and – just a minute, there’s much more, but I’m not allowed to write about them now! You’ll have to pick up the March issue of Gourmet News to find out what the company has in store for its milestone year.

“Regenerative farming” came up several times today, in my talks with exhibitors. I heard one succinct definition of regenerative farming from Michael D. Ham, co-founder and president of Wild Orchard Tea. I mean, I grasped the concept previously, but he put it so well:

“Sustainability is equal to net zero,” Ham said, “which is keeping everything the way it is.

However, he noted, in terms of climate change, the effects are spiraling downward, so maintaining status quo doesn’t do anything to affect that.

“Regenerative farming,” he said, “is net positive, making everything better. What we need to do is make things better.”

Net positive farming practices, he said, results in better, healthier food products, which equates to net positive health.

As Ham noted, tea is a plant that has been grown for 5,000-plus years. But that doesn’t mean it has to be produced the way it was 5,000 years ago. Caryl Levine & Ken Lee of Lotus Foods couldn’t agree more, except with them, it’s rice, which also has been cultivated for 5,000-plus years.

Levine and Lee were signing copies of their new book, “Rice Is Life: Recipes and Stories Celebrating the World’s Most Essential Grain.” Levine and Lee are passionate about sharing their openly shared process of producing rice that is not only better for the planet, but creates a better-the-body rice.

The biggest change is not keeping the rice fields soaked. When the rice fields are constantly flooded, it does reduce weeds, but it doesn’t allow carbon to permeate the field and enrich the soil. I’m looking forward to reading my copy of the book and telling you more about my talk with them in the March issue.

I also had the chance today to meet Chef Mike Orachewsky (pronounced or-ah-CHEF-sky – really), creator of TBJ Gourmet and the BJ stands for Bacon Jam. What’s not to like, right? Chef Mike O was a restaurateur with a catering business when a client left him stranded with 50 pounds of bacon. His business partner suggested he make bacon jam. Chef Mike O did and what he came up with was such a favorite with friends and family, he decided to launch the brand.

The company’s classic Bacon Jam is available in Walmart but Chef Mike O also has a line of specialty jams for anyone who doesn’t shop at Walmart. And wait till you hear what plans he has in store for bacon jam lovers. Do I have to say it’s going to be revealed (at least most of it, I’ve promised not to reveal one product until it’s ready) in the March issue of Gourmet News.

As I was browsing the show floor, going from interview to interview, a brand name caught my eye: Kill Sauce. The small batch hot sauces come from a Los Angeles-based company called Habanero Cartel. I live in Arizona and love hot sauces, so I went for the Habanero hot sauce the company’s flagship product and it slayed me – in a good way. Multi-layered and balanced with the right touch of heat but not too much. I also sampled the milder Fresno, made with sweet Fresno chiles, after I told them I loved hot sauce on my eggs and they said this was the perfect sauce for that. I concur. And when I mentioned ice cream, they have a hot sauce for that, too the Ghost, which marries the notorious ghost pepper with fruity twists of blackberries, raspberries and pomegranates. We didn’t have ice cream there, but I agree it would be tasty on some vanilla ice cream.

I had the opportunity to meet with best-selling cookbook author and popular podcaster Anna Vocino, creator of Eat Happy Kitchen, which includes a line of high-end no-sugar added, no gluten or GMOs, high-quality pasta sauces. As the founder of a fledgling food company, Vocino was thrilled to be at her second show (and second Fancy Food Show), because she knows the more networking she does, the more her sauces get into the hands and kitchens of consumers and chefs.

Vocino had a lot to say about the journey she took from the entertainment world to the specialty food industry and you’ll learn about them in the (you guessed it) March issue of Gourmet News.

One of the great things about the Fancy Food Show is seeing friends you’ve made from other shows (and online communications). I was happy to see Brett Bowman of B’s Gourmet Nuts (he’s the B), who I met at the American Cheese Society Show. He knows I love his nuts (hey don’t go there, I’m talking about his flavored cashews!) so much, especially the black truffle-flavored Decadent Cashews, he sent me home with a bag. No, I’m not sharing! If you’re reading this (and thank you!) and at the Fancy Food Show, see Brett at booth #3333 and tell him AJ sent you.

And I met for the first time in person, though we’d talked before, Susan and Gary Snow, founders of Tabletree Juice, scrumptious bottles of pure cherry juice made from Flathead Lake, Mont., cherries. Delicious AND nutritious. And you know what? They, too, have other products on the horizon. I wonder where you could read about that? (Hint: The March issue of Gourmet News).

Maybe it’s just me noticing this, but I tell ya, keep the word “soursop” on your trend list. Last year, I got to try soursop products out of Africa from Zena’s Exotic Fruits. At this show I sambled Vietnam-based Vinut’s Soursop Fruit Drink. It’s very refreshing. If you haven’t tasted it, to me, it has a pear-like quality, much in the consistency and taste. I like it and I’m hoping to see more of it.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention our booth neighbor, Briannas, which you’re probably familiar with because of their dressings. Guess what? They’ve got marinades now! They were sampling the Roasted Garlic and Herb marinade on chick Sunday and it was delicious! They’ll have another flavor, maybe the Sriracha Honey Ginger, but it could be Classic Steak or Smoked Chipotle and Lime. It’s something worth looking forward to. And you know what? There are other products coming down the line!

Check out my blog tomorrow on the Second day of the show and if I haven’t whetted your appetite enough for the March issue of Gourmet News, you can get your subscription here, so you don’t miss it!