market basket 2008-06-01

EDITED BY MEGAN ROWE

Otis Spunkmeyer Warm Wishes packaging can drive incremental cookie sales. Cookies wrapped in take-home gift packaging are perfect for holiday gift-giving, special events, office parties, birthdays and more. To learn more, call 888-ASK-OTIS or log onto www.spunkmeyer.com.

Cambro's new Century Camtray works equally well for transporting food and for dining. An innovative design features low edges and open corners, and the low-profile design increases space utilization on the surface, so more items can be placed on the tray. Made of fiberglass, the tray is dishwasher safe. Call 800-854-7631 for more information.

Allens introduced more than 60 varieties of fresh new frozen vegetable blends at the recent National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show. Heated and served or added to any recipe, the line covers a wide array of cooking styles and trends. The choices provide premium plate performance, appearance, taste, texture and customer satisfaction.

A.1. Gourmet Sauce is a new line of versatile, ready-to-use sauces with premium, on-trend flavors from Kraft Foodservice. The three varieties — Orange Chipotle, Dijon Roasted Garlic and Sun Dried Tomato — can add distinctive flavor to dishes across the menu, from burgers and sandwiches to appetizers and entrees. Visit www.kraftfoodservice.com for more.

Fruit purees are hard workers, enhancing every menu part from beverages to the dessert bar. With Dole Fresh Frozen Fruits, these colorful and flavorful purees are a breeze to prepare. For recipes, visit www.dolefoodservice.com or phone 800-723-9868.

Electrolux Professional continues to support its global Green Spirit initiative by offering Energy Star-qualified professional dishwashing equipment including undercounter, hood-type and conveyor dishwashers. They are on average 25 percent more energy- and water-efficient than standard models. All models use a built-in hot water booster that requires less energy than an external heater. Visit professional.electroluxusa.com for more.

IBP USDA Choice Flat Iron Everyday Steaks from Tyson Foods are a less expensive alternative to rib or loin steaks that still offer a well-marbled steak second only to the tenderloin in tenderness. These steaks were developed specifically to meet the “affordable luxury” trend. To learn more, visit www.tysonfoodservice.com or phone 800-24-TYSON ext. 906.

Fishery Products International is expanding its UpperCrust line of top crusted natural fillets with two exciting products: Homestyle Crusted Haddock with bacon, cheddar and chives; and Parmesan Crusted Tilapia with Tuscan herbs. For more information, go to www.fisheryproducts.com.

Pipeables from Sweet Street Desserts are making it easy for operators to add a personal, artful touch to desserts. The piping bags are already filled with 1.75 pounds of richly flavored mousses, ready upon thawing to fill or decorate. Eleven flavor profiles offer dessert flexibility. For more information, check out sweetstreet.com or phone 800-793-3897.

Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Pizza Crust Mix provides a safe pizza crust alternative for those on restricted diets. The easy-to-prepare mix contains 4 grams of dietary fiber, 3 grams of protein and 28 grams of whole grains per serving. Call 800-349-2173 or visit www.bobsredmill.com.

Bush's Best Original Bean Pot and Vegetarian Baked Beans give operators a real baked-in taste that has made the products a favorite. Bush's Best makes it easy to offer customers the best baked beans, whether they are served fresh from the can, enhanced with signature touches or used as in ethnic and regional dishes. For free recipe cards call 800-251-0968.

The Burrito Buddy is a disposable prop that supports sometimes-messy burritos by keeping the ingredients in the burrito and not on a table or desk. It allows the diner to set down a burrito without having the fillings fall out. For more information log onto www.myburritobuddy.com.

Uncle Ben's offers a wide variety of authentic grains from around the world in its International Grains Rice product line. The line provides a taste of the exotic with varieties such as Basmati Rice, Arborio Rice, Couscous, 100 percent Pure Wild Rice, Jasmine Rice and Yellow Rice. All are completely vegetarian and contain zero grams of trans fat. Visit www.marsfoodservices.com or call 800-432-2331 to learn more.

With the help of the Kellogg's K-12 All-Star Cereal Lineup, in popular and easy-to-serve bowl packaging, it's easy to build breakfast participation with a collection of cereal brands students crave. The lineup includes reduced-sugar versions of Apple Jacks, Kellogg's Frosted Flakes and Fruit Loops. For details, go to www.kelloggsfoodawayfromhome.com or phone 877-511-5777.

The USA Rice Federation's foodservice website (www.menurice.com) is the complete rice resource for foodservice and culinary professionals. New features include a Chef's Corner, What's New in Rice and Rice on the Menu, with recipes.

Alto-Shaam's new Platinum Series ASC-2E half-size convection oven has a capacity of nine half-size sheet pans. It features solid welded construction, a porcelain enamel interior and four-inch, heavy-duty equipment legs or an optional oven stand. It includes a solid stainless steel door with a double-pane thermal window. Call 800-558-8744 or visit www.alto-shaam.com to learn more.

Pilgrim's Pride Foodservice has added to its line of best-selling wings with the introduction of new Pierce Chicken Boneless Wing Dings and Boneless Wing-Zings. Wing Dings have a golden breading and a mild, versatile flavor; Wing-Zings offer a one-of-a-kind peppery zing. Both are made from high-quality solid-muscle breast meat and are fully cooked. Call 800-336-9876 or visit www.poultry.com for more.

Operators can meet a broad variety of nutrition-conscious patrons' breakfast needs with the General Mills Goodness Pack of assorted cup cereals. Varieties include Cheerios, Honey Nut Cheerios, Fiber One Raisin Bran Clusters, Curves Honey Crunch and Nature Valley Low Fat Fruit Granola. All are either a good or excellent source of whole grains. To learn more, call 800-874-1451.

Starbucks Coffee Company has introduced the new Serena Organic Blend to foodservice. Cafe Estima Blend and Organic Shade Grown Mexico are also part of the Conservation and Certified Coffees available to operators. For more information on these and other products, visit www.starbucks.com.

Computrition's Hospitality Suite Foodservice Operations Management software does everything from recipe and menu inception to postmeal costing and analysis. With optional ASP hosting and full technical support, it's also easy to set up. Visit www.computrition.com or phone 800-222-4488.

As of January 2008, air-cooled, cube-style ice machines that meet maximum potable water and energy consumption limits are eligible for Energy Star certification. Dozens of machines made by Manitowoc Ice have qualified for the program. To see a current list of qualified units, visit www.manitowocice.com/energystar.