market basket 2012-01-01

edited by Diane Ridge

American Pride Seafoods proudly introduces new Coastal Harvest Bacon Wrapped Scallops. Hand-wrapped in hickory bacon and individually placed on wooden skewers, Coastal Harvest Bacon Wrapped Scallops are premium quality, easy to prepare, and are ideal for entertaining as a great catering appetizer or a delicious center of a small plate meal. The scallops can be quickly and conveniently prepared in the oven or microwave. Visit www.american-prideseafoods.com, for more.

America's coffee creamer brand wants operators to feel the love again this February with the 28 Days of Coffee-Mate Sweepstakes. This month-long promotion on Coffee-Mate's foodservice site www.CMFeelTheLove.com includes a sweepstakes with a grand prize of 280,000 Foodservice Rewards Points — and a Leap Year bonus prize of a “Leap into Love” trip for two to celebrate the release of Coffee-Mate's newest flavor: Sugar-Free French Vanilla. Also, the promotion will feature a different “Feel The Love Deal” on Coffee-Mate products each week of the month. Visit CMFeelTheLove.com February 1-28, 2012 for details, or call 800-288-8682.

At SandwichPro.com, we're always looking for new ways to deliver original, useful content to operators. Look to the “Chef Demo” video gallery, full of great sandwich ideas from the Unilever Food Solutions culinary team. Whether you're trying out ethnic-inspired trends or looking for classic combinations to thrill your guests, the chefs are ready to guide you through the recipes, with step-by-step instructions. For sandwich and burger trend information, news and recipes, visit SandwichPro.com.

Food trends guru Andrew Freeman lists Health Conscious Menu Items among his 2012 food and beverage predictions, which puts fruit in the menu development spotlight as a popular, natural, wholesome ingredient. Dole is ready with year-round menu solutions for every foodservice segment and www.dolefoodservice.com supports culinary creativity with a database of fruit recipes in every menu category. Trust Dole to deliver a wide variety of fresh frozen fruits in convenient, labor saving, waste-free packs. Call 800-723-9868, for more.

Almond Breeze is now available in foodservice. This rich, creamy dairy alternative delivers the consistency of milk, with less fat and fewer calories. Almond milk can easily be used across the menu instead of milk or soymilk. Simply substitute in a 1-to-1 ratio, for specialty coffee drinks, smoothies, milkshakes, oatmeal, dry cereal, cream soups, Italian sauces like Alfredo and more! Almond Breeze is free of dairy, soy, lactose, cholesterol, peanuts, casein, gluten, eggs, saturated fat and MSG. For more, visit www.sugarfoods.com or http://foodservice.bluediamond.com.

In the past Uncle Ben's has focused on creating healthier products that are easy to prepare. Many of their brown rice products provide 100% of the daily whole grain recommendation in just one serving, combining healthy eating, great taste and convenience. This year, parent company MARS Foodservices plans to add more whole grain options to the portfolio, providing operators and consumers with a still wider variety of healthy choices. For easy menuing ideas, visit www.MARSfoodservices.com or call 1-800-432-2331.

Vulcan sets a new industry standard for fryers with the launch of its PowerFry VK Series Fryers. The fryer features Vulcan's revolutionary FivePass heat transfer technology which maximizes uniform heat transfer to the oil, resulting in faster recovery and cook times. The simple yet innovative design cooks up to 25% faster producing more products in less time and will up to $1,100 in energy use per year. Visit www.vulcanequipment.com.

Consider Alluserve's new induction plate activator for your healthcare meal delivery operations including room service, pods, traditional meal delivery, and remote room service set-ups. Ceramic plate service creates a more upscale presentation for patients while maintaining safe food temperatures for up to 30 minutes (with dome). The system features single and double charger models (120 volts) which can also accommodate 4 oz. induction bowls, a plate locator to accurately guide plates, and thermostat control which heats to approximately 210°F in one step. Ensure consistent temperature distribution for enhanced food quality and overall patient satisfaction. Call 888-892-2213 or visit www.alluserv.com, for details.

Sweet Street Desserts introduces the Lemonade Cake with Meyer Lemon Curd. Made with world renowned Meyer lemons and lemonade as its inspiration, this ultimate cake layers lemons with luscious, cool lemon mousseline and Meyer lemon curd. For this cake and more, visit www.sweetstreet.com.

Georgia-Pacific Professional announces the addition of the Preference Advantage dinner napkin, the newest compliment to the napkin portfolio, known for its high quality and durability. The new napkin is designed to be a cost-effective solution for value oriented, full-service foodservice facilities. The new ⅛ fold, 16 inch by 15 inch dinner napkin showcases an elegant emboss pattern keeping with the upscale, eye-pleasing appearance and has an excellent hand feel for greater guest satisfaction. Call 866-HELLO GP (435-5647) or visit www.gppro.com, for more.

Monin Gourmet Flavorings is now offering pourable Fruit Purées that work well in a variety of desserts, sauces and dressings, as well as smoothies, flavored teas and frozen cocktails. The purées are made with high quality fruits and natural flavors which are flash pasteurized to preserve its flavor, color and texture. The 1-liter plastic bottles require no thawing or preparation and are available in eight popular flavors: Banana, Mango, Passion Fruit, Peach, Raspberry, Strawberry and Superfruit. Call 800-966-5225 or visit www.monin.com, for more.

According to early trend predictions, 2012 is “The Year of the Potato.” And, when it comes to seasonal promotions-Valentine's Day being among the busiest and most profitable-Idaho potatoes in menu descriptions attract attention and orders. For your Valentine's Day promotions consider Idaho Fingerlings. Colorful, versatile, and flavorful, use fingerlings in signature dishes to surprise (Idaho Potato Shooters), satisfy (Idaho Fingerling Potato Pizza), and dazzle (Confit of Idaho Fingerling Potato Tart) your customers. For recipes and more, visit www.foodservice.idahopotato.com.

As winter approaches our food tastes draw us to the comforts of richer, deeper flavors. Fresh mango, with its beautiful color and luscious flavor, makes an ideal ingredient to retool condiments that accent center-of-the plate proteins. In the National Mango Board's recipe for Jerk Chicken with Spicy Mango Topper, cinnamon and allspice reflect flavors of the season, and Fresh Mango Relish provides the perfect counterpoint to marinated, bacon-wrapped pork chops. For recipes and more, visit www.mango.org.

Computrition announces the latest initiative in providing technology-driven software solutions and services through the launch of their new website. The redesigned site, http://www.computrition.com, makes great strides towards increasing product awareness and delivering consistent quality customer service. The new robust interface offers smoother navigation capabilities and a well-organized layout. Users can easily find various learning opportunities by way of a dynamic Learning Center, which includes practical tools such as product demos, case studies, and customer success videos.

Bush's Best has long been known for high quality, superior bean products. And now our rich, plump and flavorful kidney beans are available for foodservice. Large in size, bright in color and solid in texture these Bush's Best Kidney Beans work well in a variety of different types of cuisine and can be used to make anything from soups and chili to casseroles and salads. For more information, visit www.wepickthebest.com.

Enhance your seasonal dessert menu and drive profits with the luscious made-from-scratch flavor of Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk from Smuckers. The sweet and velvety smoothness of Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk will transform traditional baked items into specialty flavored creations. Eagle Brand expands your dessert collection with flawless desserts that are sure to keep patrons returning throughout the season. Visit www.smuckerfoodservice.com, for menu ideas.

During the winter season, diners crave comfort dishes with a creative and unique twist. The new Simplot Traditions Recipe Wheel makes it easy to create 12 different kitchen-friendly recipes for mashed potato and hash brown dishes. Elevate these simple sides to new heights using seasonal ingredients and simple pantry or refrigerator items. All Traditions products are made with 100% Idaho potatoes and naturally contain no partially hydrogenated oils. Call 800-572-7783 for your free recipe wheel or visit www.simplotfoods.com/traditions for more great ideas.

For Valentine's Day, use Christopher Ranch Monviso Roasted Garlic — peeled cloves made sweet and aromatic by slow cooking — to unleash garlic's universally appealing flavor. For customers, it'll be love at first bite, starting with the Cream of Crimini Mushroom and Roasted Garlic Soup. Each eco-friendly and resealable bag of this garlic contains all natural (100% fresh, domestic California garlic grown from our exclusive Monviso heirloom garlic seed), prepped and ready-to-use garlic. The cloves have been slow roasted until golden brown and bursting with rich, nutty flavor. Visit www.ChristopherRanch.com or call 800-321-9333, for more.