Best Snacks at the 2014 Fancy Food Show
15 Fancy Snacks You Need to Know
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Among the sea of products (about 80,000) on offer at the 2014 Winter Fancy Food Show, a handful of oh-so-craveable snacks stood out. Ranging from crisp coconut chips to sesame spread that'll have you rethinking your almond butter habit, these products deliver and are worth seeking out for your pantry.
— Additional reporting by Anna Monette Roberts
Dang Toasted Coconut Chips Lightly Salted
Dang Toasted Coconut Chips Lightly Salted ($7-$38) cover just about any snack craving, whether it's for something crispy, sweet, or salty. Eat them plain, or sprinkle them over yogurt or ice cream.
Halfpops Aged White Cheddar
Take the crispiness of a chip, the buttery flavor of popcorn, and the cheesiness of Cheetos, and you have Halfpops Aged White Cheddar ($24-$48), a half-popped popcorn coated in a cheddar dust. However, less is more. A small scoop of these dense kernels will fill you up quicker than several handfuls of fluffy, fully popped popcorn.
La Quercia 'Nduja
Not only does Iowa's La Quercia produce the only domestic prosciutto we've tried that can rival prosciutto di parma, but also, it now makes an exceptional 'nduja Americana — soft, spicy, spreadable sausage — that we can't wait to spread on everything from crisp crackers to burger buns.
Creative Snacks Co. Sweet Potato Chips With Maple Honey
Between the sweet potato, maple, and honey,
Creative Snacks Co. Sweet Potato Chips With Maple Honey might sound like a sugar bomb. Thankfully these airy, puffed vegetable chips are rather restrained, with just enough sugar and salt to enhance their flavor (and keep us coming back for seconds).
Brad's Raw Crunchy Kale Vampire Killer
It's no mystery as to where Brad's Raw Crunchy Kale Vampire Killer ($8) gets its name. These all-too-addictive kale chips bring the garlic (as well as vegan cheese).
Skillet Fennel & Black Pepper Bacon Spread
If you've tried sweet and salty bacon jam before, you likely need no convincing to snap up a jar of Skillet's latest creation: Skillet Fennel & Black Pepper Bacon Spread ($15). Like its original bacon spread, this variation is tantalizing when spread on crackers, burger buns, and the like, but what sets it apart is its lighter, brighter flavor.
479° Popcorn Seaweed and Toasted Sesame
There's more love in the Western world for seaweed. 479° Popcorn Seaweed and Toasted Sesame also includes chia seeds, so there is plenty of roasted flavor to balance the oceanic taste of the seaweed.
Jack Crisps
Take fricos — a traditional Italian nibble made of craggy, melted montasio or parmesan and not much else — and sub in tangy jack cheese, and you have Jack Crisps. Salty, savory, and crispy, these were tempting, to say the least.
Effie's Homemade Walnut Ryecakes
If you like digestive biscuits, you'll love Effie's Homemade Walnut Ryecakes ($36 for six), as they're also nutty, mildly sweet, and tenderly crispy. Consider adding them to your next cheese plate — at the Winter Fancy Food Show, they were paired with sharp cheddar — or buying a package for noshing.
Bonelli Simply Sesame Pistachio Cardamom
You might not think of spreading tahini on toast or apple slices, but one taste of Bonelli Simply Sesame Pistachio Cardamom may make you reconsider. Here, cardamom's sweet, almost floral flavor tames the sesame's bitterness, and morsels of pistachio add a satisfying crunch.
Pop! Rogue Blue Cheese
The best way to make popcorn even more addictive: coat it in one of our favorite blue cheeses. Think of Pop! Rogue Blue Cheese ($6-$75) as classic cheesy popcorn's sophisticated older sister; its bitter bite makes it all the better.
El Sabroso Papas Fritas Spicy Chile and Lime
When at a gas station, do purchase a bag of El Sabroso Papas Fritas Spicy Chile and Lime. The zesty chile lime powder is finger-licking good, plus the crisp texture of the chips can't be beat.
Grandma Chonga's Tropical Salsa
Based on an heirloom family recipe, Grandma Chonga's Tropical Salsa captured our attention with its unusual combination of mango, pineapple, mandarin oranges, and garlic.
Wild California Apricot Ginger Crisps
Are they chips? Are they crackers? Wild California Apricot Ginger Crisps are, in essence, both, combining the best qualities of these snack-time staples and rounding it all out with a potent dose of ginger zing and a pinch of salt.
Squirrel Brand Italian Black Truffle Almonds
Truffle-seasoned snacks are often all promise and no delivery (sorry, truffle oil, but you rarely do it for us), but Squirrel Brand brings just the right amount of earthy funk by tossing its Italian Black Truffle Almonds ($24-$47) with a pungent truffle salt.
