Food For Thought

Last month, I wrote about innovation in art, food and lifestyle in general terms. Now it’s time for some specifics. Donna and I made a quick trip up to San Francisco to check out the latest trends in gourmet food. I want to share some items that fascinated us.

Like the tints that enrich the colors in an oil painting, we found spices, sauces and chocolates that are amazing. Each week for the following three months, we will add at least two new items to our selection of gourmet foods.

Tyler Florence has created a line of pasta sauces, marinades and rubs that are truly outstanding. They will be here by the end of February. Also on the way are new forms of chocolate by Poco Dolce and a trio of caramel products from The Happy Goat. You can sample them and our existing chocolate lines, Banxart and Madame Chocolate at our Art of Chocolate tasting event, Sunday, Feb. 20, 2-5 p.m.

Products from The House of Balsamic have been added to the Italian section of our gourmet pantry. Many of you already have sampled and purchased their balsamic jellies, aged balsamics and a mixture of olive oil. Additional Italian products are in development.

We also have identified superior lines of cookware and cooking utensils that will be added in March and April. By the end of this month, we will have finalized our event schedule for this year. You’ll be delighted by some of the new themes that we have developed around our new product lines.

Visit our website regularly for updates.

Jim Hathcock