The Fancy Food Show - June 29 through July 1, 2008

Of all the posts that I have made on this blog, I hope that this one will have the most actual influence on my readers. I implore you to read on, and follow my simple advice to markedly improve your life the last weekend of June 2008.

The Gateway to Gluttony

For three days every year, the Jacob Javits Center on Manhattan's west side hosts the New York Fancy Food Show (FFS). The FFS is a forum for food manufacturers and distributors to show off their products to the grocers, caterers, restauranteurs, wholesalers and other potential buyers of large quantities of these items.

In addition to handing out order sheets and discussing the foods and beverages with their clientele, almost every purveyor offers samples of their products. This is where your eyes should perk up.

Imagine if you went into a Costco and they were offering samples of every single food and drink that they offer. Picture that this dream warehouse is about 250 times the size of a typical Costco food section. Finally, imagine that in addition to everything you normally find at Costco, there were thousands of exotic products like Jalapeno Lemonade, Pinot Noir Ice Cream, Wagyu Beef, and much, much, much more.

Not quite dessert wine, but....

How much more? Try over 2,300 different vendors showing off over 180,000 different items.

So what does this have to do with you, dear reader?

You are allowed to attend this sampling of food heaven.

If you register before June 27th, for a mere $35, you will have access to this wonderland of deliciousness. That's three days of access to a culinary cornucopia; truly the very best the world has to offer.

Whether you're looking for the world's hottest hot sauce, tantalizing Texan T-Bones, outstanding Italian olive oils, France's finest foie gras, or just about anything else you could possibly imagine, you can sample it freely at the Fancy Food Show.

I've had the genuine privilege of attending the FFS the past two years and each time it has been an eye-opening, thrilling experience. The purveyors, for the most part, are genuinely excited to have you sample their products and are happy to discuss them with their visitors. There are also opportunities to meet various culinary luminaries. Past exhibitors hawking their own products have included Emeril Lagasse, Rick Bayless, Paul Prudhomme, David Burke, and many more, if you're into that kind of thing.

For the last time, I'm not Dom DeLuise!

If you can make it for even one of the days, I suggest in the strongest possible terms that you sign up now, and thank me later. It will be the best $35 you spend this year.

Note: If you are in the San Francisco area, there will be a west coast version of the show January 18th - 20th, 2009.

Philly Tacos – Sinfully Delicious, or just plain Sin?

The Philly Taco could be considered either a triumph of American ingenuity, or everything that is wrong with society, depending on your perspective.   

What exactly is a Philly Taco you ask?   

Invented by a group of college students from the University of Pennsylvania, whom I’m proud to call my friends, this monstrosity is a Philly cheesesteak wrapped inside of a slice of pizza.  Yes, the whole cheese steak. Roll and all.   

Now I’m sure you’re wondering, where can I find one?   

As far as I know, you can’t.   

This beast you must currently construct yourself.   

If you find yourself in Philadelphia, South Street is home to legendary cheesesteak purveyor Jim’s and grimey, but great pizza parlor Lorenzo’s.  The two establishments happen to be right across the street from one another.  I think you can figure out the rest on your own… 

On a dare, I sampled one of these behemoths late one Saturday night.  Let me first say, this is not for the weak of jaw.  The task of chewing this monster alone could be enough work to dissuade a daring diner.  For those willing to persevere however, there is a wonderful reward for all that chomping.   

The verdict? 

Like the best foods of any kind, this chimerical sandwich melds sweet, spicy, salty and savory flavors in addition to the multiple layers of texture.  The interplay of the caramelized onions and peppers was a natural fit with the rich cheese and tomato sauce of the pizza.  The crispy, thin, pizza crust threw in a little extra crunch to the equation that added another layer of complexity to each bite not found in the usual cheesesteak experience 

To sum it up; it was actually kind of great.

Would I want to eat one often?  Not unless I had a death wish.   

There is something to be said though for just going crazy once in a while and taking on the gluttony gauntlet.  

I received no physical prize for winning this dare.  

There was, however, a feeling of accomplishment that far outlasted the indigestion

That, and of course, a new story to tell.