1 of 7
Cocktail Rimmers from Gran Mitla
Cocktail Rimmers from Gran Mitla
2 of 7
Mexican Cookware from Ancient Cookware
Mexican Cookware from Ancient Cookware
3 of 7
La Victoria Salsa from MegaMex
La Victoria Salsa from MegaMex
4 of 7
Plastic Mexican Tableware from Gessner
Plastic Mexican Tableware from Gessner
5 of 7
Stirrings Margarita Mix and Rimming Salt
Stirrings Margarita Mix and Rimming Salt
6 of 7
Winston Tortilla Holder
Winston Tortilla Holder
7 of 7
Sidral Mundet Apple Soda from Novamex
Sidral Mundet Apple Soda from Novamex
By Ed Avis
The National Restaurant Association’s annual convention in Chicago last week was full of products and innovations aimed at Mexican/Latin restaurants. Here is a small selection of some of the highlights:
Beverages
Novamex, the company that imports Jarritos into the United States, continues to bring other classic Mexican beverages to the market. Among the new drinks Novamex had at NRA was the apple soda called Sidral Mundet, which has been enjoyed in Mexico since 1902, and Jarritos MXCN Cola, a worthy competitor to Mexican Coke. www.novamex.com
Another brand of soda from Mexico exhibited at NRA was Boing! This non-carbonated, fruit-based beverage has been produced in Mexico since 1940, but only became available in a United States a few years ago. Serving this drink – which comes in peach, guava, grape, strawberry, mango, apple, tamarind, and orange flavor – in your restaurant, would set you apart. It’s distributed in the U.S. by Mazuma Trading, www.mazumatrading.com.
Stirrings, a company in Massachusetts, showed a line of cocktail mixes and bar products that could definitely find a home in a good Mexican restaurant. Their margarita mix, for example, is made from cane sugar, lime juice, and triple sec, basically how a good bartender makes it (along with quality tequila, of course). The company also has a line of rimmers, such as margarita, lemon drop, and pomegranate, that would be fun additions to any bar. www.stirrings.com
Speaking of rimmers, if you want something truly interesting, check out the rimmers made with agave worms and chapulines from Gran Mitla, a Mexican company that was exhibiting in the Mexican pavilion at NRA. These rimmers will definitely get your bar patrons talking…and they offer a tangy twist to your cocktails. www.grantmitla.us
Food Products
MegaMex Foods, which imports and produces a wide variety of Mexican foods, exhibited its new roasted salsas under the La Victoria brand. These salsas come in two varieties, Roasted Red Pepper Salsa, which combines poblano, chipotle, ancho, jalapeno and serrano peppers; and Roasted Verde Salsa, which mixes roasted tomatillos, poblano peppers, and jalapeno peppers. www.megamexfoodservice.com
MIC Food, a major supplier of plantains, yucca, and banana leaves, showed off their products in a variety of menu items. One fun innovation: Using a wide, flattened plantain slice as the “bread” on a Cuban sandwich. www.micfood.com
Culinary Farms exhibited its wide range of dried and fresh Mexican chiles. Its line includes ancho, chilaca, chile de arbol, chipotle, guajillo, habanero, and pasilla, each coming in at least three forms, such as flakes, ground and puree. www.culinaryfarms.com
Looking for a spice mix to add a little kick to some of your dishes? Saint Lucifer Foods, as the name suggests, demonstrated some hot spice mixes at NRA. Its Habanero Table Spice, for example, is a blend of garlic, salt, vinegar and habanero peppers. And Jalapeno Table Spice blends salt, jalapenos, onion, cilantro, garlic, lime and vinegar. www.saintluciferspice.com
Bueno Foods produces a wide variety of Mexican and Southwestern favorites for restaurant menus. An interesting product the company showed at the NRA is its varieties of chile rellenos, such as Monterey Jack Rellenos and Cheddar Rellenos. Easy, innovative entrees for restaurants that don’t want to make their own from scratch. www.buenofoods.com
Lots of foods are called “super foods” now and then, and one new addition to that list from Central America is pitaya. Also called Dragon Fruit, pitaya has a rich, magenta color and lots of fiber, potassium, and magnesium. Pitaya Plus was showing off a wide variety of forms of the fruit, including frozen cubes, powder, and sorbet. www.pitayaplus.com
Tableware/Cookware/Equipment
Ancient Cookware showed off a selection of interesting cazuelas, plates, bowls and other handmade tableware items from Mexico and other countries. www.ancientcookware.com
Winston Foodservice demonstrated how their cabinets, which control temperature and humidity, can keep tortillas and chips fresh for many hours. http://www.winstonfoodservice.com/
Gessner Products displayed a variety of Mexican tableware items -- such as tortilla warmers and taco holders -- that are more heat resistant than melamine. www.gessnerproducts.com