Xcambo
Xcambo flavoring
By Ed Avis
There are countless interesting food products emerging in Mexico and other Latin American countries that could feasibly find their way to menus of American restaurants, if they can get a foothold here. These products, ranging from liquid salt to annatto vinegar marinade, would introduce some intriguing new flavors to American diners.
The Texas Restaurant Association Marketplace, which ended earlier this week, offered an opportunity for some of these products to be seen. Of course, the Marketplace also provided a venue for chefs to check out interesting new products from American companies. Below are brief descriptions of some of the products I observed at the show.
Sabor Latino
Food from the Yucatan was highlighted in the Sabor Latino section of the show. Credit to the Yucatan office of the Secretaria de Fomento Economico for working with the people of Sabor Latino to get their products to the Marketplace, because they got a lot of attention. The el Restaurante booth was nearby, so I saw the traffic firsthand.
One of the most intriguing Yucatan products on display was XCAMBO liquid salt. This isn’t watered-down salt – it’s an ancient product long harvested along the Yucatan coast that takes a liquid form under the right conditions. XCAMBO bottles this liquid – which contains only 10 percent of the sodium content of regular table salt – in convenient spray bottles that can replace the salt shaker on a restaurant table or be used in the kitchen. The company also offers flavored varieties, such as tequila, vanilla, and citrus.
Jorge Pina Gasca from Mayab Kaab Honey and Juan Carlos Cervera from Villa Vainilla
Jorge Pina Gasca from Mayab Kaab Honey and Juan Carlos Cervera from Villa Vainilla in the Sabor Latino section of the TRA Marketplace 2017.
If you want to add some interest to your postre menu, you may be interested in two other Yucatacan products displayed in Sabor Latino. Villa Vainilla is vanilla extract made from genuine Mexican vanilla (you probably think of vanilla from Madagascar, but in fact the plant is native to Mexico). Tourists often buy this vanilla in duty-free shops, but the company offers food service size packaging as well. Another dessert-appropriate product displayed at the show was Mayab Kaab honey – again, pure, authentic Mexican.
The Sabor Latino section featured products not from the Yucatan as well.
Naturas Foods displayed its line of powdered aguas frescas products, including horchata, Jamaica, tamarindo and others. The company representatives noted that the drinks are sold mostly at retail now, but their foodservice distribution is expanding.
Grow-Link, a company that distributes Mexican food products in the U.S., fed a steady stream of attendees with its Chata brand packaged meat products. A convenient product for restaurants seeking authentic flavors with less prep work.
Guayaberas are traditional garb for servers in Mexican restaurants, and MyCubanStore.com displayed a line of colorful, durable versions in the Sabor Latino section. The company is headquartered in Miami and makes the shirts – including customized embroidering – in Mexico.
Beyond Sabor
A number of companies were displaying interesting products suitable for el Restaurante readers outside of the Sabor Latino section.
Satstar Food Solutions, for example, showed a broad line of marinades, dressings, and
Marinade Mojo Salsa Bufalitas
Bottles of Marinade Mojo and Salsa Bufalitas
sauces made in Mexico. For example, the company’s Achiote Vinagre/Annato Vinegar Marinade is a chicken and pork marinade with annatto and garlic flavor, recommended for dishes such as cochinita pibil. And its Mojo Marinade gives meat a citrus and garlic taste while tenderizing it.
V&V Supremo, a Chicago company, wowed attendees with its famous, broad line of authentic Mexican cheeses. Visitors got to taste the company’s cheeses, such as Chihuahua® Quesadilla Cheese and Oaxaca Cheese, freshly melted in quesadillas.
If you’re looking for something to zip up your bar, you’d like what Twang was displaying: A large line of cocktail rimmers made from pure cane sugar, Pacific sea salt, and other natural ingredients. The line includes flavors such as Strawberry Lime Salt, Grapefruit Salt, and Lemon-Lime Margarita Salt.
Twang
Twang displayed a wide range of cocktail rimming salts, including flavors such as Lemon-Lime Margarita Salt and Strawberry Lime.
Another exhibitor with plenty of interesting products for Mexican restaurant bars was Novamex. Novamex is perhaps best known for bringing Jarritos to U.S. restaurants, but the company was also sampling beverages such as Sidral Mundet and Tepachito. Novamex is the place to go for authentic Mexican beverages that add interest to your drinks menu.
Naturally this was just a small sample of the thousands of products on display at the Marketplace. Next year the show moves to San Antonio, July 15-16.