Kat's 9 Lives

If you love the taste of truffles, then you have to try Luke's Organic White Truffle and Sea Salt Potato Chips. The aromatic fragrance will soothe your senses. I couldn't get enough of these at the Winter Fancy Food Show. It definitely is not the easiest product to find in the market but thank goodness to the wide array of online specialty websites that carry this product.

I have had many 'truffled' potato chips but none can hold a candle to the delicate yet sumptuous flavor Luke's has to offer. They really have captured the essence of the white truffle. It's not too overpowering as some of their competitor brands that over salt the chips. I can sit down and eat a whole bag in an instant! Be sure to look for this in the market or pick up a bag online to see for yourself. =D

One of my favorite event every year is the Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco.  It's a wonderful event where vendors from all over the world come to showcase their new products for buyer, retailers, media, and more! If you are part of the food industry or a foodie, their events are a must!
Normally I come to check out all the newest products and revisit some of my favorite brands.  As a foodie, I use the show more as my new shopping list and what to share with my readers.  One of the products I found that was delightful was the Otajoy Sauces and their Otafuku Okonomiyaki.  They freshly made them onsite for everyone to taste and were delicious.  Very simple to make at home so definitely a product I would try out.

Ever since the Fancy Food Show introduced me to the yummy Gimme all natural seaweed snacks, I ordered a case to munch on.  They are all organic snacks that are pretty tasty.  I personally like the cheese flavored crumbles.  Being Asian, we eat seaweed snacks all the time.  It's a new take on an old favorite.  The crumbles are small but very crunchy packed full of flavor.  They offer a few flavors and are very tasty when mixed together.  I recommend the teriyaki and cheese flavor together for a great mix of salty and sweet.  Pick some up at your local market or find the different flavors online.  ^_~

As the Winter Fancy Food Show is about to begin again in San Francisco, I wanted to revisit one of the new products introduced last year by Republic of Tea.  Their station is always very engaging and it is fun to try the different teas.  Last year they introduced their U-Matcha line with a special tasting and demonstration.
The Japanese tea ceremony was great and a lot of fun to watch as we learn more about the tea.  Republic of Tea sells special sets for people to prepare and serve the tea at home.  Many studies have shown that tea is good for the body and the Dr. Oz show has showcased this product on how it is good for the body.  The flavor was very subtle and refreshing to the palette.  It's definitely a great new product and I can't wait to go back to visit their booth to have another sip.
Can't wait to see all the new products out there at the Winter Fancy Food Show this year! Check out my Facebook Fanpage for live posts from the show.

Yes, you read that right. I said BACON flavored microwave popcorn. This was one of the products show cased at The Winter Fancy Food Show. I received an email to stop by their booth to pick up my own BACON lip balm, popcorn, and even flavored envelopes! lol They even had a special batch of Jones Bacon Soda there. I was so ready to chug one down if they were available.
Who doesn't love having bacon in everything?! From bacon rimming salt to bacon flavored sunflower seeds, on their table there was a wide array of bacon infused products, which is definitely something to look into.
After a long arduous yet fun trip to SF for the show, I finally got the chance to try out the popcorn. At first when I tried one cup of their popcorn, I have to be honest and say that I wasn't too impressed. Still, the guys there were so cheerful and gracious. They stuffed my bag with a bag of unpopped bacon and cheddar bacon flavored microwave popcorn along with bacon flavored envelopes. Can't wait to lick and try the envelopes out lol.
Fresh popped popcorn is definitely the best. We decided to microwave the cheddar bacon. The instructions are on the back. Be sure to watch the bag carefully as to not burn the bacon and make sure to shake it up! After a minute or so, your house or apartment will be saturated with the delicious aroma of cooked bacon mixed with buttery popcorn. The smell was intoxicating but what matters most is the taste...
We did a good job monitoring the popping and we didn't lose many kernels as well as not burning the popcorn. The bacon flavor was very subtle. I think it might be personal preference, but we like more flavorful items. The popcorn was good but we agreed that it needed a little more salt and more bacon flavor to make it stand out. We just wished the aroma matched the taste, but nonetheless there is a lot of potential here. Who doesn't want to keep cheddar bacon popcorn around the house for emergency cravings or movie nights? After we reached the end of the bag, we were very tempted to lick all the bacon flavor or bits that might be stuck to the bag... **Homer Simpson's drooling sound**

I have made a pact with the kind people of Cachamai that I would post pictures of their tea in honor of their adorable donkey mascot and upon completion I will be able to welcome it home! They have a wonderful symbol/logo/mascot! Everyone at the booth was super friendly and knowledgeable about all their teas. They were a refreshing change for South Hall at the NASFT Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco after the horrendous experience I had at the Italian section. The specific company doesn't even deserve to be mentioned here. I have launched complaints on my fan page for full information. That aside, the Argentinian tea offered by Cachamai are herbal teas that offer a lot of healthy properties.
One of their signature teas is the Boldo. A special herb named by the Mapuche tribe of South America. This exotic herb is originally from Chile and is unique for its medicinal properties. Having the Boldo after a heavy meal is great.
So why the mascot of the donkey? They kindly explained to me that back in the days the donkeys were used to carry the tea leaves. Cachamai has been around for over 50 years and they offer a wide variety of healthy teas that are safeguarded with the highest quality control.
Hopefully I will have my donkey soon! =)

Are you a lover of fine foods? Are you a purveyor or buyer? You need to attend the NASFT Winter Fancy Food Show that's happening right now at Moscone in San Francisco. It is a foodies' paradise! Chocolates, Cookies, and Sauces! Oh My! There are so many vendors from all over the world showcasing their wonderful products. My advice, come hungry and pace yourself. There really is just so much to go through that my head started spinning, but in a great way. I am working my way through North Hall and trying to find the best products around to showcase here.
So far I have found a few products that have really caught my eye so stay tuned for even more updates, features, and even a few product giveaways of the new products I discover and love. O=) It's hard to get Kat's 9 Lives approval but I will be doing a Top Ten Products list at the end of the show. Of course there is still so many booths left to discover that I can divulge everything yet! One booth that definitely caught my eye was the Man Bait Bacon Lollis! If only they really work and that we could hook ourselves a great catch, I'd be impressed! lol They do offer a delectable assortment of caramels. Stay tuned for further information if they remain on the Top Ten Products list.
Another booth today had the cutest packaging and fun for kids products. I had to stop and snap a picture of the Hello Kitty Pink Hot Chocolate packages. Fun for any age and around $1.50 a pouch. Sure... the drink was not the best, but it was cute and fun. I think these would make great stocking stuffers or party favors for kids.
Who can say no to Mint Chocolate Penguins? I have a special soft spot for penguins and why not in chocolate form? Although my sadistic side came peeking through when I bit the heads off for fun. I couldn't resist!
In between all the sweets, I had to take a coffee break and cleanse the palette. Although I really should have picked up a maple candy, caramel, or chocolate to melt into the coffee. They also had a wide variety of teas set up throughout the show. I have yet to decide which is my favorite but there are many strong contenders. The loose leaf teas displayed were beautiful to look at and wonderful to smell.
There were so many great chocolate creators set up throughout the show that it will be real tough to single out my favorite new chocolate discovery. I love the vast selections of salted caramels and hazelnut centers. The chocolates everywhere were not only beautifully designed, they are also finely crafted for the public. I think this show is much better than the Chocolate Taste Salon to really introduce a new product to consumers.
For the next few days I will tough it out with my severe cold and sample as much of the great gourmet products I can to share with my readers. There are a lot of new products that really deserve to be featured and would be great for the home. They are both savory and affordable! I have been asking every vendor about their retail prices and the retailers that carry their product. Can't wait to share the final Top Ten Products and I am working with each company to set up some giveaways so others can enjoy the delectable products! Stay tuned for more! =D