New England Dessert Showcase

[headbroad]

Is anyone going to the NE Dessert Showcase? Has anyone heard about it? Do you know anyone who is going? The only thing I can find is from various newspapers reprinting one of their press releases. It looks like this is it's first year. It is at the Marriott Longwharf this weekend and is supposed to have a significant B2B component.

[tasteeone]

I just bought tickets to the 2010 one. Can anyone else update me on their experience if they went last year? Also curious to find out about the swag bags that are worth $200.

[FussyEater]

I'll be there!

[Chocomom]

Me too! I hope it doesn't dissappoint.

[Chocomom]

Just curious if anyone else will be going?

We got the VIP tickets but opted not to attend tonight's opening party. I'm at home baking a last minute Tres Leches b-day cake for a new client.

[yanz]

I'm planning to stop by - haven't been before, though, so not sure what to expect or what the best time is to go.

[SaraASR]

Hm. I'm headed there tomorrow. Kinda wanted to eat my face off on desserts. Will be disappointed if it's equipment!

[muscles_marinara]

It's definitely a trade show. I'm willing to bet that it's going to be less of a display of confectionery wonders, and more a display of decent quality commercial products that are designed to save hotels, restaurants and caterers money in materials cost, labor and management time.

[BBkatieBear]

I was there! I just wanted to chime in since everyone is asking for reviews. It didn't have quite as many exhibitors as I would have thought but it was a great time overall. It sounds like everyone else who went thinks the same thing. It had a nice balance of trade-show-ish aspects and then a huge public side. Lots of food, lots of Grey Goose. I agree with whoever said it above that giving $ to the local biz is better. The event did a real nice job with that.

They had a nice balance of bigger companies and then smaller companies, especially those micro ventures. (fyi, sponsor, the Cholive is a huge company and from my real job in sales, Grey Goose spend serious cash too). Personally, my favorite was the number of events you got (two the night before, two after and the showcase) but moreso, the live demos were the best. Nicole Coady did a bang up job on her demo. That alone was worth admission to see a chef that renown do her thing. I hope its back next year. It was well done.

[Pegmeister]

Here's the website if that helps http://www.nedessertshowcase.com

[winedude]

I note that the website doesn't list a single actual exhibitor. That would make me nervous.

But it sounds like a good idea, if it works. I hope someone who goes will report.

[Pegmeister]

It sounded more like a trade show, but it is open to the public.

[headbroad]

I am going, but it would be nice to have some info before the event, since presumably it will be another year before the next event. Maybe if it goes well they'll do it more often.

[melodyrose]

I just registered- just because!!
headbroad, are you working it in some way?
RU in the biz?

[headbroad]

No, I don't have anything to do with the show; mostly I am a foodie. I've worked in the wholesale bakery industry on the business side and I write a (nascent) blog for mass/commercial bakery buyers (grocery, supermarket, club stores, etc.) and bakery owners: www.brodheadandbutter.com. I did trade emails with someone working on the show and I have a list of the exhibitors up on my blog. Looks like a standard bakery show, but with a few parties (why?!) and a cooking demonstration thrown in. I considered inviting some folks I know, but I can't find anything else about it – nothing in today’s Globe Food section, nothing on restaurant sites. Grey Goose is sponsoring one event, but the other two sponsors are The Cholive Company – a chocolate olive garnish for sweet drinks - and TheFoodMonkey.com, neither of which strike me as big budget sponsors. I am no one to talk, but kinda podunk, huh?

As far as my work, I am particularly interested in new or better products and tastes - what’s out there from restaurants, bakeries, street vendors, farm markets – that could be commercialized. You know, really great baked goods that you wish you could buy all the time. Like the Gibassier at Clearflour – but not for $3.50 a piece. (FYI, if you haven’t had one, go there. If you can’t, here’s a recipe from Ciril Hitz, one of the best pastry chefs in the US, also a professor at Johnson & Wales in RI. http://www.grouprecipes.com/52231/le-... )

[pastrytroll]

Please post your impressions, after. I thought about going, hten was skeeved by no list of exhibitors (like Penny at Bostonest). My guess is maybe a Sysco fan fest???

[headbroad]

Will do. Actually, it's not a Sysco fanfest. I went through the list I have and checked out the exhibitors' websites. There are a lot of small operators, a few from Nuestra Culinary Ventures, the shared kitchen facility in JP run by Nuestra Communidad, the CDC in Roxbury. Some names you'd know, like Finale, Godiva and the Chart House.

[pastrytroll]

If we should ever meet - ask me about my experience at the Finale production facility! Nuestra Culinary Ventures now - I'd love to see what their chef/entrepreneurs are creating.

[headbroad]

I emailed them yesterday and here's the complete list of exhibitors for today's show. They sent it at 4am. Somebody's working late.

Strawberry Hill Confectionery
Sugar Me Cookies
Sugabettens Baking
Cassis Bakery Inc.
Delectable Desires
Sister Nadine's
Godiva Chocolatier
Finale Desserterie and Bakery
Simply Dahlicious
Brazilian Bakery Specialties & Co
The Cholive Company
Brooke the Cook
Children's Trust Fund
Wheeler's Frozen Desserts
H. T. Berry Co.
Simply Divine Brownies
Pic-cha Sistas Photography
Boston Common Coffee Company
Starlight Creatives
Party Favors
Sweet
B B Snaps
Geoff and Drew's Incredible Cookies
Aroa Fine Chocolate
KJW Productions
jBagz Photography
Biga Breads/Wildflour Catering/..Cakes Milton
Beacon Hill Hotel & Bistro
Salter College
Boston Chart House
The Melting Pot of Boston

[SaraASR]

Thanks Headbroad!

[headbroad]

Just came back. Worth the $15 @ the door if you like desserts. Here's what's there:

Strawberry Hill Confectionery - all organic. Something that looks like a lollipop, but you put in a cup of water and it makes a cup of sweet tea. Maple lollipops.

Sugar Me Cookies - Vegan choc chip cookie batter $15/lb

Sugabettens Baking - Stuff you've seen before, but the execution is great. Very nice coconut layer bars.

Cassis Bakery Inc. - Very pretty mini-pastries.

Delectable Desires - Mango/apricot petit fours w/ butter cream genoise.

Sister Nadine's - Sweet navy bean pies: regular, blueberry, banana.

Godiva Chocolatier - Fall truffles, etc.

Finale Desserterie and Bakery - Their fantastic choc/espresso flourless chocolate cake w/a raspberry on top.

Simply Dahlicious - elegant/extravagant cupcakes to be used at weddings, etc.

Brazilian Bakery Specialties & Co - great gluten free cheese rolls, brazilian honey cake.

The Cholive Company - truffles and cholives - chocolate olives for sweet alcoholic drinks.

Brooke the Cook - cookies, brownies, etc. Teaches cooking.

Wheeler's Frozen Desserts - Didn't see them there.

H. T. Berry Co. - packaging and paper products for the industry

Simply Divine Brownies - Maine based brownie co.

Pic-cha Sistas Photography - food photography and general photography.

Boston Common Coffee Company - chocolate souffles and hot and iced coffee.

Starlight Creatives - beautiful hand decorated sugar cookies. They sell at Whole Foods

Party Favors - Fantastically and whimsically decorated cupcakes.

Sweet - ??

B B Snaps - photography

Geoff and Drew's Incredible Cookies - Great cookies for gifts by mail.

Aroa Fine Chocolate -- didn't see them.

KJW Productions - don't know

jBagz Photography - Very nice food photography

Biga Breads/Wildflour Catering/..Cakes Milton - cupcakes, etc.

Beacon Hill Hotel & Bistro - didn't see them.

Salter College - culinary school in Worcester

Boston Chart House - some desserts and catering info.

The Melting Pot of Boston - chocolate fondue with strawberries.

[SaraASR]

Biga Bread's "everything" dessert bar with chocolate chips, peanut butter, graham cracker crust, nuts, oatmeal, coconut... must be forgetting something- anyway, was the best in the entire show!

For cupcakes, Party Favors was the best. I find it hard to believe Sweet would even participate in an event like this, or else their cupcakes would have killed the competition.

Love Godiva's Pecan Pie truffles! YUM.

Sister Nadine's bean pies were great! Didn't taste too much like "beans, more like sweet potatoes!

Overall, enjoyed the showcase. Learned about business I wouldn't have known about before, and prefer to give local businesses my $ when it comes to food delivery gifts.

[BostonZest]

They were sending me lots of info. I kept asking for a list of exhibitors and they finally responded with a few names like Ben & Jerry's, Coldstone, Hard Rock. Nothing of interest to me.

Penny
http://www.bostonzest.com/