Four Favorites July

I have a bit of a special edition of my four favorites for the month of July. I guess you can consider it the South Central Valley edition. 

Last week, I attended the Fresno Food Expo. It was my first big food experience and introduction to the products and food folks in the valley since our move here last September. To be honest, I had no expectations for what the event might be like. I’ve been to my fair share of food expos in the past.  

Pleasantly surprised, as I walked away last Thursday, I felt that this had been among the best of them.

Last month, you might remember that I shared about two local products in a post to help market the expo. The show gave me the opportunity to meet the people behind these brands. If you are a food blogger, you know how exhausting it can feel to explain what you do and to continuously convince others that your work has value. Imagine my surprise at being greeted with gifts and hugs. Yes, the event was that good. 

In addition to all those welcoming perks, I have to say that I’m pretty proud to know that these foods that I was able to learn about and taste come from the place that I now call home. 

This round of four favorites will veer from my usually path of a brand, blog, book and break. I hope you don’t mind. I’ll be back to that pattern next month. I just wanted to take this opportunity to share four favorites of my now local area. When you swing through be sure to look them up. I’d also keep an eye out for them in your area. These are the types of products that I expect will be expanding soon!

California Dried Fruit, Inc.

You aren’t going to believe this, but I finally found it. I’ve finally found the one product that is made of raisins that non-raisin fans will enjoy. I was able to try California Dried Fruit’s spreads at a media event for the expo last month. Since I couldn’t stop thinking of them, I jumped at the opportunity to buy all three flavors at the expo. A new retail product for the brand, these spreads are pretty outstanding. No added sugar. Just the fruit, pureed. I know that doesn’t sound special, but you have to trust me that they have nailed the texture and consistency on these. They are perfect all-fruit and spice spreads to add to sandwiches, spread over toast or to fill cookies. 

Despite my lack of love for raisins, the Cinnamon Raisin is a top pick. But really, who am I kidding? The Cocoa Date and Organic Smyrna Fig are all tied for first place. 

Aubrey’s Jerky

When I checked my email on the evening of the expo I let out a small cheer when I saw that Aubrey’s Jerky won the Buyer’s Choice Award. She gave me a sample pack to try at the media pre-event last month. Not only was I impressed by the product, but also by her spirit. She is a climber and food entrepreneur who set out to create her own snack to fuel her outdoor adventures. 

So what’s so special about her jerky? Well it’s nose to tail at its finest. The jerky is made of beef heart making it a lightweight, easy to eat snack when compared to other jerkies. She also has great flavors like this Spicy Chili. I was going to photograph it out of the bag, but I like her logo too much not to show it off. Her jerky is also a lot lower in sodium and sugar than most others you’ll find out there. 

Lanna Coffee Co

This is one of those products that I’d seen around, but I had no idea the brand was local. Lanna Coffee Co has supplied roasted beans for a while, but these delicious bottles of cold brew are a new product. 

The coolest thing about this coffee, aside from how good it tastes, is that the beans are from Thailand. Their coffees support farmers of the hill tribes in Northern Thailand and a portion of their profits go to support education and medical efforts there. 

While they don’t officially have a cafe in Fresno, you can swing by and pick up some beans and grab a cold brew on nitro to go. 

Turtle Haus Soft Shell Almonds

I love finding a product that reminds us that we can eat more parts of a food than we originally thought. It’s like going back to the day when your parents stopped peeling your apples and you realized that you can eat it instead of throwing it away. In this case, it’s almond shells. And just to be clear with that analogy, almond shells aren’t thrown away. They are used in agriculture, but it’s nice to know that they can be eaten, too. 

Turtle Haus Soft Shell Almonds is a brand new product and a delicious one, in my opinion. You don’t have to eat them with the shell, but I love the chewy texture and the extra layer of flavor in the snack. Given the demand for new and interesting snacks these days, this is one product that I think you will soon find everywhere.