Fancy Food Show Brings the Usual Mix of Sass and Class to Moscone
Indulgence came in the form of cheese, oils (including a new cooking oil made from tea), cured meat, candy, chocolate, and toffee yesterday at Moscone Center, part of the annual NASFT Fancy Food Show, going on through Tue., Jan. 18. 
Mary Ladd Giant dancing Jelly Belly? Why, it must be the annual NASFT Fancy Food Show at Moscone.
Some 80,000 food and drink products from 50 countries are showcased at this year's trade show. For many food retailers, it's a chance to browse and order new products (yuzu sauces or Kobe beef hot dogs, anyone?), as well as figure out the latest food and beverage trends. It's likely you'll overhear the word "copacking" as often as you will "Burrata."
Mary Ladd "Ace of Cakes" dude Duff Goldman, pimping a new line of baking products.
This is a trade show that is neither subtle nor shy. Yesterday we saw a dancing giant Jelly Belly, a pretty cake made entirely of cheese, and a table of fiery hot sauces. Drinks made with aloe and coconut remained popular, crackers showed up with fruit and herb flavors, and EcoTensils ― sturdy, paperlike serveware ― ruled at many booths for sampling.
On Sunday, specialty retailers had a chance to gawk at Duff Goldman and his new line of cake-making products. In other celeb news, reps for Guy Fieri said that the TV front man would be in house today to hawk his line of BBQ sauces and salsas, adding that Mario Batali was in the same booth "two or three years ago."
We caught up with Ari Weinzweig of Zingerman's in Ann Arbor, Mich., who confessed to spending a lot of money at Omnivore Books whenever he visits the Noe Valley bookstore. 
Mary Ladd Bro-dacious fire: Line of Whoop Ass grilling sauces.
And Tablehopper Marcia Gagliardi held court in the Italian zone, giggling and chatting with handsome men.
Mary Ladd Tablehopper Marcia Gagliardi, in the Italian zone.
Crowds mobbed the Stubb's BBQ trailer, and at the Republic of Tea booth, where mini-thermoses filled with tea were handed to anyone willing to wait in a line that stretched 20 deep. Meanwhile, a stop-and-stare zone formed around the one booth showing Sunday's NFL action.
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