WHAT'S NEW 1994-09-05

Robert McMath

Attendees at the July Fancy Food Show in Javits Center in New York saw a growing number of what used to be considered ethnic foods, but which are now so familiar in the U.S. market that they are almost as "American as apple pie."

Chinese, Italian, Mexican and Thai all are growing in popularity. Prepackaged fresh or frozen stir-fry vegetables are available in the produce section or frozen food cases across the country, but few stop to think they originated from the ancient Oriental cooking methods. Pizza, as we accept it, was supposedly invented in America. But most people associate it with Italy, which had other versions before we developed what is popular over here. There are reportedly over 365 different ways to serve pasta available in Italy. You could start eating one variety today, and not eat exactly the same dish for more than a year! Mexican foods have been popular for some time, gradually moving from America's West Coast to the East. Thai food interest is also growing, and we see restaurateurs like Tommy Tang take their popular sauces and offer them for use at home. But many ethnic dishes you try at home need exotic ingredients. Americans sometimes do not like to buy what is needed, don't know how to buy it or can't find it in local supermarkets. With this in mind, a new line called Starport is being introduced that offers exotic flavors, but for use in recipes with regular, basic ingredients.

You can take a culinary voyage to nine different ethnic ports. These delicious seasoning pastes make it easy to expand the menu and create exciting new tastes. Use them to create savory broths, sauces and marinades by stirring into any liquid. They can flavor pasta, rice, beans or any favorite recipe. The innovative seasoning paste form makes it easy to rub onto meat, fish or poultry. Eight of the Flavor All seasonings are in paste form, in 4.5-ounce wide mouth jars. These include All American, Cajun, Chili, Italian, Jamaican Jerk, Mexican and TenderRub. There is also Ethiopian Flavor All, which represents a first in really unusual exotic flavors. This can be used like the others, or more specifically to make an Ethiopian Lamb Stew in a little over an hour. Using this and lamb, nothing unusual is required. Also in the line is Carnival Del Sol Table Sauce. In an 11.5-ounce long neck bottle, this is a sweet and zesty blend of chiles, herbs and spices. The line is designed to retail from $2.99 to $3.39.

The company is Starport, Hayward, Calif., and the people behind it have plenty of experience in marketing condiments and ethnic foods. Robert Hanson, company president, was president of Angostura International. During his 10-year tenure, he tripled that business.

Robert McMath is a new-product consultant and director of the New Products Showcase & Learning Center in Ithaca, N.Y.