Finally had a chance to taste the new products in the Sheila's Select line of dips, smoothies, and soups. The Oriental Pasta ($2.50) was rich with tasty noodles and ginger sauce. I loved the flavor of the Pasta Fagioli even more with its rich, thick and hearty round pasta and vegetables in a red sauce.

Two words about the new French Onion dip - buy it. It's so addictively flavorful that your customers will call in the middle of the night to order again.

The new Chocolate Mousse dessert is light and mouth watering. Delightful.

It was about time for The Pasta Shoppe to bring us Vineyard cookies to match other grape-themed gift basket products. Well, it's here with each sugar cookie emblazoned with a grape design. $1.25 each.

Also new are No-Fuss Gift Sets. Each set includes a pasta, snack mix, and matching cookies enclosed in a clear cello bag and topped with a bow. John, a co-owner, said retailers have been selling these quickly as a $10 retail gift ($4.75 each) that customers pick up for every occasion. Sets include Thanks a Million, Home Sweet Home, Get Well, Vineyard, Stars & Stripes, My First Pasta (baby), Thinking of You, and Heart. Dinner and snacks in one simple package. Terrific.

Down on the first floor, I walked over to another gourmet area combined with holiday baskets and florals. The gourmet aisles were teeming with products.

Gullah Gourmet gave out samples of their She Crab Soup, a warm and creamy concoction which delighted my taste buds. All that's needed to make this must-have soup ($3.95 each), packaged in a tall cloth bag tied with a rope, is water and crab meat. The latter (crab meat) is sold for $3 a can. The combination soup and crab meat package is $8, wrapped in a clear cello bag. It serves four, though when customers taste it, I don't think they'll let anyone but themselves eat it. Gullah has 27 soups as well as aprons and T-shirts. I also tried the Geechie Peachie Cobbler (10 oz. for $3.50 each) that only needs milk and fresh or canned peaches added. Warm, sweet and soothing.

Found some small food books and cookbooks at the Southwest Cookbook Distributors' booth. The company calls their books "mini," but it's because each is smaller than the traditional cookbook line offered to retailers. There's over 30 titles, and each book is die-cut into food shapes rather than the traditional square cut. Choose from titles on chocolate, cheese, steak, shrimp, nuts, barbeque, and a host of other books that round out your food baskets. Each book is $2.97.

It was time to have something to drink, and Crown Mulling Spices was hot, ready, and poured into tasting cups. Sweet, warm and luscious all the way down my pipes. The tall 6 oz. gold-colored pouch makes a gallon and can also be made for one or two people. It has a two-year shelf life and comes with a recipe sheet with ideas for other uses.

They also sell Spiced Cranberry Jelly in 8 oz. jars and two flavors - one with pecans, one without. Both are $2.75 each. A nice extra is the brightly-designed gift boxes/pillow packs that can be used to package the mulling spices, making it a gift on its own. Designs include a door anchored on both sides by topiaries (great for real estate baskets), cherubs, a Menorah, a lighthouse, and 10 more. Only 75 cents each if ordered with the mulling spices; $1.00 if ordered separately.

Along with their famous Clam Dip and Crab Dip kits, Blue Crab Bay Company now has a Shrimp Dip Kit. Love it. Great aroma and even better taste that's all shrimp. Each kit contains the Shrimp Dip Blend seasonings and cocktail shrimps. $4.00 each, two-year shelf life. The company's extensive line of seafood snacks is a true winner if your customers love anything fishy.

Atlanta Show Report Continues -- Page 3

NOTE:
Information in each Show Report provides details on products displayed at trade shows. It does not constitute 1) company or product endorsements or 2) prevailing products or prices.

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