I was tweeted this question earlier today by Susan Bernstein, a career coach who started the dialogue by asking her followers what Work From Within means to them. I replied and she asked me a question that should be clearly stated in this blog. Thanks for asking Susan!

To me, the definition is quite simple. Artisan foods are foods that are hand-crafted, typically in small batches, and made with high quality ingredients to create superior tasting products.

Artisans are essentially food artists. As small producers, they are dedicated to the best ingredients and techniques, making their products with passion and care.

I am a member of the Slow Food Movement. Their mission, working “to defend biodiversity in our food supply, spread taste education and connect producers of excellent foods with co-producers through events and initiatives” aligns with my beliefs about artisan foods and their importance in our growing food world.

Susan…I hope this explains it.

Beth and Rob are the best cooks and the biggest foodies I know. They lived in Florence (Italy), so when we were planning a family vacation there, Beth shared some favorite spots. Now my friend Sharon is planning a trip. Of course I had to offer up  Beth’s recommendations ( and now mine), along with our personal comments. She said “just write it in your blog.”

Restaurants:

Ruggero

Via Senese, 89r, tel 055 212691

Closed weekends

Beth’s comments: “Authentic Tuscan, just outside Firenze.”

My comments: “There were no tourists! It was a short cab ride out of town, but worth it for a real Tuscan experience. Loved the farro salad and have been making a version of it at home ever since.”

 Sostanza

25 Via del Porcellana, tel 055 212691

closed weekends

Beth’s comments: “Cognoscenti” call it “La Troia,” which means The Whore (because of the neighborhood, although it is between the Excelsior Hotel and Santa Maria Novella Farmacia.) You MUST have the “Tortino al Carciofi,” a sort of artichoke frittata available only when artichokes are in season. If you can watch them make it, it is well worth it if you can talk your way into the kitchen.”

My comments: “My favorite! The chicken and traditional Florentine steak were incredible too. But the artichoke frittata was outstanding. I could have eaten every meal here. Small, local dining room, not pretentious at all – kind of a small version of Sam’s or Tadiches if you live in SF.”

Pane e Vino

Near the Chiesa Orsanmichele

Piazza di Castello #3, tel 05 2476956

Beth’s comments: “Pane e Vino is literally a hole in the wall with THE BEST panini in town. We like “Tonno with Salsa Verde” but you can make up your own. Have with a glass of vino and “cop a squat” on the street with the locals.”

My comments: “We missed this one, but the referral comes from Beth, which means it’s not to be missed.”

Bar Procacci

Via Tornabuoni

Beth’s comments: “Excellent for afternoon tea. Have the “Tartufi”-tiny brioche sandwiches filled with truffle cream and a glass of champagne!”

My comments: “The truffle cream was unbelievable. It is the first time in my life when I’ve actually od’d on truffles. (My boyfriend Jeff, still can’t eat them to this day.)  I have to say, this treat is truly for truffle lovers. The place is very upscale and reminds of a tiny Parisian indoor cafe or patisserie.”

Other non-food tips from a fashionista friend, Leisa Snider, who also lived in Florence: 

Mario Romano (10 via Pellicceria), makes leather jackets and trend-setting bags for A-list visitors and locals. Custom designs; tailored to fit.

My comments: “I found a 3/4 length leather jacket that I loved, but they didn’t have my size. Mario took my measurements and I received the coat one month later at home. It fits perfectly and is timeless in design. I also bought a purse that was a sample for the next season at a huge savings. The leather is yummy. I get compliments on both the jacket and purse all the time.”

Infinity – store with handmade belts & bags

Borgo S.S. Apostoli, 18r, tel 055/2398405

My comments: ” You pick your own leather and buckles in trend-setting styles. They have a large selection and fair prices. Worth a look.”

I was approached by a very successful entrepreneur about a food business concept. His idea seems timely with huge upside potential. He also has proven over and over again that he has what it takes – boundless energy and passion. But is that enough?

Assuming his products will be excellent and that he has determined his customers needs, here are some key considerations:

1. Should he set up his own commercial commissary, investing in building improvements, equipment, complying with  health codes, hiring employees and purchasing ingredients and supplies? Or should he start by renting commercial kitchen space?

2. Where should he sell his products and how should they reach the end user? Should he set up his own retail stores, with the immanent start-up costs, or find other ways to deliver his products? He can go through distributors, brokers or deliver directly to retail stores. He can choose to bypass the traditional channels and use creative ways to serve his customers. The more direct the route, the more profits he will keep. 

3. How much is the consumer willing to pay for this product? Check out the competition and determine consumers, the ultimate users, needs. 

4. What are all the costs and expenses to make and deliver the product, including operating and general and administrative?

5. What are the start-up costs?

6. Can he make a profit and how long will it take him to be successful?

I have my work cut out for me.

My daughter and I ate at Natural Kind Cafe two days in a row this past week. It is a throwback to the early 80s/late 70s. The interior looks like grandma’s house and the entry is cluttered with flyers and postings on the walls. It is clean but messy, not fancy at all. The wait staff is natural and kind just like the name.

It was hard to decide what to order. The menu is large, actually pages long. Foods are what you would expect to find at the Moosewood Restaurant or, if you cook at home, recipes you would choose from the Moosewood Cookbook. Appetizers, salads, soups, entrees and several pages of smoothies, teas,beers and wines – all natural, and organic when possible.

On the first visit we shared Coconut Curry Nachos…blue corn tortilla chips with “dairy” cheddar cheese, green onions and a drizzle (just enough) of coconut curry sauce. Second course was a salad of lettuces, roasted vegetables -brussel sprouts, red peppers and onions, cashews and carrots with a citrusy ranch but not rich-type dressing. Our entree was blackened tempeh with roasted vegetables and collard greens with Thai curry on brown rice. The nachos and entree were absolutely delicious and the composed salad, while crunchy and good,  had a few too many ingredients for me. 

The next day we went back for lunch, planning to have their homemade soup and salad, but soup was not on the menu. Brunch was served and we shared a salad and roasted vegetable dish. The salad was full of healthy ingredients like edamame, raw vegetables, seeds and lettuces and was served with a tahini dressing. The roasted vegetables were so good – a variety of roasted winter vegetables with “dairy”cheese, Spike (haven’t seen that in 20 years), and an interesting creamy, vinegary dressing that made the dish sparkle. Again, it was beautifully prepared and you felt like you were eating healthily.

During both meals, I wondered why we don’t have more restaurants like this. Health(y) foods, whether dining in or out, are totally in vogue, and fresh, natural, organic ingredients are here to stay.

My sense is that Natural Kind Cafe is a business idea that needs to be revitalized. The stereotypical health food stores and restaurants were ahead of their time, just like the Natural Foods industry in general. With a little tweaking of the “packaging” this restaurant concept is ripe for reintroduction. We can learn from Whole Foods and the natural food manufacturers who have successfully repackaged their own brands to get current.

Tastes alive! came about on Thursday morning hikes on Mt. Tam with my friend Patricia.

Patricia is a marketing genius, one of the most creative, successful people I know. With her husband, she has started and sold two wildly successful companies. She, like me, has boxes full of business ideas and business plans stored away. We laugh about how many concepts we’ve dreamed up. It is so much fun to brainstorm with her because no idea is too crazy.

On a shoestring budget, we created the look of Tastes alive! It may change as time goes on, but for now it works to (hopefully) evoke delicious, excitement and fun. We scattered fresh herbs, edible flowers, pea shoots, wild arugula and other greens on to a piece of white art paper. We then took photos and downloaded them onto photoshop. Next we selected a font on Veer and downloaded that. Patricia played around with the words on photoshop and created the pdf file for this blog and business cards. Done.

Patricia ended up with a giant fresh salad for lunch and I had the beginnings of Tastes alive!

Just back from the Natural Products Expo in Anaheim. I love that show! It is so innovative compared to the rest of the food world…in technology, packaging, (sometimes outrageous) product ideas, trends and sustainability. I toured the natural, specialty and organic food sections, picked up a few samples in the pet and health & beauty areas and didn’t spend any time in supplements.

Here are my perspectives:

Trends:

1. Gluten-free is everywhere. Dozens of companies tout sweets, breads, the list goes on. Since I am a wheat eater, I did not fill up on these products, although I did try a yummy brioche bread pudding by Three Senses Gourmet. It’s definitely a trend and obviously this is a niche.

2. Spicy! So many companies have added heat to their products…chips, candy, nuts, sauces, prepared and packaged foods. A lot of chipotle.

3. Probiotics, which means “for life”  and purportedly aids in indigestion and builds your immune system, can be found in a ton of products – beverages, bars, frozen foods, yogurts, powders, capsules etc. 

4. Green Packaging is making an impact (and becoming a huge marketing tool), more than ever (yeah!). Containers made from fallen leaves, cornstarch, sugar cane, sustainable trees. People are talking more about carbon footprint, plastic made from recycled materials and dyes from natural sources. Some companies did not seem sincere and made me doubt that their intentions were pure. Still, more companies than ever are including green in their mission.

Favorite Products & Packaging, not in order:

1. El Primo Foods frozen quesadillas, especially the vegetarian one filled with mushrooms. Yum…it did not taste frozen at all. 

2. The Good On Ya Bar. I hate to admit that I didn’t taste this bar, but the packaging looked like plastic and was actually made from sustainable aspen trees. The ink was soy based.

3. Living Intentions had the most beautiful sprouted trail mixes and a salad booster to add protein, spirulina and other good things to a green salad. Their foods were delicious and so colorful and appetizing. The logo and look of the packaging were not my favorite, but the what was inside was at the top of my list. 

4. Bare Fruit…love the name. Believe it or not, I’m not a fruit lover, but these dried fruits were beautifully packaged and my friend, Holland, liked the actual product. 

5. Otokomaetofu, from Japan and in selected stores, makes the best tofu I’ve ever had. Soft and creamy, almost like Greek yogurt, it was so smooth and delicious with a splash of shoyu. I will be going to Japan Town to request this product. 

6. Verterra Dinnerware is eco-friendly disposable dinnerware made from fallen leaves. Unbelievable.

7. Savannah Bee Company, a favorite destination at every show, continues to develop new, wonderful hand creams, lip glosses and soaps, all made with honey. Their hand creams are some of the best I’ve used…love the smell. I wish they hadn’t stopped making their blackberry honey liquid hand soap. Maybe they’ll bring it back if there is enough demand.

8. Twist manufactures biodegradable sponges, cloths  and scrubbies with clever shapes and names like dumpling or ravioli. Great looking and functional. 

9. Caffe Ibis coffee roasting company was one of the original fair trade and organic companies and they continue to do amazing things for our world. Now they are working with all-women coffee producers from third world countries to help improve their lives.

10. Method…love the cleaning products, the look and the people who work there.

11. Le Grand, a sauce maker from Quebec, had the prettiest and most unique packaging that I saw. The 4 Nuts & Cheese Pesto sauce was delicious. (The regular pesto was a bit grassy.) You pour/squeeze it from a stand-up recyclable pouch that has a resealable cap.

12. Ancient Organics served their organic ghee over Lundberg Farms jasmine rice mixed with fresh peas. It was so comforting and delicious. I love this product made from Straus Dairy organic milk.

13. Alexia Foods has come up with another brilliant product. They have a new snack line – Onion Strips and Cottage Fries. They are amazing. I’m a chip freak and am extremely discerning. I think these will be a hit. The Onion Strips taste like non-greasy onion rings and the Cottage Fries are worth the calories too.

14. There were a number of granolas at the show, none outstanding. While not exhibiting at the show, I have to mention Lola Granola because it is still the best there is. It is only available from their website and is sold to celebrities and other cool people.

1. Set your goals.

• What do you want to get out of it? 
• Do you want to try new foods and assess the trends? 
• Do you want to check out the competition? 
• Do you want to see existing customers and vendors? 
• Do you want to meet new industry contacts and prospective customers?
• Is attending educational seminars and lectures your intention?

2. Do your research.

• Find out who will be exhibiting and attending the show and what educational sessions will be offered. The trade show website can be a great source.
• Ask your food sales rep for a list of exhibiting vendors who may be offering show discounts and rebates.

3. Plan ahead.

• Make a list of booths you know you want to visit and what seminars, workshops and networking events you want to attend. 
• Make a list of companies with products, award-winning products and/or packaging, competitors and any booths you wouldn’t want to miss.
• Prioritize your lists.
• Set appointments with business colleagues as far in advance as possible.
• Plan free time to discover new companies and products, and arrange for potential business meetings.
• Determine what your objectives are so you can be efficient with your time.
• Check your business card supply and order more, if needed, in time for the show.

4. At the show.

• Wear comfortable shoes. Save your new shoes for another occasion.
• Dress for comfort and look professional.
• Bring plenty of business cards, a pen and a tablet of paper for jotting notes.
• Arrive at the show as early as possible to beat the crowds, especially if you haven’t pre-registered.
• Wear your badge in plain site.
• Pick up a copy of the Buyers’ Guide and compare it to your priority list. Are there additional exhibitors you must see?
• Be selective of the marketing materials and food samples you receive. Ask exhibitors to email information – it saves resources too.
• Take advantage of  show specials and discounts – ask companies if they are not posted.
• Take time to walk the show for new discoveries.
• Take a break.
• Take notes during the show and educational events. Also, make notations on business cards and materials to keep track for follow up.
• Check your list so you’ve seen your “must sees” and met your objectives.