Zest Fest 2016-We “Rocked It”!

Red Kitchen Foods – Smokin’ Texas Gourmet again helped sponsor the Zest Fest Food Show at the Irving Convention Center in Las Colinas in 2016. Put on by Spicy Food Productions, the show was a big success in its sixth year! You can visit http://zestfest.net/ for all the information of this years show.

This year Red Kitchen Foods/Smokin’ Texas Gourmet had 3 booths, one featuring our VOTEW Beverage Mixer and a double booth for all the Smokin’ Texas Gourmet artisanal Sauces, Condiments, Seasonings, Rubs, and Salsas.

We entered or L’il Gems Candied Jalapenos, Angry Twist Pepper Sauce, and VOTEW Beverage Mixer in the Fiery Food Challenge competition. They were all winners!

1. VOTEW Beverage Mixer: Has now won three two years running, this year winning a People’s Choice Award and Beverage Mixer Enhancer award.

2. L’il Gems Candied Jalapenos: Three years running winning another Golden Chili award for Consumer Ready Pickled Other Category

3. Angry Twist Pepper Sauce: 2 years running in the Consumer Ready, Hot Sauce category. Great product that is in its second year. It is a boldly, flavorful sauce with a kick on the back end. It has “ghost pepper” as an ingredient and is not for the faint-hearted!

I was honored to participate in the line-up of celebrity chef demos on the main stage over Zest Fest weekend! Three demos highlighted how to make homemade happen healthfully and deliciously with our kitchen staples. Friday treated attendees to sliders of freshly ground beef or chicken with caramelized onions and Candied Jalapenos, and a side of crisp garlic fries…all seasoned with versatile and popular best-sellers “GSP” and Dry Rub. The audience learned techniques and benefits of grinding beef and chicken at home, then rushed to the sample table!

Saturday’s demo had our famous “Chemist and the Frenchman” theme with special guest, Chef Sebastien Layen, Executive Chef of the Omni Hotel in Fort Worth on stage with me. Together we did a another “Super Bowl Tailgating Party” theme. I prepared Chicken Salsa Verde (Green Mole) with Jasmine Rice and Chef Sebastien prepared a special Roasted Pork Slider on a beer bun with Candied Jalapeno relish! Yummy! It was amazing and chef used our GSP, Dry Rub and L’il Gems. All the recipes can be found on our web-site http://www.smokintexasgourmet.com/products-and-recipies/smokin-chipotle-hot-pepper-sauce.html .

My last demo was Sunday and it featured “Smoked Brisket and Bean Chili” with “Candied Jalapeno Cornbread. An amazing dish that is quick and easy to make featuring our GSP, Dry Rub, Chili Seasoning, L’il Gems and Smokin Chipotle Pepper Sauce. Everything was gobbled up with-in 5 minutes of the demo ending! The recipes can be found on our web-site http://www.smokintexasgourmet.com/products-and-recipies/salsas/tres-chilies-8-oz.html .

All three demos featured a cocktail with L’il Gems Candied Jalapeños: Jalapeño Apple Martini

All in all, it was an amazing and high octane 3 days! We were so happy and grateful to see so many returning customers from last year! Outstanding fun, food, people, and of course sales. See everyone next year…same place same time!