Herb and spice flavors in a liquid form

In response to American diners' growing passion for sophisticated flavors and to chefs' desire to freely create in the kitchen, Torani/R.Torre & Co., South San Francisco, has introduced a ground-breaking product line of concentrated fresh herb and spice flavors in a liquid, nonsweet form.

Torani Pure Flavor is made with all-natural flavors sourced from around the world and includes water, gum arabic, citric acid and a small amount of preservatives to retain the flavor intensity.

Torani Pure Flavor gives chefs, mixologists and baristas the freedom to experiment with abandon and create signature dishes and drinks to set their menus apart from the competition. “Americans are becoming increasingly savvy about gourmet ingredients and global influences. They are seeking exciting flavors, and this is a new tool to help chefs and mixologists meet their customers' demands,” says Melanie Dulbecco, Torani's CEO. “Torani Pure Flavor gives them the freedom to create with flavor. It helps them deliver to guests on their promise of an extraordinary, memorable taste experience.”

Ideal for an enormous variety of applications, from savory to sweet, from starters to desserts and from cocktails to alcohol-free drinks, Torani Pure Flavor's six initial flavor varieties include Ancho Chile, Basil, Cilantro, Garden Mint, Lemon Verbena and Thai Ginger. The company is continuing to develop and test additional flavors and plans to launch two to six more innovative varieties in 2006.

“Torani Pure Flavor bypasses the challenges of fresh herbs and spices, including perishability, inconsistency, extensive prep time and seasonality,” says Dulbecco.

Torani Pure Flavor is very intense; it takes only about one tablespoon per 2-lb batch to infuse flavor during cooking and a ½ teaspoon per 8 oz of beverages. The cap on the bottle allows for easy control of product flow, depending on the application. For drops, dial the nozzle way back; for a steady stream, open it up. Torani Pure Flavor is shelf-stable for one year.

Punch up flavor with Caribbean Club

Angostura Group of Trinidad, West Indies, has introduced Angostura Caribbean Club, a new series of rum punches in four distinctive flavors that contain 17 percent alcohol. “The new Caribbean Club rum punches are being targeted at both male and female consumers in their late-20s and beyond and are being marketed throughout the islands in duty-free tourist shops and cruise ship terminals,” explains Peter Traboulay, product development manager for Angostura. “Following that, the new rum punches will make their way to the U.S., first in Florida, and then in selective other states nationally. The company will also continue to freshen the new series by adding additional tropical flavors over time.”

Angostura enlisted the help of Saxco International, Inc. (www.saxcointl.com) to supply round, 750-mL and 1-L bottles for the four introductory flavors—traditional, passion fruit, mango and pineapple. Saxco is a distributor for Anchor Glass Container Corp. (813/884-000), which produces the bottles. The bottles are sent to Serigraphie Richford, Inc. (www.serigraphierichford.com), another Saxco vendor, which acid-frosts them to give them their distinctive appearance. The multicolored, pressure-sensitive labels for the bottles were created by Digital Graphics of Trinidad (868/625-3331) and are printed by Cameo Craft International (www.cameocraft.com). A plastic capsule with a heat-shrinkable sleeve finishes off both sizes.

“We were delighted to have played a part in the introduction and marketing of this exciting new series from Angostura,” says Jerry Maya, Saxco regional sales manager. “We think these new drinks are going to gain notoriety and momentum rapidly.”

PlateScapers are as practical as they are pretty

Smucker's® PlateScapers® dessert toppings make for a picture-perfect ending to any meal. The easy-to-hold, contoured bottle and unique applicator tip, which controls product flow, make it easy to create dessert masterpieces for any skill level. Available in five delicious flavors—chocolate, vanilla, chocolate fudge, caramel and raspberry—PlateScapers toppings are specially formulated for smooth and easy decorating. They make plate designs easy for pantry and wait staffs and provide a simple way to enhance desserts such as cakes, pies, ice cream, specialty beverages and more.

Bottles of chocolate, raspberry and vanilla contain 19.5 oz of product, while the bottles of chocolate fudge and raspberry flavors contain 19. 2- and 19.25 oz, respectively.