Desserts, A Major Focus Of Food Industry, Has Its Own Trade Show

The countdown is on for a show that addresses America's sweet tooth! The Fourth Annual Great American Dessert Expo, the only trade show dedicated exclusively to the multi-billion dollar dessert industry takes place June 9-11, 2006 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. It will once again be co-located in one exhibit hall with Coffee-Fest, a leading trade show for the lucrative coffee industry. Attendees will pay for one admission badge and have access to two first-rate trade shows.

The growing emphasis on desserts has been repeatedly featured on the Food Network's Special "Treats of the Trade" since originally filmed at the Dessert Expo in 2004. "Every time the Food Network airs the show my website hits jump from 5,000 per day to 30,000 per day- it's been incredible", beamed Michelle Hester of Sugar Veil who exhibited at the 2004 Dessert Expo. "The Food Network has put The Dessert Expo on the culinary map", said Nina Feiner, Show Manager of The Dessert Expo, "We constantly get calls and emails from people in the food industry as well as those who are not, because they viewed us on the Food Network. "We hope to work with them again!"

In addition to a potpourri of dessert products and ingredients from all over the US, the show will once again feature a special Italian Ministry Pavilion, headed by Regione Siciliana- Regional Ministry for Cooperation, Trade, Craft and Fisheries. The participating companies boast unique and exotic products found exclusively in Italy. Last year, the Italian Pavilion featured such products as artistic glassware of Tiffany's Studio and Art Work (Siracusa), the natural marmalades of Colle Vicario, some typical Italian products like virgin olive oil, sun dried tomatoes, pesto sauce, and rosolio from Tuttosiciliy, biscuits from Costa di Costa and almond pastries from Savastra. The exhibit signature was its Baronessa Scintilia dessert wines, including Inzolia-Chardonnay, Syrah, and Nero D'Avola.

The Dessert Expo will again work with StarChefs.com, which is both a backstage pass to the celebrity chef world for food and wine-savvy consumers and an essential information resource for aspiring professional chefs. Launched in 1995, StarChefs.com has since become the leading online destination for original, chef-focused culinary content.

An integral portion of the show is dedicated to demonstrations conducted by leading pastry chefs and educational seminars led by industry professionals. Chef Francesco Schintu of Zeffirino Ristorante in the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas will be one of the show's Celebrity Dessert Chef's. Chef Schintu, an accomplished pastry chef with an impressive track record, this year joined the Etoile, an international chef school in Italy where he is studying pastries with champion chefs from around the world. At the end of an intensive two year program, he will be crowned with a Master Chef Certification, a title very few celebrity chefs can claim.

It seems that Gelato is emerging as the "hottest" new frozen dessert. Dessert Expo and CoffeeFest are proud to present the World Class Gelato Workshop sponsored by Nuova Simonelli which will be presented by leading Italian Gelato Chefs (fee required).

The 2006 edition of the Great American Dessert Expo will also present "The Yum Yum Sisters"- Baltimore's newest Domestic Diva's! Long time friends Ilene Spector and Sandy Spanos are both passionate about anything that has to do with dessert! They will give various seminars on their specialty "Tricks of the Trade"- quick tips and hints that many professional chefs use as well as discussing the newest trends in desserts.

In addition, there will be an official "Chocolate Tasting" hosted by Chocophile Clay Gordon. His goal is for everyone to appreciate chocolate the same way you would a fine wine. For seven years Cl