Masseria Mirogallo Hand-Peeled Tomatoes
Produced by the Belfiore family in the province of Matera (one of Italy’s oldest towns), these hand-peeled tomatoes are stunningly packaged and taste terrific—sweet, fruity, bright and bold.
Acetaia Leonardi White Balsamic Vinegar
This white balsamic from Acetaia Leonardi is aged for eight years in oak barrels, so its flavor is exceptionally smooth and rounded. We like its honeyed fruit undertones and full-bodied consistency, which comes from the aging process and is a key indicator of a vinegar's quality. The family producer has been making vinegar since 1871 and is one of the last in Modena, Italy, to grow the same grapes that they use to make their vinegar. Try using this vinegar for brightness in our White Balsamic and Tarragon Chicken or Belgian Mashed Potatoes with Winter Vegetables (Stoemp); it will sharpen flavors and add dimension without calling too much attention to itself the way other vinegars do. Or drizzling it over roasted vegetables, such as in our Roasted Carrots with Balsamic Raisins and Pine Nuts or Slow-Roasted Tomatoes. We like to use a couple tablespoons to deglaze the pan after roasting meats, scraping up the browned bits and finishing with butter. White balsamic vinegar even plays a key role in our Harissa, for a mild acidity as a counterpoint for the earthy spices in the hot pepper paste.
La Vecchia Dispensa Organic 6-year Aged Aceto Balsamico di Modena IGP
La Vecchia Dispensa's Organic Balsamic Vinegar of Modena IGP has a full, well-rounded flavor and classic oak notes, with an initial burst of bright acidity followed by a rich sweetness similar to dried fruit.
Acetaia Leonardi Balsamic Pearls
We like to think of these as balsamic caviar; when you bite into the pearls, all their volatile aromatic compounds are released at once so you can fully savor the depth and complexity of Acetaia Leonardi's authentic balsamic vinegar. It's a sharper, more immediate burst of acidity that highlights vinegar's vibrant intensity.
Armato Artichokes in Olive Oil (Carciofini in Olio d’Oliva)
The Armato family has been producing fine Italian products, from olive oil and condiments to preserved vegetables and pastas, at their mill in Liguria, Italy, for five generations. Their artichokes are silky, rich and tender, lacking the astringent, acidic and sometimes metallic flavor that canned artichokes have. They are packed in fruity, high-quality olive oil, also made by the Armato family, which gives the artichokes a lovely, smooth texture. Enjoy them on their own, or add to an antipasto board, mix into pasta and salads, or use as a pizza topping. And any leftover olive oil works well for cooking and finishing.
Petrazzuoli Fontana Lupo Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
Pressed from olives grown on 100-year-old trees, this acclaimed Italian olive oil is herbaceous and subtly fruity, with a unique hay-like quality. We especially love its rich, buttery mouthfeel, which is balanced by a peppery finish—the sign of a minimally processed product—so that the olive oil isn't cloying but rather light-tasting. It's a perfect finishing oil, full of character but not overwhelming. Try it with lightly dressed grains or pasta, whose nutty sweetness pairs well with the buttery flavor; we also like to drizzle it over focaccia before baking. High-quality olive oil is essential for our chilled Andalusian Tomato and Bread Soup (Salmorejo), creating a creamy body and adding a fresh, fruity flavor.
Cordero Cannellini Beans
Soft with tender skin and a creamy center, cannellini beans are an Italian pantry staple; these beans from Cordero, a family-run Italian company, have a pleasant, neutral flavor that will suit a variety of dishes and cuisines. They retain a mild chew when cooked until al dente. Try this elevated essential for with meat, fish or vegetables.
Cordero Couscous
This couscous from Cordero works beautifully in both hot and cold dishes. With its pleasantly wheaty taste and balanced texture—the perfect medium between tender and firm—this couscous is a cut above grocery store versions. It cooks up fluffier in mere minutes, with more separate grains and zero stickiness or mushiness. Pair it with meat, fish or roasted vegetables.
U Salaturi Colatura di Alici (Anchovy Extract)
Colatura di alici is a traditional anchovy extract from the area around the fishing village of Cetera in Campania, Italy. The amber-hued liquid is intensely flavored and akin to garum, the Roman fish sauce. It’s a quick, simple way to add savory umami complexity and a hit of brine to dishes. But don’t worry—it’s not too fishy, like some other brands can be. We love the body it gives to a starchy pasta: bright, salty and savory—it truly adds so much to a dish.
Maria Grammatico Pasticceria Estratto Di Pomodoro Tomato Paste
Dense, glossy and intensely fruity, this may be the most potent tomato paste we’ve ever tasted. Add it judiciously to pasta sauces, braises and soup for robust body. We can eat this stuff straight from a spoon. Conveniently packaged in a resealable jar, it will last indefinitely in the refrigerator.
Tastëlanghe Azienda Agricola Piedmont Hazelnuts
Incredibly hard to find in the U.S., Tonda Gentile hazelnuts are considered some of the best in the world. Sweet, nutty and satisfyingly crunchy, these shelled, whole toasted ones are perfectly browned with a clean taste on the finish. Grown exclusively in the Langhe area of Piedmont, Italy, Tastëlanghe has been producing them since 1891. These hazelnuts will shine in dishes from sweet cakes, creams and cookies to savory salads. Or just snack on them whole.
Tastëlanghe Nocciola Caramel
Incredibly hard to find in the U.S., Tonda Gentile hazelnuts are considered some of the best in the world. Grown exclusively in the Langhe area of Piedmont, Italy, Tastëlanghe has been producing them since 1891. In their Nocciola Caramel, those renowned hazelnuts turn into a creamy, rich, sweet caramelly spread with a hint of salt. Light in texture but deep in flavor, this spread is full of caramel flavor from a mixture of caramelized hazelnuts and milk that is cooked down to perfection. It’s like dulce de leche, but less dense and far more flavorful. Spoon it onto ice cream, cakes, cookies, or any baked good, spread on toast or eat straight from the jar!
Tastëlanghe Nocciola Dark
Incredibly hard to find in the U.S., Tonda Gentile hazelnuts are considered some of the best in the world. Grown exclusively in the Langhe area of Piedmont, Italy, Tastëlanghe has been producing them since 1891. In their Nocciola Dark, those renowned hazelnuts turn into a creamy, rich, sweet dark chocolate spread. Light in texture but deep in flavor, this spread has just a hint of dark chocolate and intense notes of roasted hazelnuts. It’s like Nutella, but less dense, far more flavorful, and with only natural ingredients. Use it to spoon onto ice cream, cakes, cookies, or any baked good or anywhere you would Nutella, spread on toast, or eat straight from the jar!
Tastëlanghe Piedmont Hazelnut Paste
Incredibly hard to find in the U.S., Tonda Gentile hazelnuts are considered some of the best in the world. Grown exclusively in the Langhe area of Piedmont, Italy, Tastëlanghe has been producing them since 1891. The company uses these same renowned hazelnuts to turn them into a creamy, dreamy paste. Naturally sweet, nutty, earthy and spoonable, this spread lists hazelnuts as the only ingredient, so it is remarkably flavorful. Similar in consistency to tahini, use it for baking and cooking, stir into yogurt, add to smoothies, drizzle over ice cream, make granola or simply eat it with a spoon straight from the jar.
ITALO Acetaia Pedroni Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena D.O.P.
One of the oldest artisan balsamic makers in the world, Acetaia Pedroni has been in the business since 1862. They make their Italo balsamic vinegar from start to finish in Modena, which earns the bottle the “Protected Designation of Origin” mark—a verification that it’s as high quality as it gets. Made only from pure, juicy trebbiano wine grapes, the vinegar is aged for a minimum of 12 years in oak and chestnut wood barrels, moving into smaller and smaller barrels as it ages to concentrate the flavor. The finished result is filled with complexity: rich, heady, sweet, earthy and tart with notes of raisins and umami. It’s thick and syrupy from years of evaporation and a natural sugar content, so it’s perfect for finishing the most special dishes, like risotto and meats, or drizzled over strawberries and cheese.