Rustichella d'Abruzzo Fregola Sarda
Closer to couscous than extruded pasta, fregola from Sardinia, Italy, has an irregular, pebble-like shape with a coarse exterior that grips sauces. Historic producer Rustichella d'Abruzzo—a family company that traces its roots back to 1924 in Penne, Italy—makes its pasta using traditional methods, including slow-drying at low temperatures over the course of days. Fregola's pronounced wheaty flavor can be further enhanced through toasting in a dry skillet for a few minutes. Cook it like you would conventional pasta, in roiling salted water, or simmer like risotto for a creamy texture, adding small amounts of hot water or broth and stirring frequently; we also like to simmer it in soups and stews. Fregola cooks quickly, making it perfect for weeknight cooking.
Sukoyaka Brown Genmai Rice
If you are tired of tasteless white rice, let me introduce you to Genmai Rice. When I first tasted genmai two years ago, my first thought was that this rice was a miracle—it cooks quickly, just like white rice, but has the rich, earthy flavor and satisfying chewiness of great brown rice. Once you taste Sukoyaka Genmai, you will never go back. How is this possible? It is an American-grown short-grain brown rice that has had a portion of the outer bran layer is scrubbed away, allowing the grains to hydrate faster while retaining most of their nutritional properties. The nutty, earthy-tasting grains are distinct and just a touch sticky, making the rice perfect for accompanying stir-fries, curries, soups and stews, although I make it two or three times a week as a starter, for any sort of topping from steamed vegetables to quickly grilled chicken or steak. Matt, Card, our food editor, also swears by it for fried rice. He keeps a batch frozen in the freezer for a quick batch: Just defrost on the countertop, and it's ready to go for a virtually instant meal. Buy as much as you can afford, since genmai will become your go-to rice after the first bite.
Grand Noodle Five Colored Noodles
Handcrafted by a master noodle maker, these multicolored guksu, or Korean noodles, are infused with clean vegetable flavor. Guksu Master Kim Hyun Kyu started his noodle operation in 1987, wanting to add flavor to basic, bland wheat noodles that only supplemented other recipe components. After years of experimenting with ratios, recipes and aging, Kyu developed vibrant, vegetable-forward twists on the classic noodle. These guksu get their distinctive color-true hues and flavor from garlic chives, sweet pumpkin, beets, and white and black rice. And the ingredients are more than natural food coloring; when cooked, the aromatic noodles impart a subtle but noticeable flavor to dishes and retain a pleasant chew. Try them in pasta dishes, Korean preparations—like bibim-guksu, a spicy noodle stir-fry, or kong-guksu, a cold soy milk soup—or boiled and tossed with oil and sea salt.
Hayden Flour Mills Yellow Polenta
These stone-ground corn grits cook up dramatically creamier than other versions and have just enough texture without being sandy or crunchy. And unlike with other brands, any leftover polenta can be whisked back into a silky consistency a second day just by gently warming with a few splashes of water or broth—but it also firms up enough when it cools to slice and make Fried Polenta.
Cascina Oschiena Classic Carnaroli Rice
For Italian cooks, the rice of choice for risotto is always going to be carnaroli. Easier-to-find Arborio is also commonly used—but it will often render your dish gloopy and gummy. Medium-grained carnaroli, however, is prized for its ability to achieve the perfect, creamy risotto texture without the individual grains turning into mush. Like pasta, the grains should be just a touch al dente—no longer crunchy in the center, but just soft enough that each grain is tender, with a dense, chewy center. This Italian producer’s carnaroli achieves that flawlessly, with tender grains giving way to a creamy, luxurious sauce. When steamed, it’s fluffy with a lovely creamy-dense texture. And it easily absorbs the flavor of whatever liquid you use to cook it.
Marsh Hen Mill Sea Island Blue Grits
Grown on Edisto Island, South Carolina, these organic, stoneground blue grits from Marsh Hen Mill are a colorful twist on the southern staple. Grits are simply dried corn that have been ground down into a meal. Historically, blue and colored corn have been used ceremonially and revered for their taste. These grits feature heirloom blue corn varietals that have a floral and earthy flavor, with a slight nuttiness. Once cooked, they have a creamy, tender texture. The darker the grits, the more flavorful they are, so these outperform plain white grits by a mile, showcasing their corn-centered flavor and unmistakable freshness.
Rancho Gordo Marcella Beans
Grown in California and named after Italian culinary icon Marcella Hazan, these creamy white beans are from Italian Sorana seedstock. Sorana is a cannellini bean with incredibly thin skin and super-creamy texture. They cook up buttery soft and silky without falling apart. Their superior texture and quality make them a definite favorite for us. We especially like Rancho Gordo as a purveyor, as they’ve made it a priority to preserve culinary traditions and re-introduce indigenous beans from the Americas to the U.S. marketplace.
Rancho Gordo Domingo Rojo Beans
More diminutive than common kidney beans, these small to medium size red beans from Napa, California, have a soft and silky texture and deep, sweetish bean flavor. They’re a great choice for New Orleans Red Beans and Rice and a staple for many Caribbean cuisines. Domingo Rojo Beans really hold their shape when cooked, and the thick bean broth they give off enriches any sauce that coats rice and noodles. All of Rancho Gordo’s beans stand out due to their high quality, as they are sold fresher than most dried beans that can sit on the supermarket shelf for years. We especially like Rancho Gordo, as they’ve made it a priority to preserve culinary traditions and re-introduce indigenous beans from the Americas to the U.S. marketplace.
Rancho Gordo Midnight Black Bean
These black beans from Napa, California, have a rich flavor and creamy center, while still holding their shape after cooking. They cook up quickly, soaked or unsoaked, and have a lovely dark purple-black color. Try using the savory bean broth as a base for all kinds of soups or bean dishes. These beans can be eaten as a simple accompaniment to rice, or as an essential part of salads, soups, dips and side dishes. We especially like Rancho Gordo as a purveyor, as they’ve made it a priority to preserve culinary traditions and re-introduce indigenous beans from the Americas to the U.S. marketplace.
Rancho Gordo Pinto Beans
This heirloom variety of pinto bean is fast-cooking, creamy and versatile. With their soft skins and smooth texture, these California-grown beans are so much better than typical supermarket varieties. All of Rancho Gordo’s beans stand out due to their high quality, as they are sold fresher than most dried beans that can sit on the supermarket shelf for years. We especially like Rancho Gordo as a purveyor, as they’ve made it a priority to preserve culinary traditions and re-introduce indigenous beans from the Americas to the U.S. marketplace.
Rancho Gordo Yellow Eye Beans
A favorite in Maine, and hard to find outside the state, yellow eye beans are a must-have for New Englanders in the know. These sweet and silky beans make the absolute best baked beans, and they’re perfect for soups, stews and braises. Similar in appearance to black-eyed peas, these beans are creamy white with a molasses-colored eye and cook up round and full. As Rancho Gordo says on their website, “The flavor and texture make regular Navy beans seem sad.” They stand out due to their high quality, as they are sold fresher than most dried beans that can sit on the supermarket shelf for years. We especially like Rancho Gordo as a purveyor, as they’ve made it a priority to preserve culinary traditions and re-introduce indigenous beans from the Americas to the U.S. marketplace.
Cordero Instant Polenta
Save time with Cordero’s high-quality, instant version of polenta. The conventional kind of this a northern Italian comfort food can take at least 45 minutes to cook, but Cordero’s version is ready in 3 minutes—and we struggle to tell the difference between this quick version and the traditional long-cooking variety. It has a clean corn flavor and cooks up velvety, rather than gluey or stiff like other instant polentas. Whip up the polenta as a side for roasted meats or vegetables or seafood dishes; or simply serve with a ladleful of marinara sauce or ragù.
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.
