We have tried to stock our shop with the things that we think go into the good life. Fine wines, craft brewed beers, gourmet cheeses, exquisite gift items, a comfortable atmosphere, and wonderful live entertainment. The last element is gourmet foods. We have found some delicious foods from around the world, including pastas, olives, olive and truffle oils, chocolates, and much more. Check out this space to see what new things we have discovered.

ITALY

L'acetaia di Giorgio Traditional Balsamic

Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena is unique from all other vinegar based condiments.
Unlike ordinary vinegar which has its origins in an alcoholic liquid, balsamic vinegar is produced directly from grape juice.
Grapes, harvested in the region in which balsamic vinegar is produced, ore crushed and their liquid "must" is boiled in an open vot ouer a fire.
This liquid is then placed in high quality wooden barrels in which through un oxidation process, it is transformed into vinegar.
The barrels ore kept in a vinegar loft acetaia where over a number of years, the precious liquid inside is lovingly cored for through a special technique involving transfers and topping up.
Over many years microbiotic and enzymatic modifications unite to achieve un exceptional balance in fragrance and flavour

Let these simple recipes tempt you.
Giorgio, Giovanna, Carlotta e Leone

Mashed Potatoes with Egg Yolk and Green Asparagus and Traditional Balsamic Vinegar D.O.P. Extraold

Serving 4 people:
1 kg. potatoes
bunch of green asparagus
80 gr. Butter
milk
olive oil
salt- pepper
egg
Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
Extra Old Traditional Balsamic Vinegar

Make mashed potatoes in the usual manner, but cook a little longer without peeling them and in a lot of salted water.
Then peel the cooked potatoes, mash, put in a saucepan and add the butter and hot milk. Salt where needed.
Clean the asparagus and sauté in a frying pan a small amount of olive oil.
When the mashed potatoes have reached a creamy te4xture, remove from flame and place a couple of spoonfuls on each serving dish.
Cook the egg yolk for a fe4w seconds in boiling water with some drops of wine vinegar and place it in the centre of the mashed potatoes.
Garnish with the asparagus and slivers of parmigiano reggiano cheese at last add the Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Giorgio.extraold.

Prosciutto

Prosciutto is the Italian word for Ham, but few other hams are so fine in texture and so delectable in flavor that the best way to eat them is in thin slices of the cured, uncooked meat. Prosciutto di Parma is made in the same northern Italian region as Parmigiano-Reggiano. The sweet-salty flavor of Prosciutto plays off fruit beautifully, it is wonderful layered on Tuscan breads or as a cooking ingredient, prosciutto can enhance pasta sauces or stuffings.

Potatoes With Prosciutto

Delicious for breakfast, brunch, or with a homestyle dinner. Cook your potatoes ahead to save time in the morning.

2 lbs Red Potatoes
1 small Onion, minced
3-4 ounces diced Prosciutto
3 TB Butter
1-2 TB Fresh Rosemary, minced
1 tsp Salt
½ tsp Pepper

Cook potatoes whole in salted water until fork-tender, 15-20 minutes. Drain potatoes and chop coarsely. Heat oil/butter mixture in a large skillet. Add onions and cook until translucent. Add prosciutto and rosemary and cook until it just starts to brown at the edges. Add potatoes to pan and season with salt and pepper. Cook potatoes 10-12 minutes, stirring lightly, or until they brown to your liking.

Red Wine Marinated Flank Steak Filled with Prosciutto, Fontina and Basil with Cabernet-Shallot Reduction

4 shallots, coarsely chopped
1 cup dry red wine, such as Cabernet
1/4 cup olive oil
2 pounds flank steak,
Salt and pepper
1/4-pound thinly sliced prosciutto
1/4-pound thinly sliced fontina cheese
14 fresh basil leaves
Olive oil
Cabernet-Shallot Reduction, recipe follows

Cut a pocket into the Flank Steak. Whisk together shallots, wine and olive oil in a large baking dish. Add the steak and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Remove the steak from the marinade and blot with paper towels. Lay on a flat surface, cut side up, and season with salt and pepper. Cover the surface with the prosciutto slices, then top with the cheese and a layer of basil leaves. Starting with the side facing you, tightly roll up the steak around the filling. Using kitchen string, tie the roll in 4 or 5 places.

Brush the outside of the steak with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the steak over high heat until browned all over, 8 to 10 minutes. Turn the steak 4 times as it cooks. Move the meat away from the direct heat and grill for 15 to 20 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer registers 125 degrees F for medium-rare. Remove from the grill and let rest 5 minutes before slicing. Slice against the grain into 1/2-inch thick slices and drizzle with the Cabernet-Shallot Reduction.

Cabernet-Shallot Reduction:
2 teaspoons olive oil
3 shallots, finely chopped
1 bottle Cabernet wine
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
Salt
1 tablespoon honey

Heat oil in a large saucepan on the grates of the grill over high heat. Add the shallots and cook until soft. Add the wine and peppercorns, bring to a boil and cook until thickened and reduced to 1 cup. Strain the mixture into a bowl and season with salt, to taste, and honey.

Leonardi 3 year Balsamic

Great Balsamic Vinegar is a syrupy dark liquid with an intense fruity flavor. Authentic traditional balsamic vinegar is made from boiled grape must that undergoes natural fermentation and slow acetification, followed by a long aging process in wood casks. Each year the vinegar rests in a different wood. As times goes by, and according to the taste and palate of individual producers such as Giovanni Leonardi, the fermenting liquid is transferred to progressively smaller barrels. This sequence of barrels of different sizes and woods, such as oak, walnut, ash, acacia, chestnut, mulberry, etc., is known as a "batteria." A batteria could consist of as few as three barrels and as many as ten. Part of each barrels contents - but never all of it - is decanted to the next smaller barrel, again based on the judgment of the producer. For years the vinegar goes through what is called maturation in the middle part of batteria, then enters the aging phase in the last few barrels

"One drop is enough to blow up your mouth with flavor that will stay with you for five minutes," says Carlo Middione, chef-owner of Vivande in San Francisco. Try a few drops to roasted chicken, baked potatoes, broiled halibut, scallops or even berries, especially strawberries.

Parmesan and Spinach Pie

Piecrust:
8 ounces flour (about 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons)
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 ounces (1 stick) cold butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons solid vegetable shortening
3 tablespoons ice water
Parmesan and Spinach Pie:
1 teaspoon unsalted butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup chopped pancetta or bacon
1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onions
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 pounds spinach, rinsed, blanched, and finely chopped
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch grated nutmeg
1 large egg, beaten
1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter
Aged balsamic vinegar

For the crust: Into a large bowl, sift the flour and salt. Add the butter pieces and shortening and work them into the flour by hand until the dough starts to come together and form small pea shapes. Work the ice water into the dough 1 tablespoon at a time with your fingers until it just comes together, being careful not to over mix. Form the crust into a disk shape, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator to rest for at least 30 minutes before rolling out.
Brush the bottom and sides of a 10-inch springform pan with the butter and set aside. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
To make the filling, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and cook until just crisp, about 2 minutes. Add the onions and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the spinach, salt, pepper, and nutmeg, mix well, and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add the egg and cheese, and mix well. Let cool.
Divide the dough into 2 portions, one about 2/3 and the other 1/3 of the dough. Roll each portion on a lightly floured surface into a thin round. Press the dough into the bottom and up the sides of the prepared pan. Fill with the cooled spinach mixture, and top with the smaller round of dough, pressing firmly to seal the filling. With a sharp knife, cut slits into the top crust and brush with the melted butter. Bake until the crust is golden and the filling is set, about 40 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with aged balsamic vinegar.

Rustichella d’Abruzzo Pasta

In Abruzzo, east of Rome, Gianluigi Peduzzi maintains the proud Rustichella d'Abruzzo tradition started by his grandfather over a century ago. What makes Rustichella d'Abruzzo pasta different from commercially made pasta? Gianluigi Peduzzi makes his pasta from two natural ingredients: stone ground durum flour from hard winter wheat, and pure spring water. When extruded through hand carved bronze dies, some of which date from the 19th-century, the resulting rustic texture holds the sauces beautifully, much better than mass produced pasta. Rustichella d'Abruzzo pasta is air dried for a crucial 56 hours, which creates a dense, flavorful pasta that cooks perfectly al dente. Because of the density of the pasta, many chefs find that the yield per pound is greater than commercially made pasta.

Pappardelle is a 1 inch wide pasta designed with robust flavor to be served simply, tossed with your favorite oil, or butter, and fresh grated cheese. You can also add sautéed or grilled chicken, meat or seafood and some of your favorite vegetables, and simple spices to taste, if desired.

Tagliatelle is a rich, nested egg pasta that has a pale yellow color. Slightly wider than Fettuccine.

Fusilli col Buco is a corkscrew pasta twice as long as spaghetti with a thin hole down the center. This particular shape allows Fusilli to be generously coated by all sauces whether they are tomato, butter, or cream-based This is Rusichella d'Abruzzo's most popular pasta.

Gnocchi are little potato based dumplings. They are fantastic with all sorts of sauces, from a simple summer tomato sauce to the richest winter meat sauce.

Olio Verde

In the gentle uplands of northwestern Sicily, Becchina & Company's country estate is an ideal location for growing olives. Sixty acres of olive groves - thousands of trees - roll away behind high walls surrounding the estate, part of which was the villa and grounds of the Princess Pignatelli of Spain. Becchina & Company has restored the olive groves and developed an extra virgin olive oil of world-class stature.

The olives used are 100% Nocellara del Belice. These fine trees are not chemically treated in any way. Some of them are 300-year-old-stock onto which younger trunks are grafted. A spring is tapped to deliver water directly to every tree through an elaborate irrigation system. The olives are hand picked. They are captured while still green, but coated with a light whitish sheen that only exists for two weeks at the most. This is called the white phase and is regarded by many as too early to harvest-usually in October when yields are low. But Becchina & Company seeks the strong green flavors in their oil. This also helps to preserve the oil's intense aroma and high quality.

The olives are stone-crushed under huge millstones, then laid on mats and pressed gently. The unfiltered oil is stored in rotund terracotta amphorae until spring, naturally clarifying itself. It is never filtered; Becchina & Company prefers that the chlorophyll suspended in the minute particles of sediment act as a natural preservative. The oil is decanted into the distinctive Olio Verde rectangular bottles.

Frescobaldi Laudemio Olive Oil

The Frescobaldi family has been at the center of the economic, political, and cultural life of Florence since the Middle Ages. Frescobaldi extra virgin olive. The Frescobaldi family takes great care in producing traditional Tuscan extra virgin olive oil. They continue to challenge the standards of excellence in their olive oils as they have for centuries with their wines. In the early 1990's a few select estates joined together to create the Laudemio consortium, imposing upon themselves regulations and procedures for production of the highest standard of extra virgin olive oil. Laudemio is a Latin phrase for "tribute to the Lord," or the best part of the harvest. The Laudemio consortium regulations cover all aspects of production, including geographical boundaries with Central Tuscany, soil requirements, and specific criteria for planting and cultivating the olives. The entire production cycle is monitored, covering all agricultural operations, and ending with Laudemio's trademark bottling and label design. The Frescobaldi oil carries the Laudemio label and insignia imprinted with the estate's "running Roman" logo. While admittedly a rare product of the highest quality, and expensive, each bottle is packed in an individual box which protects the oil from light.

Acclaimed by food writers around the world, Frescobaldi Laudemio is an estate-produced oil from the hills of Chianti Ruffina. All producers of Laudemios must adhere to strict guidelines established by the Laudemio consortium. The Frescobaldi Laudemio is consistently rated "exceptional."

Castello di Volpaia

Classic Tuscan extra virgin olive oil with transparent green color, unripe tomato and artichoke aroma. Rich thick texture is dominant, carrying a lengthy ripe fruit and mildly spicy finish. Situated on a ridge in the hills stretching from Florence to Siena, the village of Volpaia with its medieval origins is home to the estate of Castello di Volpaia. The entire village serves as the fattoria for the superior wines, vinegar, and olive oil produced by the estate. The 10th century church as pictured on the label is currently used as a wine cellar.

The olive trees at Castello di Volpaia are in the perfect setting for producing a fruit of exceptional quality. The resulting olive oil has a rather dense green color and intensely fruity nose. It is perfect for adding an elegant flavor to any dish.

Region: Radda in Chianti, Tuscany Olive varieties: Frantoio, Leccino, Moraiolo Filtered, Estate-bottled

Suggested Use: Perfectly matched with simple foods such as fresh greens, grilled meats, or a bean salad.

Rasna Extra Virgin Olive Oil

The natural habitat for olive trees is along the Mediterranean coast. Tuscans realized that if the trees were planted inland the quality of the oil would be much better, conseguently they imported the trees into the Chianti hills which are a few hours drive from the sea. The conclusion is that the highest quality oil comes from central Tuscany precisely from the Chianti hills. But because the hills are not in their perfect microclimate, they suffer the killer frosts which happens once every 20-25 years. Since it takes at least 50 years for an olive tree to get into full production and since the last killer frost was in 1985 you can now realize why Chianti olive oil is so rare. Most Tuscan farmers cultivate olives without the idea of making a cash profit but simply to have oil for themselves to consume during the year. Rasna has managed, through there contacts, to have some farmers keep their "liquid gold" to distribute to real olive oil connoisseurs. They guarantee that Rasna Extra Virgin Olive Oil is exclusively produced from local hand picked olives. To consume extravirgin olive oil at its best it is very important to consume it young. Our goal is to ship a very fresh product, so fresh that we can guarantee that the oil you receive comes from olives that where still hanging on the trees only days before!!!!

SPAIN

Anchovey Stuffed Olives

Listed #4 in 'Saveur 100:' Favorites From the World of Food

By far and away, anchovy stuffed olives are the most popular olives at La Tienda. The olive and anchovy combination create a perfect balance of flavor. Served chilled with a cool drink, they evoke memories of warm summer nights of Andalucia, sitting outside with friends enjoying tapas. Prepared by a local olive company in Alicante, a traditional fishing port on Spain's Costa Blanca. Green olives stuffed with anchovies are refreshing and delightful. Excellent for tapas or hors d'oeuvres, anchovy stuffed olives can also add a touch of the ocean to a garden salad. They are at their very best when served chilled.

Thick White Asparagus Spears, D.O. Navarra

King Juan Carlos sampled a couple of these extra thick beauties from El Navarrico and exclaimed 'Cojonudos!', which is slightly off-color slang for terrific! This asparagus is from Navarra (not from China, as lesser brands tend to be) --, and it bears the seal of Denomination of Origin, which guarantees its quality and authenticity. Unlike the usual green asparagus we are familiar with in America, the plump spears of this artisan white asparagus are shielded from sunlight until the day they are harvested by hand. Each emerging spear is manually covered with moist earth to maintain its pure whiteness. This process produces extremely tender and delicious spears that literally melt in your mouth! In Spain these tender white asparagus spears are served atop an ensalada mixta (fresh mixed salad). Or you can enjoy them on a plate just by themselves with a dash of mayonnaise or ali oli.

AMERICA

Pinch Plus

Pinch Plus produces Organic Herbs and Organic Spices conveniently packaged in one tablespoon portions - a pinch plus a little bit more - just the right amount of savory organic herbs and spices to boost the flavor of your favorite dish or experiment with new and exotic recipes!

buy just what you need
no more out of date bottles turning grey and going stale
light, air and moisture proof packets protect the essence of the herbs and spices
convenient
economical
a pleasure to add to all your creative cooking

Pinch Plus - the perfect pinch of organic, high quality dried herbs and spices for all your baking and cooking needs

Bariani Olive Oil from California

From California's heartland! The Bariani family grows their own Manzanillo and Mission olives and harvests them by hand. Its 100% pure extra-virgin olive oil, natural and unfiltered. Since none of the natural antioxidants are removed, the oil retains its beautiful green opalescent appearance along with its fragrance and wonderful flavor. A great value!!

A Great Dipping Oil

Fresh Sage
Ground Sage
Fresh Garlic
Fresh Rosemary

Finally grind the above spices; add to a bottle of olive oil.

Bariani Balsamic

New from Bariani, a wonderful traditional balsamic vinegar made from Trebbiano grapes and aged six years in wood barrels. It has a complex and semi-sweet flavor perfect for your vinaigrettes or on fresh strawberries or peaches. A perfect appetizer with aged Parmagianno Regianno.

Palette Jelly & Preserves

Purple Basil Jelly - This jelly has a delicious apple and citrus base, infused with the color and flavor of purple basil. It is fabulous with cheeses and in sandwiches. It is also delicious with meats, especially lamb and turkey. Add it to gravies or sauces or toss it with steamed veggies for the perfect glaze.

Peppered Black Mission Fig Preserves- This preserve combines the rich texture and taste of figs with lemon thyme and a little kick of pepper. These flavor combinations are a perfect foil to blue cheeses, especially strong ones.

Sour Cherry & Lemon Balm Preserve-The tartness of sour cherries combined with the herbal citrus of lemon balm is fabulous in this whole fruit, not too sweet, preserve. It is wonderful with all goat cheeses, young and old, as well as triple creams.

Spiced Quince Preserves-This quince preserve is well balanced with the perfect amount of aromatic spices. Your cheese will be lonely without it. Serve it with Manchego, Parmesan, Old Cheddar and other firm cheeses.

Palette Wild Mushroom Spice Rub

Use this NASFT award winning spice rub to seal in juices and add flavor to meats, poultry, and vegetables. It is especially nice on steak, but also makes a great crust on thick slices of eggplant. Dredge all sides of meat, fish or vegetables in the rub. On a well oiled surface pan sear, grill, or broil with high heat on all sides. Cook to desired doneness and serve.

Dave's Gourmet Salts

This six compartment shaker contains six unique salts from around the world. These include Hawaiian Red Salt, Eurasian Black Salt, Grey Salt, Fleur de Sel, Smoked Salt and Italian Sea Salt.

Jump up and Kiss Me Hot Sauce

An incredible exotic sauce with habanero heat. Papaya, mustard, ginger, honey and turmeric are just some of the gourmet ingredients. Beware this sauce is only for the highly passionate.

Bronco Bob's Chipolte Sauces

Roasted Raspberry Chipotle Sauce- Raspberries & Chipotle Peppers combine to make this an outstanding grilling sauce. Serve with chicken, pork and fish or mix with vinegar and oil for a superb raspberry vinaigrette

QUICK AND TASTY RASPBERRY CHIPOTLE FIELD SALAD
1 bag (6 oz. - 12 oz.) Salad Ready Spring Field Greens; 1 4 oz. package crumbled blue cheese or feta cheese; roasted pine nuts; ½ cup Bronco Bob’s Roasted Raspberry Chipotle Sauce; ½ cup rice wine vinegar (available in the Asian or wine vinegar section); 2 tbsp. olive oil; fresh raspberries (optional)

Fill salad plates with spring field greens. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons crumbled cheese and 1 tablespoon pine nuts over greens. Combine Bronco Bob’s Roasted Raspberry Chipotle Sauce, rice wine vinegar and olive oil in a screw top container. Shake well. Drizzle over salads, and top with a few fresh raspberries, if desired. Ready in 5 minutes! Serves 4 to 6

Smoked Bacon Chipotle- Naturally smoky and spicy, award winning Bronco Bob's Smoked Bacon Chipotle Grilling Sauce is a subtle yet zesty partner for grilled meats. Perfect as a traditional BBQ sauce on pork, beef or chicken. Try some as a dip for chilled shrimp or raw oysters. Mmmm!

Roasted Mango Chipotle- For cooking, as a dipping sauce with eggrolls, or poured over cream cheese as an hors d'oeuvre, award-winning flavor of Roasted Mango Chipotle is filled with true Southwest taste.

Tangy Apricot Chipotle Sauce-An award winning blend of heat-packed chipotle peppers smoldering in a sea of apricots. Bronco Bob's Tangy Apricot Chipotle Sauce compliments just about any dish from McFast foods to the galloping gourmet. Try some over softened cream cheese or warmed Brie for a quick and delicious appetizer.

APRICOT CHIPOTLE GRILLED PORK CHOPS
3 lbs. 1-inch pork chops; 1 bottle Bronco Bob’s Tangy Apricot Chipotle Sauce

Marinate pork chops in Bronco Bob’s Tangy Apricot Chipotle Sauce for 1 hour or longer. Grill over medium low heat for 10 minutes, baste with sauce and turn over, baste again, and cook for an additional 8 - 10 minutes or until done. Serve with extra sauce, warmed for dippin’. Serves 4 to 6

Bronco Bob's Orange Bourbon Peppercorn Sauce- NEW!! This sweet and savory sauce has the tangy citrus flavor of oranges, a subtle hint of bourbon and finishes with cracked peppercorn. Use as a fabulous steak sauce, for grilling with chicken, for sauteed vegetables and rice or a dip for your favorite egg roll.

Made in Napa Valley

Artichoke with Parmesan Tapenade- We’ve combined artichokes, chiles and citrus with parmesan for richness to create a condiment spread that can be eaten right out of the jar with crostini. It provides a creamy base for a multitude of appetizers:

spread on pizza and top with black olives and feta
serve as a dip for a hummus style platter with baked pita chips and fresh vegetables
serve on mini lamb burgers with a topping of crumbled feta

Fig and Roasted Shallot Tapenade- This unique tapenade is a Mediterranean delight. With a hint of sweetness, it’s the perfect accompaniment to grilled chicken or pork. You could even try it in place of cranberries with your holiday turkey. Here are some more of our favorite ideas:

Hold the mayo on your turkey sandwich, spread our tapenade on the bread instead.
For a really different pizza use in place of tomato sauce and add fresh spinach, onions and goat cheese

Mediterranean Tapenade with Capers- Boasting a rich, bold flavor, this tapenade celebrates the diverse taste of the Mediterranean. Kalamata olives, capers and roasted red bell peppers are infused with a Merlot wine to round out this exotic temptation. Get creative:

Makes a perfect topping for pizza crust. Finish with feta or goat cheese.
Spread on a baquette, add feta or goat cheese and toss under the broiler until the cheese melts for a quick and healthy snack.

Roasted Corn and Red Pepper Savory Condiment- The smoky quality of roasted corn with the kick of red bell peppers enhances any dish from burritos to nachos:

Make Huevos Rancheros Made In Napa Valley Style – top your eggs with this condiment and serve with a corn tortilla.
Use in place of salsa for nachos or tacos.

Roasted Tomato with Balsamic Savory Condiment- Enjoy the warm, earthy taste of roasted tomatoes any time with this savory condiment. The delectable combination of tomatoes and balsamic can turn any entrée into an Italian feast:

Serve as a warm dip for roasted veggies as a healthy snack.
Spread on top of your next veggie omelet to round out the taste.

Tropical Fruit Salsa with Chiles and Cilantro- Love a little sweet with a little heat, just like the tropics. There is nothing like an alfresco meal of grilled chicken or fish topped with Tropical Fruit Salsa over a bed of mixed greens served with a chilled glass of a dry riesling—nirvana! For other tropical-inspired dishes we suggest:

grilled fish tacos with thinly sliced red onion and a dollop of salsa
creamy vanilla ice cream with a topping of salsa and fresh toasted coconut
shrimp, black bean and rice salad dressed with a little salsa and lime juice