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This is the season to buy extra virgin olive oil – Italian Cuisine


In autumn, the olives are harvested and new oil is made, the best, which must therefore be bought now. From the Storico Frantoio di Santa Tea launch the limited edition, available only until December

Extra virgin olive oil is best when it is fresh, just pressed and retains all the organoleptic characteristics of the olives from which it is produced. After, unfortunately, the slow and natural oxidation process begins which causes it to lose part of its aromatic profile and flavors. That's why now, in the fall, it has a unique flavor instead, one richness of special aromas and all the characteristics of the cultivars with which it is produced. Connoisseurs are already on the hunt for the best bottles to buy and taste immediately. And you, did you know that there are also seasonal limited editions? The highest expression for connoisseurs and to fully enjoy a drizzle of raw oil.

An excellent vintage

In Tuscany, the olive harvest is already underway, which began earlier than in previous years because the climate has changed and the olives must be picked in time to obtain the precious nutritional properties of which they are rich. After years of scarce quantities, producers can finally breathe a sigh of relief, it seems in fact an excellent year thanks to the quality of the olives. This is confirmed by one of the most historic families in the field: the Gonnelli family, which since 1585 has dedicated itself to the production of oil e.v.o. in the Santa Téa oil mill and cultivates 48,000 olive trees in Tuscany, all certified organic.

The good quality of the oil is determined by variety, climate, soil but to obtain a good harvest an important role is also played by the work that is carried out in agriculture throughout the year: a plant cared for and looked after will certainly be more generous, which is why the olive trees of the Santa Téa mill year by a team of farmers dedicated to their cultivation and care.

The limited edition oil

The fresh oil from the Gonnelli 1585 line has an intense and bright emerald green color, and for this reason it is the only product of the company to be sold in transparent bottle. It is so precious that it is a limited edition product, sold only during the olive pressing period, from November to the end of December. Bottled immediately after pressing, due to the particularity of the transparent glass bottle and being more exposed to light, fresh oil from the mill is a product to be consumed immediately, to savor all the qualities of new oil.

It shows up slightly veiled, with olive pulp in suspension, a characteristic given by the non-filtering of the oil, once it has come out of the separator. The combination of olives of different varieties, frantoio, moraiolo and leccino, coming from the company's olive groves and harvested in late October, early November, give this oil a harmonious set of aromas, giving us a very special flavor. The result is a particularly full-bodied and rich extra virgin oil on the palate, with marked artichoke notes and bitter-spicy peaks on the finish. Excellent to accompany autumn dishes such as seasonal vegetable soups, mushrooms and pumpkin risotto or to be enjoyed with the classic Tuscan bruschetta.

All that remains is to visit the oil mill shop in Reggello (FI) or the virtual shop through the site of the mill e choose your favorite flavor and enjoy the freshly made oil, pinchy and fruity as we like it and maybe stock up for the new year!

where to buy it and the recipe of its mayonnaise – Italian Cuisine


From the family barrels, the production of Traditional Villa Manodori Balsamic Vinegar is not only tasted in the restaurant. You can also buy it online (and here is the recipe for making mayonnaise)

1995 is the year in which Osteria Francescana opened, but also the year in which Massimo Bottura started to bottle his family's Balsamic Vinegar with the name of Villa Manodori. No coincidence, Balsamic Vinegar in these lands traditionally marks a new beginning. For hundreds of years a new battery of balsamic vinegar has been built at the birth of an heir. It is a tradition that is still very much alive, so much so that at the birth of Lara and Massimo's daughter, Alexa, Bottura's grandmother gave the girl and the traditional balsamic vinegar batteries that today give life to the production of Villa Manodori.

Balsamic Vinegar has been produced in a limited geographical area of ​​Italy between Modena and Reggio Emilia since 1046, and is still produced by hand, passing on the tradition in the family, from generation to generation. Just like at home Bottura.

From Cappuccino dated 1989 and served at Trattoria del Campazzo, years beforeOsteria Francescana, where a potato and onion soup with a drop of Balsamic Vinegar of Modena took the form of an Italian classic, with foie gras croccantino with the heart of Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena, still on the menu today, balsamic vinegar has always been one of its fetish ingredient together with Parmigiano Reggiano. Awarded the Master Taster diploma during the Palio di San Giovanni which decrees the best traditional balsamic vinegar in Spilamberto every year (making families compete with thousands of samples), in 2005 Bottura signed an entire recipe book and served it even to Barack Obama.

The name Villa Manodori refers to the 16th century estate located in the Modena countryside. The Este estate was often home to large parties and great recreational competitions where their renowned balsamic vinegar was served as a digestive at the end of each meal. Villa Manodori Balsamic Vinegar has not only been produced for decades but has also been recognized internationally, winning the SOFI award. The processing begins with the must (juice) of locally grown Trebbiano grapes which is then aged in wooden barrels – oak, chestnut and juniper – to produce a rich, dark balsamic vinegar with an intense aroma and syrupy consistency.

Tradition, Bottura has always repeated, must know how to look at it from 10 km away – that is, with a pinch of detachment but also with a more open vision. In addition to the classic Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena D.O.P Extra old aged for more than 20 years, Villa Manodori offers other products, including a Dark Cherry aged version in dark cherry wood that recalls the notes of Vignola cherries. There is the version with Barolo, the Bio, the artisan one – which is used in the recipe of Balsamic Mayonnaise – a selection of cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil, from Taggiasca olives, organic or the selection of Essential Oils with chilli, ginger, lemon. Rosemary, garlic and black pepper. Vinegar and other condiments such as extra virgin olive oil are those that are used every day at the Osteria Francescana, the Franceschetta58 bistro and in the Gucci Osteria restaurants, but they can also be purchased online on Vignaz.com (for Europe) worldwide at Eataly and a few other selected distributors.

The recipe mAionese with Balsamic Vinegar

Ingredients

2 yolks

75 g of Villa Manodori Artisan Balsamic Vinegar

125 ml Villa Manodori extra virgin olive oil

125 ml sunflower oil

2 teaspoons of lemon juice

Method

Combine the yolks, oils and lemon juice in a tall cup and proceed slowly with an immersion blender. Add Villa Manodori Balsamic Vinegar. The mayonnaise should have a creamy and shiny consistency.

Massimo Bottura's Emilia Burger with balsamic mayonnaise
Massimo Bottura's Emilia Burger with balsamic mayonnaise.

Canned mackerel: how to buy the best – Italian Cuisine

Canned mackerel: how to buy the best


Tasty and nutritious, a source of omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, iron and vitamin D, canned mackerel lends itself to different uses in the kitchen: from fast lunch when you have little time as an ingredient for elaborate recipes.

Here are some tips to choose it best.

Atlantic and Pacific
Mackerel are usually fished in the Atlantic Ocean and worked fresh on the fishing site, generally in Morocco, Portugal, Albania, Spain, Ireland, Iceland but also in Peru. To ensure that fishing takes place in compliance with protected species and the marine ecosystem, the Friend of the sea certification was born, to which several Italian companies also adhere.
In the boxes they can end different species of mackerel: the most common is it Scomber scombrus, which lives mainly in the Atlantic ocean and part of the Mediterranean sea. But in some boxes you can find it Scomber japonicus which also comes from the waters of the Pacific Ocean. The mackerel meats are canned after being steamed, in water or on the grill. And they can be preserved naturally (i.e. in water and salt) or in oil (from seeds, olives or extra virgin): in the latter case the percentage of oil must be indicated on the label, which can range from 28 to 34% of the total weight of the product. A counter-test also comes from the net weight of the drained product, mandatory on the label.

How we work
The fresh mackerel is cleaned, washed and steamed, in water or grilled salty so that it remains firmer.
After cooking, the pieces are cleaned by hand, eliminating skin, bones and dark parts and the fillets of the desired size are obtained. So the mackerel comes immediately packaged in metal boxes or in glass jars, and then covered with a liquid of government which guarantees its conservation and which can be oil, brine or sauce. Thereafter the packages are sealed and subjected to sterilization at 110-120 ° C. This heat treatment guarantees its stability allowing a long conservation.

Eye on labels and packaging
The box labels usually show i nutritional values of the drained product, the indication of the origin, or rather the catch area and also the method of fishing. Before buying a can of mackerel, also check the integrity of the same: avoid putting dented or bulging packs in the cart, they could be signs of the presence of gas andalterations, also determined by microorganisms or pathogenic germs.
Another important information to look for on the label, to choose the best product, is the type of oil used: to prefer that olive compared to seed oil, while for those who follow low-calorie diets, it is advisable to prefer natural mackerel.
If you choose the glass packs, increasingly popular in recent times, you can also observe the consistency of the fillets: the more compact they are, the higher the quality.

Manuela Soressi

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