Sweet Nectar Of Life

In case you weren't already aware, diabetes and obesity is a growing concern in not only America but also the rest of the world. These can be attributed to the over consumption of sugar based foods and drinks like soda and juices. Many people are seeking alternatives to the synthetically produced sweeteners, and then indulge in all these substitutes. There's a growing popular concept that the things you consume which come from nature itself is a lot more beneficial than the man made ones....and in this case it would be the artificial sweeteners. 

Banana Oatmeal Pancakes with Melted Peanut Butter & Nectavé Agave Nectar
Photo by Catherine Kung

That's where the need for a "healthy sweet" comes in to play. While that may sound like an oxymoron to some, those things actually do exist in the world. Agave nectar is a prime example that gives you a good sweetener as an alternative to synthetic sweeteners. Nectavé organic agave has been booming in popularity throughout the years both in the restaurant industry and for personal use. You may see some of these even sitting on the table in a restaurant for customers to use instead of the classic maple syrup. In this post, we will discuss the company of Nectavé, differences between other sweeteners as well as other agaves, benefits of using agave nectar, and many other tidbits. Read on more about this wonder liquid past the break.

Putting Your Eggs In The Basket

There's no doubt that noodles are an internationally renowned staple of food. From Asian cuisine like ramen and chow mein to the classic Western spaghetti and penne, noodles come in all shapes, types, and forms from all around the world. This leads us to the legendary noodle type, pasta, whose origination is first referenced in Italy. In this post, we will be taking a look at the unique Italian egg pasta type courtesy from our supplier La Pasta di Aldo. Keep on reading below as we cover the company La Pasta di Aldo, keywords in pasta ingredients, what makes egg pasta special, and some cooking & tasting suggestions.

Aged Before Beauty

In the world of gourmet foods, there is one particular factor that most food enthusiasts look at (depending on the item), and that is how much it has aged. The most well known and popular ones that would come to mind for most people are cheeses and wine. To some people the stinkier the cheese is, the better it tastes. When wine is aged considerably, changes in their aroma, taste, and color take place surpassing even its original incarnation. Balsamic vinegar can also be aged, and it's a bigger deal than you probably even realize. Just like with aged wine, getting a product to achieve the status as a true, aged balsamic vinegar has strict processes and requirements set by European standards. We at the Gourmet Import Shop have been importing such products from our Italian supplier, Mussini, who are experts in this field and have great knowledge in this industry.

In this post, we will go over a brief summary of who Mussini is, some Balsamic Vinegar 101, the meaning of IGP/DOP, Mussini's Coin System, and Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale versus Condimento. Grab some cheese & wine and head past the break to read more about aged Italian balsamic vinegar.

Panettone: The Hot Item This Coming Season!

Italian Panettone, Mussini Style

Note: Mussini Panettone will now be only available on a special order basis only. Minimum amount required will be a pallet's worth. Please contact us directly if interested.

Have you heard about panettone? Unless you are knowledgeable about gourmet foods or Italian cuisine, you probably may not have heard about this gem....and that's where this blog post comes in! The Gourmet Import Shop is going to be importing this directly from our Italian supplier, Mussini, in preparation for the holiday season this year. Read on to learn more about Mussini, the history of panettone, and more down below.

Walk To The Beat Of Your Own Drum

Minox Stainless Steel Fusti

As the gourmet food scene continues to grow in the United States, you will most likely see a lot of unfamiliar and peculiar items that are not normally found in the local grocery store. This is not limited to just food products however. In this post we will be covering one of the hottest trends that's been gaining popularity this year, the Italian fusti (pictured above). We are in a partnership with our Italian producer,  Minox, to bring these beautiful stainless steel containers to the American market. The response by our customers has been outstanding. Read more after the break for details about Minox, the definition of NSF, the significance of welding, stainless steel types, and a few more other related tidbits.

Don't forget to also check out our other post titled True As Stainless Steel for more up to date fusti information!

Sugar, Spice, and Everything Nice!

   

This month we are spotlighting our friends from Down Under, Henry Langdon. Henry Langdon is an Australian based specialist food company with customers in Australia, New Zealand, Pacific Asia.....and now the United States! The Henry Langdon products that we import into the U.S. include a range of salt rubs, aromatic spices, chai tea, and blended flavored sugars. 

Did you know that we're doing a Monthly Special on all Henry Langdon products for May? Well now you do! You can find all these by heading over to our online retail store The Gourmet Import Shop. Each photo that has a product in it will be a clickable link to go straight to its page on the retail website for ease of access. 

Henry Langdon, Founder

Who is Henry Langdon?     

Henry Langdon (pictured to the left) was a United Kingdom native and came over to Australia in 1852 with his wife and infant son. A year before they arrived, gold was discovered in the city of Melbourne and demand for a variety of wares were high.  Langdon was ready to sell household items which included champagne, chocolate, and brandy.

Their line of imported goods had increased in diversity such as matches, honey soap, castor oil, cocoa, china, and crystal by the late 1800s. Then in the 1900s, H J Langdon & Co (officially called at this time) dipped into specializing in teas, herbs, spices, pickles, olive oil, essences and preserved ginger. 

In 2007, the gourmet food and beverage brand was launched leading to what the company is now like in this era. With over 5 generations of family members, the company has an operating history of over 155 years. 

All Live For Olive!

     When you think of Italy, what things would first come to mind? The more common answers would most likely be along the lines of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Colosseum, their amazing food, and even wine. But there is another dark horse that many people may not even realize is an essential product in Italian gourmet foods: olive oil. Believe it or not, olive oil is BIG in Italy. Some may even consider ranking it high up there with wine and balsamic vinegar. This leads us up to this month's Gourmet Gab topic which focuses on our Gradassi brand of olive oil from Italy.

Infused Extra Virgin Olive Oil

     In this post, we'll cover various topics which include terms you may have heard but did not quite understand what they mean, the Gradassi and C.U.FR.OL brand, and more in depth information of our Gradassi products. Head on past the break to read on. (Note: Images with product in it are clickable links to our Gourmet Import Shop online store where you can buy them directly)