August 2011
Howdy y’all!
Shocking to think it’s August already! As if this reality isn’t enough, my mind is already beginning to slip far into the future as I start planning for winter holiday chocolate orders. I can thank July’s NASFT Fancy Food Show in Washington, D.C. for that! After three days wandering the jam-packed aisles of salty, sweet, briny, piquant, creamy, crunchy, as well as bizarre edibles, my mind is doing somersaults.
Perhaps my favorite part of the show this year was getting to speak face to face with those vendors who provide our European imports, as well as viewing and tasting their new offerings. As you can imagine, it’s hard enough getting our import orders stateside, which oftentimes means that a seemingly simple task of obtaining a sample can transform into quite the ordeal!
Gioacchino and Marta of Attavola, our source for delicacies from Sicily and surrounding regions of Italy, charmingly walked us through their new products (including a very small-batch olive oil made from 500 year old trees!). A producer that caught my attention was Cascina Rosa; this Cuneo-based company is run by a husband-wife team dedicated to organic farming and raising 50 
families of honeybees. While they press delicious apple and pear juices, my taste buds were drawn to a traditional Ligurian treat called copete. A caramel popcorn lookalike, copete is actually a disk of roasted hazelnuts, gently held together by a not-too-sweet caramelized glaze of honey, brown sugar, and a touch of lemon. My fingers are crossed that this item will join our shelves this holiday season!
Copete was just one of several exciting things at the show; I’ll share more as the coming months unfold. Right now, I’d love to tell you about the delicious Italian imports already gracing our chocolate shelves, as we celebrate all things Italian at the Deli!
Amedei Chocolate
Amedei Chocolate! Your eyes do not deceive you! After losing US distribution over a year ago, Amedei finds itself on our shelves once more. For their initial “re-debut,” I’ve brought in four bars from their Toscano line: Black 66%, Black 70%, Milk, and White. This line of blends offers well-rounded, creamy chocolate that’s less about being “interesting” or “wild” and more about tapping into simple, chocolate pleasures. As soon as temperatures in Texas drop below ridiculously scorching, I’ll be dropping a number of these bars in the mail to my Dad.
Cuba Venchi Classic Cubigusto Chocolates
Chocolatey indulgence in a petite one-inch cube! Unwrap the shiny foil to unveil three strata of smooth cremino (chocolate cream). Available in three flavors: Piemonte (Hazelnut); Pistacchio; and Sugar-Free Piemonte (sweetened with maltitol). A perfect afternoon pick-me-up with your coffee!
Guido Gobino Gianduja Spread
From Turin, a veritable hotbed of Piedmont hazelnuts, comes our favorite Gianduja spread produced by Guido Gobino. The company, which grew out of a Bon Bon & Chocolate Production Laboratory established in the late 1940s, hand-selects and roasts only the best of the best Piedemontese hazelnuts. They make up 35% of the product’s weight – a claim that one taste confirms instantly! Silky smooth on the tongue, creamy (yet not cloying!) milk chocolate, and a long, nutty finish.
D. Barbero Torrone & Crema Torroncino
Hard Italian torrone, for me, feels particularly well-suited to the warmer weather we’ve been experiencing. It satisfies sweet-tooth cravings without leaving you feeling stuffed; I love the delicateness of the nougat paired with crunchy, roasted hazelnuts. If you’re familiar with Barbero’s hard torrone and are looking for a new treat, take a look at their Crema Torroncino. These small jars contain the company’s torrone “scraps” blended into a spreadable frenzy of honey, hazelnuts, sugar, and egg white. I envision this spread on toast, tucked into crepes, and ribboned through gelato. (But how will you more often find me eating it? Right off a spoon.) We’ve got just a handful of jars left, so come in for a taste soon!
Ravera Chocolate Torrone
I’m increasingly convinced there is a growing fan base for this product in and around Ann Arbor; the pace of its disappearance from our shelves is noticeably accelerating! A thin “brick” of chocolate, resembling a light fudge, holds whole and ground Piedemontese hazelnuts alike. I’m almost convinced this would be a perfect post-cycling recharge. (Much in the way I feel our 24-Carrot Cake is almost a vegetable in the food pyramid.)
Antica Dolceria Bonajuto Bars
This was a highly anticipated and long-awaited product aboard our import boats from Italy; my call-back log was lengthy! Produced in Modica in eastern Sicily, these bars mimic the early stone-ground chocolate of the New World, encountered by European explorers. By skipping the step of conching, a refining process that gives chocolate its characteristically creamy & smooth texture, the sugar is left intact and unmelted, lending Bonajuto bars their traditionally sandy texture. A fun find for anyone seeking something new and different in the chocolate world!
Agrimontana Fruit Gellies
From Borgo San Dalmazzo, a commune in Cuneo, come these plump and full-flavored fruit gellies; Agrimontana has 30 years under its belt as a company in the forefront of fruit conservation and candying techniques and it shows. The brightness offered by these confections make them a perfect after-dinner palette cleanser.
I hope at least one of these Italian treats has tickled your fancy! Come find an old favorite or taste something new with us in the Next Door. Also, don’t forget to join us on Saturday and Sunday, August 20th and 21st , from 11am to 3pm for Piazza Zingermanza – our free street fair celebration of all things Italy at Zingerman’s Deli. Proscuitto, gelato, parmesan, gianduja… it’d be hard to go wrong.
Yours in Chocolate,
What is your favorite part of artisanally producing food? 
A 24-hour trip around the Zingerman’s Community of Businesses
