February Bread of the Month
Paesano Bread

The traditional bread of the Puglia region of Italy. Pass it around the table for ripping and dipping in great olive oil, soup or pasta.

$3.50/ea.

Tiburtini Olive Oil

From a farm situated close to Hadrian's villa near Rome, this oil is the precious and very limited harvest of magnificent olive trees that are almost four hundred years old. Made from Brocanica, Montanese, Oliva Dolce and Romana olives, this oil has a silky mouthfeel and one taste will lead you to think of toasted hazelnuts, tropical fruits and greens. It finishes long and spicy.

From a 16th century Tuscan estate located on Lucca's north coast, restored to it's ancient glory by the efforts of three very determined people comes this award winning olive oil. Made predominantly of Frantoio olives, the oil is gorgeous, lush and golden-green with a gentle spiciness and hints of artichokes.

One of the most enticing olive oils we've found, from an equally enticing estate nestled in the Val d'Orcia in Siena, Tuscany. Reenergized by the visionary efforts of Pasquale Forte, the new owner, this estate brings us an oil that is silky, with deliciously dark hints of bitter greens and pepper.

"In a slower world, ignorant of the frenzy, polenta keeps time like a clock...it is unique, golden, a dish, a refuge."—Giovanni Arpino, L'Ombra delle Colline

Need we say more? We have two kinds. One from Marino Felice Polenta from the Piedmont and one from Anson Mills in South Carolina. Both traditional varietals of corn. Creamy, buttery and rich with a distinct taste of corn. Spectacularly flavorful!

Like the World Cup finals. Or the Ali vs. Foreman prize fight. But more exciting.

Parmigiano Reggiano is the centuries old, established king of Italian cheese. Ours is from a single farmhouse, set high in the hills of Modena.

Piave, a late 19th century upstart, from a co-operative dairy on the banks of the Piave river in Veneto, just a little north of Venice.

Can the upstart dethrone the established king? Pick sides now. We have.

Yes, we are too. It's winter and the tomatoes are, well, just not tomato-ey anymore. So we went to Sicily and brought back two tantalizing tomatoes for you.

Sun-Dried Pachino Tomatoes—Here's Ari: "by far they're the best and the sweetest sun-dried tomatoes I've had!"

Estratto—The secret ingredient in many Sicilian tomato sauce as intense as it gets. Tomato sauce, strained and dried in the sun. It takes six pounds of tomato to make a pound of this sauce. A spoonful will bring tomato season back to any soup or stew you're making!