Capers!
January 23, 2019 No CommentsTwo standout dishes from our trip to Italy : a roasted filet of fish, atop a puree of potato and olive oil, amalgamating with the juices of the fish and a pop of three or four salty green capers. Handmade pillows of potato gnocchi, filled with codfish, and lightly sauced with a fresh tomato, caper, and […]
Read MoreCrafting a Carpaccio
January 23, 2019 No CommentsAt Ritrovo we have always emphasized the importance of simple local raw materials, seasonal produce and regional specialty ingredients. These are the foundations of the Italian way of eating, and our way of thinking. While putting together a light appetizer of bresaola carpaccio last week, we were reminded that carpaccio is one of the Italian dishes […]
Read MoreMacchia Mediterranea
January 23, 2019 No CommentsThis year we returned to the Tyrrhenian coast where we first fell in love with Paola Pescia’s array of amazing honeys. Each of his honey’s brings to the table a special flora of Tuscany, each one possesses the essence of a particular Tuscan terroir. And of these honeys – acacia, chestnut, corbezzolo, coriander, and […]
Read MoreUn gelato da Corradini
January 23, 2019 No CommentsRecently, there have been media accounts which have attempted to question the viability and economic sustainability of Italy’s iconic food ways. Though we know that the globalization of our food supply is ever-present, at Ritrovo and in Italy we work every day to keep these inspired and inspiring food ways viable. In Italy, you find […]
Read MoreA Simple Excuse for a Simple Feast
January 23, 2019 No CommentsOur good friends had just returned from Nome, Alaska, bringing back with them one of the bounties of the season: a fresh, Pink Salmon from the Summer run. The perfect centerpiece for a seasonal feast, a sagra del salmone of sorts. Our part would be an appetizer and pasta dish. With the market full of […]
Read MoreA Night at Osteria Garibaldi in Cervia’s main piazza
January 23, 2019 No CommentsChilled silver wine buckets, petite vases of white flowers, flickering votive candles, and lyrical French music drew us into Osteria Garibaldi on a warm Spring night in Cervia, a favorite town of ours on the Adriatic Coast in Emilia-Romagna. The small tables tucked in one corner of Cervia’s ample main piazza breathed out romance and sociability across the space. […]
Read MoreJust Like Love
January 23, 2019 No CommentsA couple of weeks ago we were enjoying a romantic late brunch in Sonoma at The Girl and the Fig restaurant. A late brunch is a romantic event for us. A moment to sigh, catch our breath, and bask in just being together to converse and share the flavors of a meal and of love. […]
Read MoreFancy Food Show 2016
January 23, 2019 No CommentsThe Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco is one of our favorite Ritrovo moments of the year. It has all the elements of a true “Ritrovo”: meeting in a special place (San Francisco), seeing familiar friends and getting time face-to-face with them (our long-term customers and distributors), and sharing great foods (our new and […]
Read MoreSant’Agata Sui Due Golfi ai Due Modi – Two Ways
January 23, 2019 No CommentsFor Ritrovo, one of the best ways to learn about Italy’s regional foods and recipes has been to get ourselves out and on the ground. Visiting the regions, producers and farms, and taking in the landscape. Of course in Italy, no matter how remote the location, an appetite-building stroll is always followed by a delicious, […]
Read MoreLa Raccolta
January 23, 2019 No CommentsOur man Marcello has the good fortune of having relatives in Italy. On his most recent visit, he had an opportunity to visit a few of our producers. He was able to see their operations and to stay and work with them. He came away with many wonderful experiences, and has agreed to share a […]
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