GUSTI Blog

Capt Rick and Baccala' Recipe from Norway

This is Capt. Rick, the fishmonger at my local greenmarket [97th and Columbus], where I go most Friday mornings. He sells great fish and shelfish, all caught in Long Island the day before. Last Friday, he told me that I should try the cat fish because it is in season. Cat fish? Only when he said, you know, bacalao, which i believe is the spanish version of baccala'. Ah, cod fish! Never cooked it before and don't love it, but Capt. Rick is so charming, I bought it. He gave me his Norwegian recipe (he is originally from Norway): on a bed of potaotes and caramelized onions, with bechamel on top, in the oven at 400 degrees for 20min. Quick to say, but it took a while for me to understand. By the time I was comfortable I understood it, a little crowd had gathered. They all bought the cod fish! 

Last night, I made the first cod fish of my life and it was easy and, surprisingly, very good. 

Do You See Any Difference??

This is the rear of the Cafaggio EV Olive Oil . The labels of the two bottles are exactly the same and they both have the same "Best Before Date" stamp: it is Dec 30, 2009.

They look the same, but they are not. The bottle on the left is from the new harvest 2008-2009 and its "Best Before Date" should be Dec 30, 2010. What happened? Enrico Benci, the owner of Castello di Cafaggio just forgot to put the new labels on the bottles of the new production of olive oil.

He said: no problem, I'll send the new labels right away! 

Conclusion: you'll have to trust us that what you'll get is the 2008-2009 harvest of Cafaggio, which has a "best before date" of 12/10. I have very little hope that the new labels will ever arrive.

The City Cooks - Tomato Miracles

 

Today, on Kate's The City Cook: "Just as I was wondering what might snap me out of my cooking doldrums I received a package from Beatrice and Martina at Gustiamo, a Bronx-based food wholesaler that also sells retail on-line. These women are warm and engaging in the way that when you meet them you want them to always be your friends. And they are passionate about their work, bringing artisanal Italian foods to the U.S. I opened the small box to find a jar and a tin, each containing Italian tomatoes....."

Read the whole article here (it's in the middle of the page). Are we blushing? You bet! I also particularly loved my tomato sauce recipe and Kate's comments that "My (her) tomato risotto (with our tomatoes) was one of the best I've ever made or eaten". And the rice she used? Arborio. Kate, we should talk about it.

Thank you so much!

Has Armani Left, Yet?

What is this fascination with Giorgio Armani in NY? No one ever seen a celebrity in this city? Newspaper, blogs, radio, tv... everybody is talking about him and following him around, even in the Bronx, where he went by subway with Caroline Kennedy. No, he didn't show up in our warehouse in the South Bronx.

He even blogged while he was here, and he is opinionated. But not directly. He says: I had dinner at Scarpetta. And then: I don't know why Americans overcook their pasta and put too much sauce on it. The translation: I (he) hated Scarpetta.

New Amsterdam Market - An Indoor New Market - but why?

The name of the benefit was: Founded on Oyster Shells. Very appropriate! Outstanding oysters from Long Island were served with beautiful beer brewed in Brooklyn. 

On the right, Robert la Valva, formerly of Slow Food and the director of the project. The project: to build an indoor food market in Manhattan. (I suppose they don't count Essex Market, open for all these years?)

The benefit was attended by some 500 young, sexy and beautiful people - all looking like they were coming out of a fashion shoot, a jam session, the Sundance or the Tribeca film festival. VERY VERY COOL, like this new friend on the left. Anne calls them "Brooklyn Chic", apparently, it's a new kind of people. When I said I never saw these COOL people in any food event we attended before and/or at my local green market and I doubted they paid the $55 price to get in, Martina disagreed and said that if you live in Brooklyn this is how all people look like. Really???

Our Magnificent Seven

The 2008-2009 new harvest is here for most of our EV Olive Oils. Seven have arrived in the warehouse. From Molise's Tratturello of Obama's fame, to Lazio's Cru de Cures, to Toscana's extra organic Fazzuoli and all the others. 

Next Thursday, march 5 in the warehouse we'll have a special tasting of the 2008-2009 new harvest. Want to come? Email us or call at 718 860 2949. We'll aslo serve bruschetta with tuna bottarga, our specialty.

For 1 day only, the new EV olive oils will be at 20% discount. Therefore, if you can't make it to the Bronx (we understand, you might live in California!), we still want you to have a chance to taste them! Place your order on Thursday March 5th and you'll receive a 20% discount. Let us know what you think and thank you.

The New Amsterdam Market

Tomorrow, Saturday, Martina, Anne and I will be at the benefit organized by the New Amsterdam Market. Their mission is to open an indoor public market in new York City. The benefit is called "Founded on Oyster Shells" and it from 5:00 to 8:00 pm at f/ocus Rental Gallery at 599 11th Avenue, at 45th Street. If you are going, send me an email and we'll meet there.

Go Girls!

We just received a certificate - not just any other one - this one is important. We applied for it 16 months ago. After a very long process with examinations, documents and audits, we finally got it! It is the Women Owned certificate. It is important because it will open big doors and accounts. Watch us, now! Gerard, sorry for this. You'll get the next one! If you are ready to do business with us already, our number is WBE50908-2008. 

Pomodoro Piennolo - Casa Barone Farm

After all the recent pubblicity given to the Miracolo di San Gennaro, the Piennolo screams: what am I, chopped liver?

Ok, now it's your turn in the spotlights, Piennolo. A vine tomato which grows on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius National Park, the Piennolo is protected by the Slow Food Presidia. In Neapolitan, Piennolo, means "appeso" in Italian, "hanging" in English. This, because in the winter, in Naples, the tomatoes are stored in the home attics hanging from the ceiling, kind of like a prosciutto. Nothing can better explain the word Piennolo more than the charming video below. Click on the arrow to watch it.

And here is the hero of the Piennolo story, Giovanni Marino of Casa Barone Farm. He saved the Piennolo tomato from extinction and packs the tomatoes in jars, only for us. Grazie Giovanni!

Sex or Seconds?

We'll get to the sex thing later. But don't expect much.

This good looking young man, in the video below, is Andrea Bezzecchi, he makes Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Reggio Emilia, on our shelves for the past ten years. He makes the most exquisite balsamico and talks about it in the video below. Click the arrow to watch it and click here to buy it!

And this good looking lady, below, is my good friend Marcy. She recently cooked dinner for us and prepared a fantastic dessert with dry figs, mascarpone and Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale San Giacomo. Watch the video (click on the arrow): This dessert was so good it was almost sinful; when I asked for seconds, they thought it was sex. Easy to mistake. Hard to choose! Remember, Valentine's Day is approaching. Much better than roses, for sure!