GUSTI Blog

Latini Pasta - With the Help of The New Generation!

The new Latini! Here is Teresa, the beautiful, determined and energetic daughter of Carlo and Carla Latini who make the legendary pasta in the Marche region.

Teresa has been with her "mani in pasta" since she was born, of course, but this summer she worked full time at the Pastificio because she finished university in june. She spent her summer helping mom and dad and making some money, too. How cool is that?

Teresa will graduate in marketing Oct 14th, when she will discuss her thesis "corporate visual identity and logo restyling". Does it mean we'll see some changes to the famous red box? In the meantime, good luck Teresa for the 14th. Enjoy the moment and your glory!

to celebrate Teresa's graduation, Latini Pasta will be discounted 20% until October 14th or until supplies last. Magic Word is "Teresa".

Piennolo Tomatoes, Enzo Coccia and Donatella Pizzeria

Gustiamo was given the highest honor, last night, when we went to meet Enzo Coccia, the famous pizzaiolo from Naples who flew to NY to help Donatella Arpaia open her Donatella Pizzeria. The highest honor was that Enzo literally opened the Pizzeria for us, turned on the oven, prepared the most spectacular pizza. ONLY for us! Why all this attention? Because Gustiamo is the importer of Piennolo Vine Tomatoes from Casa Barone in America and Enzo wants to make sure we will continue to provide these gems to the pizzeria forever. In fact, on the menu, the signature dish, Pizza Donatella, is made with Piennolo Tomatoes. Enzo is a celebrity in Naples, he makes one of the best pizza in Italy and ONLY uses Piennolo Tomatoes by Casa Barone. And you? What do you use on your pizza?

Click on the video above, and you'll see Enzo Coccia in action. In Italian. Boldly proud, as his pizza is delicious. In the video, you'll see Jarrett, the executive chef and Salvio, Enzo's neapolitan assistant who will remain in NYC for 2 more months, to make really really sure the pizza is perfect. Grazie a tutti!

Saying Good Luck to BRAC

Let's all go to the Bronx River Art Center (BRAC) this coming Thursday. They are starting a two year renovation of the building and Gail Nathan, its executive director,  needs us to go and wish them good luck. The BRAC is across the street from Gustiamo's warehouse and we work together in many projects, including GUSTiamO, where we teach disadvantaged kids from the South Bronx to eat better food and have fun with it.

BRAC is an important center in our neighborhood and everybody will help. They will even serve freshly made and cooked ravioli, with Gustiamo's tomatoes and ev olive oil. If we are able to get a 220V electric outlet, we'll even serve Sant'Eustachio coffee. From the Pantheon in Roma to the South Bronx. Will you come?

Rachel Ray Discovers Gustiamo! MUST-TRY

Chef Marco Canora, asked by Rachel Ray to mention his best foods says: Gustiamo! the article continues: They find the craziest stuff! chef Marco Canora enthuses. His faves? Colatura, the bottled juice that drains from salted anchovies ["what a flavor shot in every sauce"] and that jam, from Campania, which is "off the chain".

For those of you who are not able to identify THAT JAM, it is the DOP white cilento figs jam made by Francesco Vastola of Maida farm.

I am personally addicted to both, colatura and figs jam. Not together, though.

and here is the promotion: 20% off colatura and figs jam until sept 30th or supplies last. magic word is "canora".

Women-Owned Company. What For?

We were kind of proud of our "women-owned business" certification but in fact, recently all we gained from it was an unhappy customer. This is what he just wrote to us:

"Could you image anything more brutta figura than, as a woman, your receiving a business solicitation from a firm that advertised itself as a "certified men-owned business?"

"Basta with this nonsense. It's discriminatory, unwelcoming, and just plain foolish."

"Senta, scusi, but why don't you just tell all of your male customers, "Va fa in culo"?".

"My Italian is obviously poor, but I surely get your message. Your amico, XXX"

Lovely message! What do you think? Is XXX right and the message unwelcoming?