GUSTI Blog

Pappa al Pomodoro, with Gustiamo's Tomatoes

From our good friend, Steve Maslow, just back from Italy where he had a food revelation: Pappa al Pomodoro. Steve thinks the best Pappa al Pomodoro is the one he will make with Gustiamo Tomatoes and EV Olive Oil in his home in Brooklyn. This is Steve's lovely ode to Pappa al Pomodoro:

"Between Florence and Siena lies the Chiantigiana, where grape and olive cultivation by the Etruscan peoples predates the Roman Empire. For fear of rekindling bygone rivalries, we will forgive the citizens of Siena their Ghibelline silliness in aligning themselves with the Holy Roman Emperor, and we will forget the Florentine fit of fecklessness that carved a Guelph between Dante and his beloved city. Yes, the rivalry between Siena and Florence has simmered down, and the result is the culinary glory of the region between them: Pappa al Pomodoro alla Chiantigiana. To my mind this soup is the quintessential Tuscan dish, as Waverly Root once said, “hearty and healthy, subtle in its deliberate eschewing of sophistication, which is perhaps the highest sophistication of all.” 

Many Tuscan dishes are virtues made of scarcity, for instance the lack of salt in Tuscan whole wheat bread began when the supply was cut due to the region’s mercurial relationship with Pisa, which controlled the European salt trade for centuries (to grasp its importance in Medieval times one only has to notice that our word ‘salary’ derives from the Latin word for salt.)

With the sudden appearance of the first hints of summer come the cravings for tomato flavors, indeed Pappa al Pomodoro is like a postcard from summer. But when the weather warms, well, who can wait for tomato season? Fortunately Gustiamo sells four kinds of imported tomatoes whose flavor and bouquet are the closest thing we have to astro-projecting yourself to Italy and picking them yourself. My favorite are the Piennolo vine tomatoes, but my Better Half prefers the Dani Coop tomatoes from Agro Nocerino. Try it with any of the imported tomatoes and tell us which is your favorite." Steve Maslow

Grazie Steve! Here is the recipe of Pappa al Pomodoro.

Gustiamo's New Entry: The Juiciest Blonde!

Please welcome Casa Barone's new baby, Arance di Sorrento's jam. This is not just your ordinary orange jam: These oranges are the famous "Bionda di Sorrento", a cultivar grown since 1300 on the Amalfi Coast and on the Mount Vesuvio slopes, where Casa Barone organic farm is located. The scant rainwater and the lava soil, rich in minerals, produce medium sized fruit of a bright orange color, intense aroma, juicy flesh and incomparable bitter-sweet flavor.

Casa Barone's "Bionda di Sorrento" oranges are washed and peeled by hand. The pulp is extracted manually and mixed with small pieces of rind, lending the marmalade a pleasant texture and a flavor never too sweet. Only the minimum amount of sugar is added during the slow cooking process.

Yoy must try this wonderful jam! Open the jar, smell the aroma, have a spoonful, listen to Andrea Bocelli sing "Torna a Surriento" (come back to Sorrento) a world famous and much celebrated song of the early 1900s. (Click here for the song). It starts "Vedi 'o mare quant'e bello? ...Siente, siè ‘sti sciure ‘e arance: nu prufumo accussì fino… dint’‘o core se ne va..." It means: smell the fragrance of the oranges, such a strong fragrance goes straight to your heart. This song is beautiful and makes you dream to be in Sorrento. Ready to book your flight? While doing so, have another spoonful of bionda oranges, close your eyes and you are already in Sorrento!

Piennolo Tomatoes, A Sure Winner!!!

Another year, another Fancy Food Show. What's new? Two things this year: it will take place in Washington DC, instead of NYC; and Gustiamo will not go. But Gustiamo's Piennolo Tomatoes will be there as a candidate for the Best Product of the year, the SOFI competion,, whose results will be announced at the Fancy Food Show on July 12th. We just sent a jar of Piennolo Tomatoes to NASFT, the organization that puts up the SOFI awards, and from now until the 12th of July, we will pray and cross our fingers. Do the same with us, pls. It might help!

If the judges accept that there is a life beyond "local", we think these tomatoes should win. Why? The New York Times likes them; They are the MUST ingredient (together with San Marzanos) for the authentic Pizza Napoletana; They are made by Casa Barone, an organic farm on Mount Vesuvio; They are a species of tomato in danger of extinction, protected by a Slow Food Presidium; No irrigation is used to grow them; If the farm did not employ many workers, many more people would join the camorra; The foot print to bring these tomatoes to the Bronx by boat is equivalent to a trip from the west coast. But, really, WHY should they win? They are very very good!!!

Piennolo Tomatoes - Not Only...

These tomatoes are jumping! The article in the New York Times by Florence Fabricant (click here if you missed it!) is inspiring: she says you can use them for pizza, pasta, on baked fish... and this BEAUTIFUL picture by Dan Neville, gives the jar of tomatoes a new light and life! Thank you bothl!!! The news spread fast; even Il Mattino, THE daily paper of Napoli, proudly announced that a neapolitan local product, the Piennolo Tomatoes by Casa Barone, was mentioned in The New York Times.

We are all very proud!  We have been carrying the Piennolo Tomatoes for 10 (ten) years! It took some time, but finally they received the universal recognition they deserve!!!

The thing is: we are proud of ALL our producers, and their creations. ALL the products we represent in America are selected with the same attention and integrity. They are ALL great food and food that is good for you. You should try them ALL, even if they are not New York Times famous. Not yet, at least!

If you have questions, want suggestions of what to try in your next order, call us in the office (718 860 2949)! We'd love to tell you what is your next Piennolo Tomato!

Piennolo Tomatoes @ Gustiamo Tuesday Tastings @ Il Cantuccio NYC

  You must come to NY's Greenwich Village bakery, Il Cantuccio, and taste Gustiamo's products. Just baked (and warm) schiacciata (the focaccia from Toscana) with... every tuesday a different product from Gustiamo. This week, it was Piennolo Tomatoes from Casa Barone and they drew a big crowd. Giorgio Gorini, left, is a "napolitano verace", lives in New York and is passionate about food. He learned that there was a tasting of Piennolo, his favorite tomatoes, and came to Il Cantuccio to check it out. With the background of Lucio Battisti singing, Giorgio officially, on camera (click the arrow below, to watch the video. Giorgio speaks English with a neapolitan accent - beautiful!), solemnly attests that these are the traditional "piennoli partenopei", they are really fantastic. In Napoli, they use the piennolo during the Christmas Holidays to cook Spaghetti with seafood. Grazie Giorgio, I knew we would pass the test!

 

You Too Can Become a 4 Star Chef! First Rule: Use Best Ingeredients!!!

Sam Sifton gave Del Posto 4 stars. WOW, last time an Italian restaurant was given 4 stars was in 1974!!! What an accomplishment! Wondering what makes a good restaurant a wonderful one - 4 stars worth? Lots of things, but mainly the ingredients! Good for you they are not secret! They are artistically shown in the cool viedeos below: Pasta Martelli for Mark Ladner's signature Spaghetti with Dungeness Crab (WONDERFULLLL - I can attest!) and Piennolo Tomatoes for his Potatos Gnocchi (didn't try, but I'm sure they are great!). Watch the videos, get inspired, use the best ingredients and start cooking! Way to go, Mark!

 

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!

Have a coffee with Gustiamo and you'll fall in love, too.

Thanks to Woman Around Town, who wrote a splendid article about Gustiamo, its founders, philosophy and products.

Giovanna (Jane Hope Fox) and I had a lovely chat one evening over a cup of Sant'Eustachio coffee. Passion is catching. When you read Giovanna's article, you'll feel she came to love our products almost as much as we do. She mentions a few: Martelli and Latini pasta, Piennolo tomatoes by Casa Barone on Mount Vesuvio, cookies by Di Ciaccio in Gaeta, nougats and jams by Caffe' Sicilia in Noto... There is also a lovely picture in the article of me and Martina in our warehouse. We took it: not bad, either!

Giovanna's article ends with: " Every product has a story, a history and an Italian family behind it. Shopping with Gustiamo is a unique experience; it is almost like a quick trip to la bella Italia."  Beautiful. Coming from Giovanna, an Italophile who travels to Italy very often and lived in Florence for many years, you ought to believe! Grazie mille Giovanna, it was a pleasure meeting you, too.

 

Piennolo is the Tomato of the Month. It Will Receive DOP Status in November.

Piennolo tomatoes made by Casa Barone grow in the Mount Vesuvius National Park. They are the only organic Piennolo Tomatoes which are certified organic. You can't enter the park gate with anything which is not organic!

What do you do with Piennolo Tomatoes?

- you make pizza vera napoletana. According to the Associazione Pizza Verace Napoletana, you can make pizza using only San Marzano or Piennolo Tomatoes. If you use anything else, you are wasting your time.

- you use Piennolo tomatoes anywhere you would use other ordinary tomatoes. Whatever you are cooking will taste better.

Piennolo Tomatoes will receive DOP status in November by the Italian Food Authority. To celebrate the event, Gustiamo translated the recipe which appears on the very jar of Piennolo Tomatoes, a recipe prepared directly by Giovanni Marino, the man behind the Casa Barone Farm.

This is the translation of the recipe on the jar:

500 gr /1 box spaghetti

500g / 1 jar  pomodorini piennolo

Extra Vergin Oliv Oil, garlic, Sea Salt

Heat 1 or more cloves of garlic in oil until garlic is blond.

Add the Piennolo tomatoes, put on lid on the saucepan for a few minutes and mix with a wood spoon.

Taste the “sugo”, add salt and keep  cooking for a few minutes .

Add in the al dente spaghetti, mix well and enjoy!

Piennolo Tomatoes at BKLYN LARDER

  Tomorrow, Saturday Oct 17, from 2 and 5pm at Brooklyn Larder, the new but already legendary food shop in Brooklyn, we'll do a presentation of our fantastic Piennolo Vine Tomatoes. You will be able to ask the question you never dared to ask: why are these tomatoes so damn expensive and are they worth it?
Sergio (Bklyn Larder) will cook for you a special pasta dish with Piennolo tomatoes, tubetti pasta and lentils.
Stefano (Gustiamo) will prepare bruschetta with Piennolo tomatoes. 

Try these and you'll understand what we are talking about. So stop by, say hello, grab a recipe, hear everything about it and taste the sun of Mount Vesuvio National Park.