Rice
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PORCINI MUSHROOMS

The porcini mushroom is beloved and renowned throughout Italy. Porcini, which is Italian for piglet, is so tasty that sometimes its referred to as the king of mushrooms. All porcini mushrooms are grown in the wild under pine trees or more commonly, chestnut trees. Their amazing flavour profile comes from growing on the roots of the trees.

Porcini mushrooms are meaty, and they have an intense taste which is rich and woodsy with subtle nut undertones. They are so versatile in flavour that they can be used in a delicate brown sauce, but also stand up to the strong flavour of a grilled steak.

Porcini mushrooms can be dried or frozen and still maintain that amazing flavour. If they are dried properly, the flavour profile can intensify. Vincenzo’s carries high quality dried porcini mushrooms from Bosci and they can be ready for use in cooking after soaking for 45 minutes.

Saffron rice in a bowl

SAFFRON

Saffron is one of the most expensive spices in the world and can retail for more than $500 an ounce. The spice is so delicate that it must be individually hand-picked by labourers. The spice comes from the Saffron Crocus, with each flower producing 3 strands of saffron.

Saffron may be expensive, but the spice is more than worth it when it comes to taste and benefits. Saffron has a sweet, floral taste with an earth and complex nuanced flavour. Be careful though, because it’s so expensive, there are fakes and cheap imitators. If your saffron tastes bitter, metallic or plastic like, you should avoid it.

Saffron not only enhances the flavour of your foods, but it has also been shown to improve mood, libido, and sexual function, as well has reduce PMS symptoms and even enhance weight loss. Swing by our store and add this delicious spice to your cooking arsenal.

PARMIGIANO REGGIANO

The king of cheeses. Parmigiano Reggiano lives up to its title with a versatile and complex fruity-nutty taste. The art of making this cheese has been perfected over thousands of years of human labour and traditions. The cheese can only be produced from cows that are fed on protected land and must past stringent testing before it is allowed to be aged.

The Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium, founded in 1934, protects the craft, tradition, and excellence of this Italian cheese. Only true Parmigiano Reggiano will be allowed to bear the seal from the consortium.

This cheese can be grated over pasta, added to sauces or soups, stirred into risotto, and even eaten in small chunks with balsamic vinegar. If you want to take your Parmigiano game to the next level, try pairing it with fresh fruit, walnuts, and honey.

The age of the cheese determines the best way to pair or use it. When aged 12-18 months, its best used as an aperitif, paired with raw vegetables like celery or cherry tomatoes. At this age it also goes great with fresh fruit such as apples, pears, grapes, and strawberries.

If it’s been aged 24 months then its perfect to be used with pasta, rice, soups, and creams, either grated or in slivers. At this age it pairs better with dehydrated fruit like dried apricots, figs, raisins, and plums.

Finally, if it’s been aged 24-30 months, it is excellent for use in main courses such as slivers on fish or a meat carpaccio. This is also the age you can pair with straight traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena.

SQUID INK

Nero di Seppia or Cuttlefish ink can come from a variety of cephalopods such as squids, cuttlefish, or octopus. Added to pasta or risotto, the ink is used as a food colouring and imparts a dark colour and a slightly salty-sweet flavour. Nero di Seppia is also an excellent choice for making fish dishes.

Squid ink adds an umami flavour to your dishes and enhances the flavour and appeal of sauces, pasta, and rice dishes.

PECORINO ROMANO

Pecorino cheese are Italian cheeses made from goats milk and the category covers a range of different cheeses that fall under that umbrella. Pecorino Romano is the most ancient cheese and also the most famous outside of Italy. Pecorino Romano can only be produced on the islands of Sardinia, Lazio, and in the Tuscan province of Grosseto.

With a crumbly, flaky, and grainy texture, Pecorino Romano is known for its salty, sharp, smoky, and spicy flavour profile. Pecorino Sadro (from Sadinia) and Pecorino Toscano (from Tuscany) are not as salty. The flavour is sharper and smokier the longer it is aged. Looks for cheeses aged more than 8 months to get the full flavour profile.

BRESAOLA

Bresaola is air-dried, salted beef that has been aged for 2 to 3 months until it becomes hard and turns a dark red, almost purple colour. It’s made from top round, so the meat is lean and tender with sweet, musty smell. Bresaola originates from the Valtellina valley in Northern Italy.

Often confused with prosciutto, bresaola has a sweet aromatic flavour that accentuates the lean beef and spices whereas prosciutto is smoother and richer because of its higher fat content. The taste is so wonderful that the traditional way of eating it is to just slice it thin over a bed of rockets, add some shavings of parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil. The peppery rocket leaves and creamy cheese combine with the bresaola to create a lovely combination.

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