THE REVIEW Is De Medici Spoiling Our Customers?

Presenting
our newest
indulgence.
Pg. 3
Product
Spotlight:
Highlights
from D.C.
Issue 3:12
Late Summer 2012
Marques:
A Napa
Standout.
Pg. 4
Review
The
Is De Medici Spoiling Our Customers?
W
by Steve Kaufman
e sure hope so! That is always our goal
whenever we select items to become a
part of our permanent collection. Over the
years we have had great success in finding some
of the best products available in the world and
we are extremely proud of the collection we
have put together for our valued customers.
But it is not just our feelings that support
our claim; we are backed up by the facts! To
date De Medici has won 20 Silver NASFT
trophies and 7 Gold Sofi awards for best in
category. As the field of applicants has grown
increasingly competitive, our product lines
have stood the test of time and continued to
remain at the vanguard of the food industry.
This year we are thrilled to celebrate the
victory of our Villa Manodori ‘Artigianale’
Balsamic Vinegar in the Outstanding Classic
category. This is the second time that Villa
Manodori has won a gold Sofi, twelve years
ago in 2000 it was awarded the gold in the
Outstanding Oil/ Vinegar/ Dressing category.
However, this year’s victory is especially
meaningful for us not only because of the
strength of the other contenders, but also
because products are only eligible for this
award once they have been on the market
for ten years. This award truly singles our
Villa Manodori out as the best of the best!
The incredible longevity and popularity of
this item is a credit to three star Michelin
C h e f M a s s i m o B o t t u r a’s
amazing palate. The compelling
subtlety and sweetness of
this balsamic has made it a
time honored classic with
chefs, customers, and judges.
De Medici would like to
thank the all the judges who
voted for us, as well as Chef
Bottura for creating such a
beloved product! We truly
appreciate all your support and
will continue to do our best
to spoil you all in the future!
And the Award Goes To.....
With all the excitement surrounding Villa Manodori
‘Artigianale’ Balsamico, we wanted to take a moment to
remind everyone why this product is just so special! It is a
carefully crafted labor of love from Chef Massimo Bottura,
owner of three-star Michelin restaurant Osteria Francescana
in Modena, Italy.
Made in the tradizionale style and produced in limited
quantities, the vinegar is a creative blend of several ages of
aceto balsamico that is designed to hold up to heat without
turning bitter. Maturing in barrels of oak, chestnut and
juniper, the vinegar develops a shiny ebony color, pleasant
woody aroma and raisin-sweet, tart taste with a
maple syrup texture. A true original, this versatile
condiment is enjoyed as an alternative to precious
traditional balsamic.
Best enjoyed simply on fresh cheese, salads, tomatoes
and cured meats, Villa Manodori brings out the sweetness
and complexity of whatever it is paired with.
To learn more about Chef Massimo Bottura’s three-star
Michelin restaurant, Osteria Francescana visit their website
at www.osteriafrancescana.it.
Show Standouts
Villa Manodori
Organic Balsamic
Not to be outdone
by it’s older cousin,
customers loved this
everyday balsamic’s
thick texture and
bright sweetness!
Calvisius Oscietra
Caviar was the
taster’s choice
among the new
offerings. Pairs
best with vodka &
creme fraiche!
Colonna Oils Visit D.C.
L
ucky NASFT Food Show attendees
had the pleasure of speaking with the
distinguished Principessa Marina Colonna,
producer of the award winning Colonna
extra virgin olive and essential oils, on a
one-on-one basis and sampling the exquisite
oils that are pressed on her estate. All
Marina’s oils are grown, harvested and
pressed on the family’s 140 acre estate in San
Martino, Pensilis – Italy’s unspoiled Molise
region on the Adriatic Coast.
Marina’s signature extra virgin oil is
a blend of up to 13 different varietals,
perfectly balanced to create a lovely, smooth
and light oil with hints of grass, apple and
pear. Recently awarded a 96 in the 2012
Flos Olei , this extra virgin is a wonderful oil
for summer salads, fish, shellfish and sheep’s
milk cheeses.
Marina’s passion for experimentation has
also helped her to create a unique line of
fragrant citrus oils. Playing up the flavors
in her olive oil,
Marina presses the
olives with the peels
of organic Sicilian
lemons, tangerines
and bergamots to
extract the purest
essential oils from the
fruit and marry them
with the buttery
olive oil. There is no
bitterness or acidity
in these oils, only a
fresh and light citrus
flavor!
All oils come packaged in a dark green
glass decanter, hand sealed with wax and the
Colonna family crest, a widely recognized
symbol of Medieval Rome. De Medici
is proud to partner with this exceptional
product line and celebrates Colonna’s recent
successes at Slow Foods and Flos Olei!
Small Luxuries from the South of France
N
Colonna Citrus Oils
confounded taster’s with their bright
citrus flavors without any harsh
bitterness or acidity. A lovely, light
accompaniment to baked goods &
fish!
No one could
walk by Chateau
Estoublon’s new
spray bottles
without picking
them up and
admiring them!
ew
at
the show
last year,
De Medici
was
proud to
debut the
glamorous
collection
of extra
virgin
olive oils from Chateau Estoublon. And
once again this year they have stolen the
show! With every detail in place, from
their carefully curated packaging to their
surprisingly diverse mono varietal olives,
Estoublon is a show stopper!
In addition to the large and small couture
flasks, Estoublon is also announcing a line
of smaller decorated flasks with hearts or
stars. A gorgeous new multifaceted perfume
bottle is also available. All come with spray
dispensers and make the perfect gift for holiday
entertaining!
Be sure to get your orders in early for the
holiday! This year’s harvest was on the small
side, and we don’t want you to miss this oil
guaranteed to stop customers in their tracks!
2 | Late Summer 2012 • The De Medici Review
D
e Medici is excited to celebrate with
Confiseur Mazet the opening of their new
store in Paris! Designed to evoke the romance
of traditional candy making with a brilliant,
modern look sure to inspire delight, the new
shop is already a success.
The same items available in the new store are
also available stateside, including the new Yuzu
collection for the Holidays! The light citrus
fruit is an exciting addition to smooth, complex
dark chocolate and can also be found in Mazet’s
signature praslines. Customers at the show who
tried the new items loved the sophisticated yet
unexpected pairing!
These perennial favorites are especially
popular during the holidays so make sure
to pre-order any items that are not regularly
stocked. All Mazet items are produced to order,
to guarantee maximum freshness upon delivery.
Please contact our office with any questions on
pre-order items!
The Irresistable Indulgence of Caviar Holiday Gift Registry
By Jason Topolewski
e Medici Imports is now proud to offer the exceptional line of sustainable Caviar Malossol, from
Italian Producer Calvisius. Calvisius combines time-honored traditions with the technology of
sustainability. For over twenty years they have produced over 20 tons of the finest sustainable caviar
per year. Their state-of- the-art processing facility uses purified water and filtered air, guaranteeing a
fresh, uncompromisingly refined caviar, with a quality that you can discern and savor.
D
Calvisius Caviar has been awarded with certifications of the highest accolade such as ISO 9001,
“British Retail Consortium” and “International Foods Standard.” We are particularly proud of
“Friend of the Sea” certificate for sustainable aquaculture, an important award whose criteria follow
the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations guidelines.
Calvisius White Sturgeon Caviar is smooth and slightly nutty, with
a firm texture. This exquisite caviar is large sized with an intense
aroma and an unmistakable flavor. Connoisseurs will particularly
love the translucent color of the eggs, which can vary from warm
brown to charcoal-gray or jet black. This caviar originates from
the California Sturgeon and has been farmed successfully in Italy
since 1981.
Calvisius Oscietra Classic Caviar is a firm, large-grain egg, dark brown
in color with a golden hue, presenting a rich, nutty, creamy flavor.
Cultivated from the Acipenser gueldenstaedti, an ancient species now
flourishing due to successful conservation efforts in Italy. Chipped ice
and a horn spoon is all that is required to fully appreciate this exceptional
sturgeon roe.
Calvisius Oscietra Royal Caviar is the
best selection of the Oscietra Classic.
Connoisseurs will certainly appreciate this delicious and creamy
caviar with a color ranging from dark-brown to grey and light
amber. The roe is a medium-large size, accompanied by a lighter
more subtle nutty taste.
Caviar de Venise is taken from
Siberian Sturgeon farmed in the Adriatic. It is slightly smaller in size
than the White Sturgeon and the Oscietra. Their Caviar de Venise
exhibits a well-rounded flavor that lingers on the palate. This new
addition to the caviar family is a recent Italian discovery. It is best
served simply and elegantly, with a dollop of creme fraiche.
Pack Size Changes from L’Estornell
R
ecently De Medici and VEA announced
the following pack size changes which
have now gone into effect. Going forward
the l’Estornell Organic and Regular extra
virgin olive oils will be available only in
the following sizes, 250ml, 500ml, 750ml
glass bottles. All new bottles will also have
an improved cap and pourer. L’Estornell
Regular olive oil will continue to be
available in the 500ml and 1 liter tins.
Please note that going forward, the
l’Estornell Garnacha vinegar will also only
be available in 250ml and 500ml sizes.
We do still have a limited
amount of the old
375 ml size available.
Please place your
orders immediately
to guarantee
fulfillment. Please
contact our office at
908.372.0965 with
any questions.
The De Medici Review • Late Summer 2012 | 3
Ring in
the New
Year with
something
special! Del
Cristo’s
traditional
balsamic aged
in mulberry
wood is a once-a- year indulgence.
Confiseur
Mazet
is featuring
the Yuzu fruit
as it’s Holiday
inspiration
this year.
Share their
holiday box
with someone
special!
Safinter’s
La Mancha
Saffron is the
best available.
This precious
spice is the
perfect gift
for someone
looking to
experience authentic Spanish cuisine
in their own home.
New comic tins from Lazzaroni
have just arrived in time for the
holidays! Featuring an assortment of
cookies including the classic amaretti.
These treats are party perfect!
Marques de Grinon in Napa Valley
By Desiree Monterosso
ecently, I had the pleasure
of joining Carlos Falco, the
president and Julio Mourelle, the
head winemaker, for Marques de
Grinon at the Culinary Institute
at Greystone in Napa Valley
for a facility tour while they
were in town for the 2012
International Cabernet
Symposium.
At the CIA we
were hosted by
Holly Briwa and her
husband chef Bill Briwa.
After a tour through the
campus of the school and a
look at the Vintners Hall of
Fame we were treated to a
tasting at the CIA’s new state
of the art olive oil tasting bar.
The mission of the CIA
is to educate everyone
coming through their doors
and it was a fascinating
way to interact with olive oil
consumers. Customers can come
R
to the bar and pay for a taste education and
olive oil pairing lesson. The focus here is
entirely on the flavor profile of the oils and
the many ways to present them to their best
advantage on the plate.
After sampling a few oils from around
the world, Mr. Falco brought out his own
award winning bottles of olive oil, including
a blend and two monovarietals: arbequina
and picual. The oils from Marques are
brilliantly gold in color and strongly
aromatic. They are exceptionally intense as
a result of their extremely high polyphenol
content and have a clean fruity taste
reminiscent of green almonds and tomatoes
followed by a lingering spiciness.
Polyphenols in olive oil are natural
antioxidant compounds that contribute
to the flavor and health benefits of the
oils including lowering cholesterol,
blood pressure, and the risk of coronary
disease. They also have been shown to
preserve freshness in olive oil and to reduce
oxidation. The high levels in Marques de
Grinon oils make this a stand out oil even
among the company at the CIA.
Being able to join Mr. Falco and Mr.
F
ounded in 1979, De Medici Imports brought over the first Tuscan
extra virgin olive oil to be marketed nationally in the United States.
Since then, De Medici has been a leader in taste education for the specialty
food community. Connecting old world, artisan producers with American
retailers and consumers. De Medici’s exclusive and meticulously researched
collection of authentic foods from Italy, France, Spain, Argentina and the
United States set the highest standard for specialty goods in every category.
Honored with 26 product awards by the National Association for the
Specialty Food Trade, De Medici’s handcrafted edibles are consistently
celebrated in the food media and among culinary authorities. For more
information please contact us at [email protected].
4 | Late Summer 2012 • The De Medici Review
Mourelle and to hear them speak so
passionately about their olive oil was both a
pleasure and an education. As the industry
moves forward it is reassuring to know that
we have pioneers like Carlos Falco at the
vanguard to help prepare and guide us as we
continue to explore our relationship to this
ancient fruit.
De Medici Imports, Ltd.
1 Atalanta Plaza
Elizabeth, NJ 07206
Phone: 908.372.0965
Fax: 908.372.0960
Email: [email protected]
WE’RE ON THE WEB!
PLEASE COME BROWSE OUR
COLLECTION AT
WWW.DEMEDICI.COM.