No doubt, by now we have all heard about the COVID-19 and the extreme measures Italy is taking to contain the virus.  Our own country has introduced measures these past few weeks to prevent spreading the virus.  At Mia Emilia, we have been keeping in close contact with our producers and friends in Italy, and we want to reassure you that our producers are healthy, continuing to create the artisanal products we all love, and we continue to offer them (and enjoy them ourselves!) free from interruption.  Our producers continue to work in incredibly clean facilities, many of which we...

Wherever you go in Italy, from small towns to big cities and everywhere in between, there is one dish you are sure to run into over and over again.  A cheese plate served with local honey and delicious fruit jam.   When I first tasted Mia Emilia’s fabulous Fig Jam from the producers at Acetaia Castelli, I could hardly believe my taste buds!  The flavor is so unique, perfectly marrying the flavors of figs and balsamic vinegar, but the texture is just as impressive.   It begs to be served on a plate with fine seasoned cheeses. Perfect to pair...

When I first discovered Mia Emilia’s products, I was amazed and deeply touched by the authenticity of the products.  Among the greatest surprises in the box was the Egg Pasta from the makers of La Pasta di Aldo in Monte San Giusto, Le Marche.  At the first bite of pasta from La Pasta di Aldo, if I closed my eyes, I would have sworn I was at an Italian table.  Even pastas I purchased in Italy and cooked back home have not captured that essence of Italy that true, artisanal methods delight us with.  These do.  Every aspect from appearance...

With Valentine’s Day around the corner, many of us are picking out chocolate treats for our Valentines, families, children, and friends.  Instead of a big chocolate heart this year or an array of candies in a heart-shaped box, consider an Italian chocolate delicacy instead.  Sure to please the pickiest connoisseur, Mia Emilia’s Dark Chocolate with Balsamic Vinegar of Modena is a truly special gift for those who appreciate quality and tradition. The excellent, passionate balsamic vinegar makers at Acetaia Castelli in Reggio Emilia, Italy are well aware of the love that develops for their products after one taste.  A love...

Mia Emilia is excited to introduce you to a new line of products from our wonderful balsamic vinegar makers in Emilia Romagna.  While most of us are familiar with traditional balsamic vinegar, the producers at Acetaia Castelli have come up with fun and tasty ways to experiment with it, combining it with other wonderful flavors into glazes, jams, and much more. We have already introduced you to our fabulous fig and balsamic jam, one of my personal favorite products!  This week, we would like to share with you the Gourmet Cream line from our friends in Reggio Emilia. If you...

As Giuseppe introduces us to his son, Fabio, it is clear that he has inherited his father’s love of the land and its flavors.  Instead of telling us all his accomplishments, he praises the miracle of nature in the spring, when flowers bloom and fruits fill the trees and vines.   I watched this video before opening my new bottle of Marini Giuseppe’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil Toscano IGP, and I had to smile at the first taste.  Breathing in its aroma hints at the flavors to come, spicy and fruity at the same time.  The first taste is soft...

While here in the States, New Year’s Day often marks the end of our holiday season, in Italy, the fun continues.  Especially for kids, Epiphany on January 6th is almost as exciting as Christmas itself.  Epiphany celebrates the day when the Wise Men came, following a star, to the manger to visit the Christ Child and bring Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  In Italy’s famous Presepe, nativity scenes, and the Renaissance paintings like the one featured here by Sandro Botticelli, we often see this moment beautifully depicted. Italians have added legend to the holy celebration in the form...

Christmas in Italy is magical.  Piazzas fill with Christmas markets, Presepi (nativity scenes) pop up in churches, homes, and towns, carols are sung, cities are sparkling with lights, and of course, excellent food is all around!   Italy still very much keeps Christ in Christmas.  It is thought that St. Francis was the first to bring the Christmas story to life on Christmas Eve in 1223 by creating a reverent reenactment of the manger scene in the town of Grecio.  Later, artists of the Renaissance depicted the manger scene so beautifully, we still feel as if we can look into...

From majolica tiled tables overlooking the sea, to bustling markets, rustic kitchens, and roof top terraces, figs are special fruits, treasured all throughout Italy.  Mia Emilia has discovered the ideal product that brings the flavors of fresh figs from Italy to our tables here at home.  Last week we introduced you to our friends at Acetaia Castelli, passionate makers of balsamic vinegar for generations.  The family is so passionate about their vinegar that they have crafted some extraordinary products incorporating it with different local ingredients and traditional Italian produce.  The delicious Fig Jam with Balsamic Vinegar is one of these....

Mia Emilia is proud to introduce you to a new, fabulous product!  Our Apple Balsamic Condiment comes from the dedicated producers at Acetaia Castelli in Italy’s Emilia Romagna region.  Made from natural apple juice and white wine vinegar, its sweetness, fruitiness, and density come from the quality natural ingredients, and the techniques passed down from generation to generation.  If you love the flavor of balsamic, this is a must try, and if you love apples too, this just might be the product of your dreams. During this season, the apple flavor lends itself beautifully to many recipes, whether you want...

Every year the time seems to fly by faster, and here we are in December once again!  It’s Christmas time, and in Italy markets are opening, cities are lighting their trees, and the spirit of Christmas warms the chilled air. If you are still thinking through your Christmas list this year, we have put together a guide to help give you some ideas for the special people in your life.  Please enjoy, and we wish you all, Buon Natale!  Merry Christmas!  

As the holiday approaches this week, we would like to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!  Thanksgiving is, of course, an American holiday, but the traditions of the day remind me very much of life in Italy.  A day to spend together cooking, eating, laughing, reminiscing, and enjoying time spent with the ones we love.  Italians in general spend more time gathered around the table than we do.  Meals are lingered over and never rushed.  Ingredients are quality and fresh for the season.  Much like our Thanksgiving!  In Italy they say, La Festa di Ringraziamento, and the Italian calendar is full...

This week in November, Italy celebrates the Torrone Festival in Cremona, where the delicious treat is thought to have originated to celebrate the marriage of Francesco Sforza to Bianca Maria Visconti in 1441.  The festival always includes a reenactment of their wedding, where Torrone was served as the wedding cake.  During the festival in Cremona, all kinds of Torrone are displayed, sampled, and sold.  Mia Emilia’s Torrone is made by Torrone Di Iorio, a family operation that has been combining the best ingredients with slow, traditional methods since 1750.  Since the marriage of Francesco and Bianca in 1441, Torrone has...

There are few things more instantly satisfying than the first drop of a high-quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil.  Mia Emilia’s Goccia Umbra Olive Oil makers must have realized that long ago when creating their company.  Goccia Umbra means, “Drop of Umbria”, and that it is.  Umbria is a gorgeous region of central Italy between Tuscany, Lazio, and Le Marche.  Splendid hill towns and rich farmlands bless this region with some of Italy’s most delicious products.  The producers explain the origins of Goccia Umbra at Castel Vitiano, a tower which has stood for a thousand years in these Umbrian hills.  Surrounded...

Italy loves and honors the Saints, and Festa di San Martino is celebrated in different ways all throughout Italy.  Generally, it also coincides with the time to try new wine and the peak of chestnut season.  In many of the celebrations, you will find chestnuts and wine.  Sounds like a good time, doesn’t it?  Italy has several proverbs surrounding Estate di San Martino and involving the season of Autumn, harvest, chestnuts, and wine.  I love this one, “Per San Martino castagne e buon vino” “Chestnuts and good wine for St. Martin’s day”.  You’re sure to find both everywhere, and one...

Italy is blessed with one of the five so-called “Blue Zones” in the world.  It is an area on the enchanting Island of Sardinia.  So, what exactly is a “Blue Zone”?  An author named Dan Buettner studied the world over to find the highest concentrations of people who lived to be over one hundred years old.  Centenarians, they’re called.  He zeroed in on five areas in the world where people live exceptionally long lives and studied each, realizing that they had several things in common, some that set each apart, and a few that are hard to measure, but very...

Pistachio is an especially popular nut and flavor in Italy, and one of the many prides of Sicily.  Sicily is the region best known for pistachios, especially the small town of Bronte near the famous volcano, Mt. Etna.  Breaking open Mia Emilia's Torrone al Gusto Pistacchio, the inside was just right.  Just like the best pistachio products in Italy.  They all have this pretty, pale green inside and the unmistakable nutty flavor.   This Torrone is extra special, because along with the pistachio flavor, you also get the crunchy, roasted almond flavor, all wrapped up together in delicious dark chocolate. 

One of my pet peeves with Americanized dishes claiming to be Italian is the greasy, chunky “marinara” sauce that many restaurants offer as an alternative to the also inauthentic “alfredo” sauce with pasta or served as a dipping sauce with fried cheese sticks.  Heartburn on a plate, I call it.  I ordered that not long ago because it was the only thing a vegetarian like myself could eat on the menu.  I could barely get through it.  Big chunks of onions swimming in bright red grease that flung onto my shirt and drowned the overcooked spaghetti.  This is what we...

Truffle, tartufo in Italian, has an unforgettable aroma and incomparable flavor.  Earthy, pungent, and unique, truffles appear on menus all over Italy.  Autumn is considered the season for the white truffle.  Black ones are harvested in Summer.  Thankfully, that means some type of truffle can be found whenever you go!  Among the most spectacular ways to try truffle is with pasta.  You will notice if you ever have it in Italy, truffle is never served with an overpowering sauce.  The truffle is the flavor, and anything else serves only to enhance it.  Through several years now of seeking out the...

In Italy this time of year, when the air begins to cool and sunsets color the sky a little earlier each day, markets fill with the delights of Autumn.  Among the finest are Porcini mushrooms.  All over Italy this time of year, you will find Porcini on the menu.  Emilia Romagna even hosts a festival in their honor in early October.  We visited the Renaissance town of Pienza last Autumn, right at sunset.  The colors in the sky were spectacular, one swoosh of magenta reminding us that God is the greatest painter of all.  When it was time for dinner, ...

In Italy there’s a charming phrase, “A tavola non s’invecchia”.  It means, “At the table one does not age.”  A phrase not only sweet, but hard to argue, as Italy has quite a few areas where people tend to live a long time.  Could it be because they spend so much time gathered around a table enjoying each other’s company and wholesome food?  Likely, yes!  In the most authentic kitchens where these long lives are led, only the best ingredients are prepared.  Pastas are made from non-modified wheat.  Olive oils are extra virgin and made of Italian olives, likely grown...

Have you ever tasted something and had to pause for a moment?  A taste so deep, it takes a few moments to comprehend.  Mia Emilia’s Mieleaceto Countess Elixir IGP will give you that sensation.  My favorite thing about true, authentic, Italian products is that you can feel the history inside them.  When a recipe has been passed down generation after generation, it’s love you taste as much as anything else.  The secret ingredient that can come from nowhere but the heart.  Mieleaceto is the gorgeous combination of two of the great prides from Italy’s Modena Province in the region of...

In the Amalfi Coast, where lemons are famous and plentiful, you can find them infused into recipes, liqueurs, olive oils, soaps, perfumes, and even hand-painted onto gorgeous majolica tiles. The locals love their lemons and celebrate them all year round!  Around this time last year, my husband and I were in the Amalfi Coast for his first time.  Hot days cooled by the shade of green lemon groves and flowers still blooming long into September.  Infinite Sea Views from the aptly named, “Terrace of Infinity”, left us speechlessly pondering eternity.  La Dolce Vita, The Sweet Life indeed.  It was several...

To be considered Extra Virgin, the oil must be mechanically pressed, crushing the entire olive without chemical or heat treatment.  The words, “cold pressed” refer to this lack of heat involved.  As a result of this method, the acidity is very low, less than 1%.  Health benefits are maximized, retaining the vitamins and antioxidants naturally occurring in the olive itself.  Color is green or golden, and the appearance is often cloudier than that of regular olive oil.  Even with Extra Virgin Olive Oil, quality and origin can vary.  Italy has a great solution to assure the utmost quality.  Look for...

Since cocoa was still quite expensive, but hazelnuts grew plentifully in the area, chocolate makers began to experiment with mixing the two.  To their delight, it was an exquisite combination!  Today, the combination of chocolate and hazelnuts has created a world-wide obsession.  Chocolate-hazelnut spread.  Chocolate-hazelnut gelato.  Chocolate bar with hazelnuts.  The products are endless, and beloved throughout the world.  Thank you, Torino!  The city of Torino (Turin) today is still famous for its chocolates and still home to some of the world’s finest chocolatiers.  Mia Emilia’s La Perla Chocolates come from a chocolatier in Torino who began his work out...

It is the art of hospitality that Italians have mastered, maybe better than anywhere else in the world.  Hospitality is still very much alive in Italy. In Tuscany, it is customary to always have a bottle of delicious dessert wine called Vin Santo (Holy Wine) and some biscotti ready to offer guests, announced or otherwise.  To offer this to guests at your home, start with Mia Emilia's Almond or Chocolate Chip Biscotti.  Then, the next time guests stop by your house, take a moment to truly be present with them.  Put down the phone.  Serve them a little treat and...

Curious to try the products, I opened my box from Mia Emilia, and my heart was warmed just at the sight.   Bottles of Extra Virgin Olive Oil, one from my beloved Chianti region and another delicately flavored with lemon.  A white balsamic dressing that made me throw out the commercial, “balsamic” salad dressings in my fridge.  Handmade exquisite pastas.  A coffee that gave the entire box a heavenly aroma. And finally, the Monachino, a chocolate dessert with hazelnut filling that left my usually chatty self quite speechless.

Have you ever noticed how the first notes of a mandolin send your mind off dreaming of sparkling seas or fields of sunflowers?  How the scent of fresh basil and ripe tomatoes makes you beg for spicy olive oil and sweet balsamic vinegar?  For me, those tastes bring back sweet memories with the Italian people while basking in the joys produced by their land.