Archive of Past News Releases

Sugo Toscano Allo Sangiovannese
Gluten Free Pasta Stories
Olive Oil Stories
& Salt Stories
Pescia Honey
Mannucci-Droandi EVOO

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Sugo Toscano Allo Sangiovannese: A Legend Returns to the Table

Inspired by rediscovery of a historic regional recipe, RITROVO® teams with RADICI, Don Curtiss to create Tuscan Spiced Pasta Sauce

SEATTLE, WA - RITROVO® ITALIAN REGIONAL FOODS celebrates two years of product development in its introduction of Tuscan Spiced Pasta Sauce, produced by RADICI OF TUSCANY and proudly designated as A RITROVO® SELECTION™.

Product research, all done in-zone with Sandra Masi of RADICI OF TUSCANY and later with the addition of Chef Don Curtiss of Seattle's VOLTERRA RESTAURANT, was compelling. "Literally, we were 'taken by the palate' and never let go," explains RITROVO® co-president and founder Ilyse Rathet. "The dish was unique in its exotic richness and complexity. Notwithstanding, the more we researched why Stufato allo Sangiovannese was so good the deeper our fascination by it became."

"Stufato is the result of a culinary tradition begun by immigrant laborers at the iron forges of Tuscany's Arno valley during the 1800's. These low-wage workers, streaming in from less affluent regions and countries, brought with them their own culinary traditions and means for making more palatable the foraged and 'less noble' foods that they consumed such as 'lesser cuts' and fragments of discarded meat. Foraged ingredients would commonly be combined, strongly seasoned, and cooked into a stew (stufato) in the very iron forges the laborers earned their meager livings at. Sweet, strong spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, and coriander were used. Non-native spices, as were the first 'chefs' of Stufato allo Sangiovannese."

RADICI OF TUSCANY’s Tuscan Spiced Pasta Sauce follows the traditional recipe with a vegetarian, organic tomato base, complimented by top-quality ingredients including Sangiovese red wine and high quality extra virgin olive oil. This delicious sauce is ready to spoon over pastas, polenta, sautéed beef, or other meat strips. Incredibly rich flavors!

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Ritrovo® Expands Its Line of 100% Wheat-Free and Gluten-Free Pastas

RITROVO® ITALIAN REGIONAL FOODS LLC adds diversity and Top-Quality to Specialty Pasta, Introducing IL MACCHIAIOLO 100% Corn Pasta AND 100% Rice Pasta

Seattle, WA — Centerpiece of a Focused Exhibit at the July 8-10 NASFT® 53rd Summer Fancy Food Show in New York, IL MACCHIAIOLO 100% Corn Pasta and 100% Rice Pasta join RITROVO®'s multi-regional artisan lineup. Each of these delightful pastas has been labeled A RITROVO SELECTION.

Selected to meet the needs of a growing consumer segment—pasta lovers that suffer from wheat allergies and gluten-intolerances such as Coeliac Disease (Celiac Sprue)— IL MACCHIAIOLO pastas have across-the board appeal in authentic, yet tasteful packaging.

In the case of IL MACCHIAIOLO's corn fusilli, the pasta itself is like a beacon on the shelf. This is due to the natural hues of its rustically-textured, non-GMO (genetically-modified grain) corn flour, making it both beautiful and robustly-structured. The pasta is extremely kitchen-friendly, almost overcook-proof. Further, the resilient, sauce-trapping fusilli spirals provide the perfect base for all sorts of condiments, from tomato sauces to pestos. Notwithstanding, the pasta's polenta-like flavor is enough by itself, requiring little other than a tossing together with extra virgin olive oil and Parmigiano, baked with a little more Parmigiano sprinkled atop. It is equally wonderful served in cold dishes as well, such as Corn Pasta Fiesta Salad.

IL MACCHIAIOLO rice flour gigli pasta is also non-GMO and entirely gluten-free, a comfort to gluten-intolerant diners. It has an open-faced, ruffled configuration that lends itself well to moderate saucing. Its flavor and structure is more delicate than its corn flour-based counterpart and its rice flavor is mouth-watering, almost pastry-like and outright irresistible to all pasta lovers. "After taste-testing the rice flour gigli for being al dente, I simply wanted to continue eating it, right out of the pot and without seasoning, almost as though it were dessert," exclaims RITROVO® co-president Ilyse Rathet. "For a pasta this flavorful you would do it disservice to use more than three to four ingredients such as one of our extra virgin olive oils, a dusting of RITROVO® SELECTION™ artisan salt, and one other condiment, such as crushed tomatoes or one of our sauces. This pasta speaks for itself, with quite a voice!"

Due to the above characteristics IL MACCHIAIOLO pastas were an instant hit in 2007, earning in-house honors as A RITROVO® SELECTION™ and RITROVO®'s submission of the corn fusilli to NASFT for 2007, in the "Outstanding Diet and Lifestyle Product" category. "We knew it would be a hit from the start—and I have the scalded fingers to prove it," adds co-founder Ilyse Rathet.

The corn pasta and rice pasta are available in a 1.1 lb. tall, densely-filled bag. Each bag provides 5-7 servings and retails for under $8. Also, IL MACCHIAIOLO also produces a third, non-GMO/durum wheat-flour/stringozzi-style pasta flavored with porcini mushroom that is in high demand by buyers of RITROVO® products and priced like its two delicious, wheat- and gluten-free companions.

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Colli Estruschi and Colli Estruschi Tuscia DOP from RITROVO® Highlight Diversity and Quality of Italian Regional Foods

Colli Etruschi Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Ritrovo’s new Colli Etruschi DOP Tuscia Olive oil both come from the Cooperativa Colli Etruschi in Blera, just outside the town of Viterbo. Though close to Rome, this area was populated in ancient times by the Etruscans, whose land called Tuscia eventually lent its name to the Province of Tuscany. The Colli Etruschi cooperative is located in Lazio, the province or Rome, which was part of the Etruscan’s ancient landholdings.

Colli Etruschi is made from 100% caninese olive, a tiny bright green variety known for its fruitiness. It comes in two formats, 250 ml tabletop bottle and a 750 ml chef-friendly bottle. Agronomist Nicola Fazzi follows every step of the working of local olives, assisting local growers year-round to produce the highest possible quality olive oil.

New to Ritrovo and the Cooperative Colli Etruschi is the Colli Etruschi DOP Tuscia, from an area that ranges from Lago di Bracciano just outside Rome to Lago di Vico on the outskirts of Umbria, including the picturesque villages of Canale Monterano, Vejano, Blera, and Barbarano Romano. This is evocative Etruscan country, filled with a wild landscape dotted with Etruscan tombs, ruins, and roads.

Today’s DOP Tuscia is made from three olive varieties: Caninese (as in Colli Etruschi), Leccino, and Frantoio. It is one of the newest DOP olive oils in Italy, and Colli Etruschi's oil is already winning quality awards throughout Italy. Its quality points include less than 0.5% Italy, low peroxides, and strict control of production. All olives must be directly harvested from the tree and processed within 48 hours of picking. Yield is low, only 20% oil per olive weight. Cooperative Colli Etruschi is one of only 7 producers of this new DOP olive oil.

The province of Viterbo vaunts Tuscia DOP as it raises the total number of DOP products in Italy to 151—more than France (with 141) and Spain (90). And Ritrovo is proud to bring to market a high quality olive oil from a little known zone of Italy. Once again Ritrovo has brought to market a product which expresses the diversity and history of Italy’s regional foods.

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RITROVO® Adds New Salt to Its Famous ' ... & SALT' Line:
Seattle, WA (PRWEB) September 20, 2006

Seattle's 'Italian dream food importer' introduces another cutting-edge condiment to both U.S. and Japanese specialty markets.

SEATTLE - While RITROVO®'s Truffle & Salt condiment has been finding its way into Oprah's O List, Martha Stewart's Blueprint magazine, California Style magazine and other favorite food lists, RITROVO® has begun introducing its latest development, SEA & SALT™, to U.S. and Japanese markets.

Another RITROVO®-CASINA ROSSA® collaboration, SEA & SALT™, is a robust yet skillfully-balanced blend of Italian sea salt with dried citrus, cardamom, sun-dried tomato, and premium-quality, Sicilian Bottarga (air-dried, top-quality Sicilian tuna roe). Its rich, slightly smoky flavor is brightened by exotic hints of citrus and cardamom, giving it a wide appeal.

Due to its cachet and predicted consumer appeal, SEA & SALT™ immediately earned the status of 'A RITROVO® SELECTION'.

"Like the rest of our '... & SALT' line, SEA & SALT™ has a complexity and balance that frees it from the confines of being a 'flavored salt'", explains Ron Post of RITROVO®. "For us it was a natural choice for being 'A RITROVO® SELECTION". SEA & SALT™ can be used as a full-on, "stand alone" flavor:

• Unbeatable with sushi
• Sprinkled on grilled or sautéed seafood dishes
• Condiment on olive-oiled La Romagna Orange Stringozzi
• With steamed vegetables such as cauliflower and zucchini
• A natural with potatoes!
• To brighten cottage cheese and fresh mozzarella
• Sprinkled over shrimp or dressing in shrimp salads
• Perfect condiment for Ritrovo's Grilled Fennel and greens
• Use on eggs and omelettes
• Add new flavor to Caesar Salad Dressing: use Casina Rossa lemon olive oil and SEA & SALT instead of anchovies and fresh lemon

"SEA & SALT™ is inspired by our culinary experiences in Sicily, brought to focus through experimentation with CASINA ROSSA® producer Nicola DeLaurentiis and energized by our visit to the Costa Dei Trabocchi ('Coast of the Fishing Platforms') near CASINA ROSSA®," says Ilyse Rathet, co-founder of RITROVO® with her husband/partner Ron. "Dean and DeLuca Japan was interested in it from the beginning, making our 'inspiration' all-the-more satisfying."


RITROVO® Exalts 'Precious Mineral', Launches '... & Salt' Line
From the original'... & SALT' collection, labeled A RITROVO® SELECTION:

Volterra's Fennel Salt • Casina's Rossa Sweet & Salt • Casina's Rossa Saffron & Salt • Casina's Rossa Truffle & Salt

Each of these spectacular salts, proudly endorsed as A RITROVO® SELECTION, is a jar of endless possibilities.

Use these salts to highlight main dishes, add dimension to meat rubs and sauces, transform grilled vegetables, eggs or mashed potatoes--even to make popcorn into a work of art!

Three exciting new salts join Casina Rossa's internationally-renowned 'Truffle & Salt' to form the nucleus of RITROVO®'s '... & Salt' line. Introduced at the winter 2006 Fancy Food Show in San Francisco, CA, each of these four salts received critical praise and have been chosen to bear A RITROVO® SELECTION on its label.

"Truffle & Salt is on its way to legend status", says Ilyse Rathet, co-owner of RITROVO® Italian Regional Foods and Wines LLC. " It was an overnight smash, due to its originality (first in both US. and Italian markets) and intoxicating aroma (40 grams of air-dried Italian black truffle in each 3.5 oz. jar). Truffle & Salt makes everything from vegetable and egg dishes to meat dishes to hot fudge sauce into something incredible-and popcorn will never be the same!"

Saffron & Salt, the first new '... and Salt' addition, is regionally-inspired. Saffron was central to the economy of Abruzzo (where producer Casina Rossa is located) throughout the Medieval period, and its re-planting is part of an effort to reintroduce traditional crops to the rural economy. Saffron & Salt is beautiful in its vibrant orange color, with whole saffron filaments mixed in, and its captivating flavor is perfect for white meat, seafood, and rice-based dishes.
Sweet & Salt, RITROVO®'s second new salt, is a one-of-a-kind condiment also inspired by Casina Rossa's native Abruzzo. Embodying the "Forte e Gentile" ("Strong and Gentle") nature of the people of Abruzzo, this salt is brilliantly balanced between sweet, savory, and salty ingredients such as concentrated, air-dried and finely-screened mosto cotto (cooked-down grape must from the Montepulciano d'Abruzzo wine grape), sweet baking spices and dried fruits, even salt crystal-sized nuggets of dark chocolate and toasted vanilla bean. Sweet & Salt is sensational, a creative chef's muse with endless possibilities, ready to sprinkle on cheese ravioli, pork tenderloin, salad greens with balsamic vinegar, even on chocolate sweets.

Fennel Salt represents a joint marketing effort between RITROVO® and Chef Don Curtiss of Seattle's internationally-acclaimed Volterra Restaurant. This flavor-packed condiment is made with toasted, organic fennel seed, organic orange peel, and other traditional and typical flavors of the Italian peninsula. Fennel Salt is a staple at Volterra along with RITROVO® import Trampetti Extra Virgin olive oil, used as an accompaniment to its bread service and showing Curtiss' concern for top-quality ingredients. "Chef Curtiss' salt was a natural for addition to our '... & Salt' line," exclaims Ron Post, RITROVO® co-founder. "We are pleased to partner with RITROVO® to bring Volterra signature Fennel salt to grocers and specialty food stores nationwide," says Chef Curtiss. "It's bold flavor enhances meat and seafood dishes and is also incredible with potatoes and eggs."

RITROVO® is proud to introduce the multi-faceted "... & Salt" line nationwide, with each salt's endorsement as "A RITROVO® SELECTION". "These salts represent a winning combination of Italy's finest ingredients with a fine sense of what appeals to the American specialty food consumer," says RITROVO® co-president Ron Post." And the addition of Chef Don Curtiss' Fennel Salt also emphasizes RITROVO®'s interest in supporting regional artisans."


RITROVO® Truffle & Salt —

• As seen in the New York Times Magazine, 06-2005
• 2005 NASFT Outstanding Savory Condiment, 1st place winner

Real Italian black truffles & sea salt together in irresistibly aromatic condiment.

The ultimate way to enjoy black truffles. This blend of ground Italian black truffle and sea salt is irresistible in the kitchen. Try over cooked egg dishes, tossed in pasta, on pâté or foie gras, or—sprinkled on buttered popcorn and served with a glass of spumante! A "special occasion" condiment!

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Dr. Pescia Honeys
Paolo Pescia is a second-generation artisan honey maker who is intensely passionate about ecosystems and preserving the environment. Paolo practices "nomadic" beekeeping, which requires transporting his beehives to seasonal flowering zones and protected national parks located on the Tuscan coast and hill country to produce single flower honeys of stunning quality and flavor.

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Mannucci-Droandi Extra Virgin Olive Oil
The wine and olive oil producing traditions of the Mannucci-Droandi farm date back generations to the marriage of the Mannucci family, landowners in Tuscany's Valdarno zone, and the Droandis, farmers in the Carmignano zone nearby. For many years the farm produced extra virgin olive oil exclusively for local commerce; in 2000 RITROVO® convinced Roberto Droandi to export his splendid products. From 1317 Frantoio, Moraiolo, and Leccino olive trees, carefully tended on 11 terraced acres in the Chianti Classico zone. Roberto produces 16 hectoliters of oil—scarcely more than 1 litre per tree. Mannucci-Droandi Extra Virgin Olive Oil is governmentally certified as both D.O.P. and Organic, making it a rare gem among olive oils, further evidenced by a free oleic acidity level hovering around .16% (1/5 the allowable freshness level for extra virgin oils).

To the eye it is an intense golden-green, full and elegant, and its aromas are rich in notes of artichoke and rosemary. The flavor is complex yet balanced, beginning with freshly-picked field herbs and finishing with sweet almonds and pepper. Mannucci Droandi is a flavor force unto itself, excellent on everything from bruschette to antipasti to main dishes, and it is consistently rated among the finest oils in Italy. Try it on fresh pasta or seafood, or for grilling red meats.