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Ryan | 11 January 2010 |
gourmetKAZOO has been nominated for the BBVA Open Talent competition. Please vote for us here or using the voting box below!
About gourmetKAZOO: gourmetKAZOO is an innovative web platform connecting independent food & wine producers to the world. The gourmetKAZOO marketplace is already helping small European producers connect and sell to international consumers. Exciting new tools are now being added to the platform that will further change the way gourmet food lovers interact and buy from independent producers. We control the network to maintain quality. Independent producers can apply to join the network here.
About the BBVA Open Talent competition: The Spanish bank, BBVA, runs the Open Talent competition to identify innovative projects that could use the support of BBVA to grow. They invest up to 100,000 EUROS in 3 companies to support further growth and business collaboration with BBVA.
About gourmetKAZOO: gourmetKAZOO is an innovative web platform connecting independent food & wine producers to the world. The gourmetKAZOO marketplace is already helping small European producers connect and sell to international consumers. Exciting new tools are now being added to the platform that will further change the way gourmet food lovers interact and buy from independent producers. We control the network to maintain quality. Independent producers can apply to join the network here.
About the BBVA Open Talent competition: The Spanish bank, BBVA, runs the Open Talent competition to identify innovative projects that could use the support of BBVA to grow. They invest up to 100,000 EUROS in 3 companies to support further growth and business collaboration with BBVA.
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Ryan | 11 January 2010 |
We're right in the middle of the 2010 black perigord truffle season and are pleased to welcome our first producer of this "diamond of the kitchen" to the gourmetKAZOO community.It's never been easier for professional and at home chefs to purchase fresh black truffles. Plus, by buying directly from the producer, customers can save a small fortune! Our producer is currently selling fresh black perigord truffles for approximately 1,400 per kilo compared to the 2,500 per kilo that we saw being charged on some other sites.
Fresh black perigord truffles are available until the end of February. You can also find them in preserved form year round. Unlike many of the preserved black truffles you'll find on the market, our producer sells his jarred perigord truffles in their own juices from the first boil. Producers of lesser quality will boil truffles a second time, selling the first boil juices separately.
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Ryan | 25 November 2009 |
This week we were thrilled to open the gourmetKAZOO community marketplace to customers in the UK!
With December right around the corner, we compiled this list of some of the world's most exclusive and authentic gourmet items now available to foodies in the UK.
Support Europe's traditional food producers; purchase from them directly on the gourmetKAZOO community marketplace. Each producer listed below is ready to deliver their products directly to your door!
UPS delivery costs are included in the prices below (to all major cities in the UK).
from Acetaia San Giacomo in Reggio Emilia, Italy
This is the REAL DEAL of balsamic vinegar, aged at least 25 years and passing the approval of a 5 judge panel in order to obtain the exclusive title Balsamico Tradizionale (nothing else is the real thing); I've met the producer, Andrea, an amazing guy!
from Tartufi Molise in Molise, Italy
Hunted by Vincenzo & his trusty truffle hunting dogs; the fresh white truffles will be available until the end of December. I hope to join him for a truffle hunt next year!
from Choi Time in London, UK
Melissa offers "the Dom Perignon of the tea world". Created from the finest white needle green tea leaves, naturally scented with thousands of jasmine flowers & hand-woven with an exotic flower, the Chinese believe that drinking this tea will bring you luck, happiness & prosperity, symbolised by the red flower.
These exclusive cheese & charcuterie options are sure to standout at any holiday cocktail party.
from Fromagère Grange de la Haute Vallee in Auvergne, France
Includes 3 famous French cheeses from this region; Salers, Cantal & bleu. Handcrafted by Nathalie on their small family farm where they raise 40 cows. The wild flowers of the region impart their delicate flavours on the cheeses.
from Jamones Rosco in Extremadura, Spain
Jamón Iberico de bellota is simply the best cured meat in the world; you cannot find a better Pata Negra than this, with its designations of "de bellota" & DOP Extremadura.
from Jamones Rosco in Extremadura, Spain
Paleta is the front leg or shoulder of the Pata Negra pig, it tastes slightly different than the hind leg (Jamon) and stands out for its excellent aftertaste.
from Ummera in the Cork, Ireland
Locally sourced & cured with the finest organic ingredients, this award winning oak smoked salmon is produced by Anthony, one of our earliest adopters joining back when gK was only a vision!
from Uig Lodge in the Isle of Lewis, UK
Smoked to a traditional recipe on the Isle of Lewis, one of the most remote and beautiful locations in Scotland.
from Histoire du Praslin in Corbelin, France
A wide range of French pralines made by hand in a copper cauldron. Featuring caramelized nuts (e.g. almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts) & even caramelized cocoa beans for the real DARK chocolate lovers.
The 2009 olive harvest is in full swing. Consider purchasing a case to share with all your family and friends.
from Aceites La Maja in Mendavia, Spain
Flavor tones include tomato plant, grass, artichoke and apple with medium bitterness and a slight late "bite"; these sophisticated bottles make great gourmet gifts.
from Az. Agr Caponetti Lorenzo in Tuscania, Italy
Harvested early for a mild, very fruity and robust flavour; cold-pressed by stone from the Canino olive grown on this organic farm that also boasts Etruscan ruins and archaeological remains.
from Olio Pellegrino in Andria, Italy
Maria Teresa produces olive oil like her family has done for hundreds of years; she's been one of gK's best teachers! This oil is one of her best, fruity and intense, available in many formats including this case of small bottles perfect for gifts!
from Fattoria di Gratena in Arezzo, Italy
This olive oil is certified organic, a blend of Frantoio, Moraiolo and Leccino olive varieties. Fabio says this year's fresh olive oil is of exceptional quality!
from Oleura in Juncosa, Spain
This beautiful wooden gift box features a range of olive based products. Of course a bottle of extra virgin olive oil, along with olives and even a bar of natural soap, all produced with olives of the arbequina variety.
from Mas Seneguier in Provence, France
The Badré family (father, mother & 3 daughters) own and run this 30-acre Oliveraie (Olive grove) in the south of France. They planted each of the 4000 trees. This award winning oil tastes of fresh grass, foliage, fennel, artichoke and green tomato.
This is only a small sample of the many great products available directly from producers on the gourmetKAZOO community marketplace. (browse them all)
With December right around the corner, we compiled this list of some of the world's most exclusive and authentic gourmet items now available to foodies in the UK.
Support Europe's traditional food producers; purchase from them directly on the gourmetKAZOO community marketplace. Each producer listed below is ready to deliver their products directly to your door!
UPS delivery costs are included in the prices below (to all major cities in the UK).
Exclusive gourmet gifts
Balsamico Tradizionale Gold Label (aged 25+ years)
from Acetaia San Giacomo in Reggio Emilia, ItalyThis is the REAL DEAL of balsamic vinegar, aged at least 25 years and passing the approval of a 5 judge panel in order to obtain the exclusive title Balsamico Tradizionale (nothing else is the real thing); I've met the producer, Andrea, an amazing guy!
100mL bottle - 152 (incl. UK delivery)
Fresh White Italian Truffle
from Tartufi Molise in Molise, ItalyHunted by Vincenzo & his trusty truffle hunting dogs; the fresh white truffles will be available until the end of December. I hope to join him for a truffle hunt next year!
25gr fresh white truffle - 89 (incl. UK EXPRESS delivery)
Giant flowering tea bulbs
from Choi Time in London, UKMelissa offers "the Dom Perignon of the tea world". Created from the finest white needle green tea leaves, naturally scented with thousands of jasmine flowers & hand-woven with an exotic flower, the Chinese believe that drinking this tea will bring you luck, happiness & prosperity, symbolised by the red flower.
12 tea bulbs (~ 24L of tea) - 46 (incl. UK delivery)
Cheese & Charcuterie
These exclusive cheese & charcuterie options are sure to standout at any holiday cocktail party.
French AOP cheese basket
from Fromagère Grange de la Haute Vallee in Auvergne, FranceIncludes 3 famous French cheeses from this region; Salers, Cantal & bleu. Handcrafted by Nathalie on their small family farm where they raise 40 cows. The wild flowers of the region impart their delicate flavours on the cheeses.
gift basket w/ 3 French AOP cheeses - 100 (incl. UK EXPRESS delivery)
Jamon Iberico de Bellota (Pata Negra)
from Jamones Rosco in Extremadura, SpainJamón Iberico de bellota is simply the best cured meat in the world; you cannot find a better Pata Negra than this, with its designations of "de bellota" & DOP Extremadura.
6.5kg Jamon de bellota aged 36mo. - 325 (incl. UK delivery)
Paleta Iberica (Pata Negra) aged 24mo.
from Jamones Rosco in Extremadura, SpainPaleta is the front leg or shoulder of the Pata Negra pig, it tastes slightly different than the hind leg (Jamon) and stands out for its excellent aftertaste.
4.0kg Paleta aged 24mo. - 134 (incl. UK delivery)
Irish smoked ORGANIC salmon (unsliced)
from Ummera in the Cork, IrelandLocally sourced & cured with the finest organic ingredients, this award winning oak smoked salmon is produced by Anthony, one of our earliest adopters joining back when gK was only a vision!
Smoked side of salmon (approx. 1.1kg) - 76 (incl. UK EXPRESS delivery)
Scottish smoked salmon (hand sliced)
from Uig Lodge in the Isle of Lewis, UKSmoked to a traditional recipe on the Isle of Lewis, one of the most remote and beautiful locations in Scotland.
Smoked side of salmon (approx. 1.3kg) - 93 (incl. UK EXPRESS delivery)
Sweets
French Pralines
from Histoire du Praslin in Corbelin, FranceA wide range of French pralines made by hand in a copper cauldron. Featuring caramelized nuts (e.g. almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts) & even caramelized cocoa beans for the real DARK chocolate lovers.
5 x 200gr bags of assorted pralines - from 58 (incl. UK delivery)
Extra-virgin olive oils
The 2009 olive harvest is in full swing. Consider purchasing a case to share with all your family and friends.
Spanish "limited edition" olive oil
from Aceites La Maja in Mendavia, SpainFlavor tones include tomato plant, grass, artichoke and apple with medium bitterness and a slight late "bite"; these sophisticated bottles make great gourmet gifts.
6 x 500mL cased bottles - 156 (incl. UK delivery)
Italian Canino varietal olive oil
from Az. Agr Caponetti Lorenzo in Tuscania, ItalyHarvested early for a mild, very fruity and robust flavour; cold-pressed by stone from the Canino olive grown on this organic farm that also boasts Etruscan ruins and archaeological remains.
10 x 500mL tin cans - 123 (incl. UK delivery)
Italian DOP olive oil
from Olio Pellegrino in Andria, ItalyMaria Teresa produces olive oil like her family has done for hundreds of years; she's been one of gK's best teachers! This oil is one of her best, fruity and intense, available in many formats including this case of small bottles perfect for gifts!
24 x 250mL square bottles - 121 (incl. UK delivery)
Tuscan ORGANIC olive oil
from Fattoria di Gratena in Arezzo, ItalyThis olive oil is certified organic, a blend of Frantoio, Moraiolo and Leccino olive varieties. Fabio says this year's fresh olive oil is of exceptional quality!
6 x 500mL bottles - 115 (incl. UK delivery)
Spanish olive oil gift box
from Oleura in Juncosa, SpainThis beautiful wooden gift box features a range of olive based products. Of course a bottle of extra virgin olive oil, along with olives and even a bar of natural soap, all produced with olives of the arbequina variety.
Wooden olive oil gift box - 99 EUR (incl. UK delivery)
French AOC olive oil
from Mas Seneguier in Provence, FranceThe Badré family (father, mother & 3 daughters) own and run this 30-acre Oliveraie (Olive grove) in the south of France. They planted each of the 4000 trees. This award winning oil tastes of fresh grass, foliage, fennel, artichoke and green tomato.
6 x 500mL cased bottles - 97 (incl. UK delivery)
This is only a small sample of the many great products available directly from producers on the gourmetKAZOO community marketplace. (browse them all)
What makes this gourmet gift guide unique?
Unlike most holiday gift guides, the items contained in the gK gourmet gift guide are sold DIRECTLY from the traditional food producers. The gourmetKAZOO concept supports producers across Europe who are unwilling to compromise quality and tradition. By connecting customers directly with these producers, we help consumers find and order the freshest, most authentic gourmet products available anywhere in the world. For orders placed on the gourmetKAZOO community marketplace, we help producers with all all payment processing, shipping arrangements, order tracking, shipping & customer service so that they can focus on what they do best, making great products. All products are sent to customers directly from the producers using our contract with UPS.
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gianpiero | 05 October 2009 |
The northern Italian town of Alessandria held their annual chocolate festival called "Ale Chocolate", from October 2 to 5, 2009. We at gourmetKAZOO we could not miss another great opportunity to meet with some of Europe's best traditional makers of the world's most delicious products! We were certainly not disappointed by what we found... fine chocolates made in all types, sizes and flavors (there were even some interesting chocolate shaped salami!) Thousands of people enjoyed a stroll through the town center where they had the chance to admire, and of course buy these chocolate products worthy of the best school of chocolate masters from all over Italy.Some have even "taken advantage" of the occasion to enjoy a relaxing chocolate massage (see pictures below!)
Why not ... in times of crisis, nothing is better than chocolate for a natural mood enhancer!
----- Italian version -----
Grande successo per "Alè Chocolate", il festival del cioccolato tenutosi ad Alessandria dal 2 al 5 ottobre 2009. Noi di gourmetKAZOO non potevamo mancare...e sicuramente non ci e' dispiaciuto testare un po' di finissima cioccolata presentata nei formati e sapori piu' diversi(torte,cioccolate liquide, cioccolatini ai diversi gusti, salami di cioccolato ecc)Anche migliaia di persone passeggiando per il centro storico hanno potuto ammirare e ovviamente acquistare questi prodotti al cioccolato degni della migliore scuola di Maestri cioccolatieri provenienti da tutta Italia.
Alcuni hanno anche "approfittato" dell'occasione per concedersi qualche massaggio "rilassante"......
E poi...in tempi di crisi, incertezze per il futuro cosa c'e' di meglio che una cura anti depressiva come il cioccolato?
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gianpiero | 25 September 2009 |
For anyone who adores cheese, and I mean the real (often stinky) stuff coming from unpasteurized "raw" milk, then the town of Bra in Italy holds a biennial festival that is an absolute dream come true! Now in it's 7th edition, "Bra Cheese", while decidedly an awful sounding name in the English language, is perfect for a heavy duty lactose binge fueled by Europe's best cheese mongers. The 2009 edition ran September 18 - 21, again organized by Italy's uber-powerful Slow Food organization which showed it's muscle in the artisan food world by pulling off a spectacular event. Given this backdrop of outstanding European food artisans and the paradise of flavors they brought along, how could gourmetKAZOO not an appearance? Indeed, one full week later, we've finally recovered from our cheese hangover long enough to share some of our experiences (check out our photos below).
This years event hosted cheese mongers from over 20 countries, with about 130 kinds of cheese on display. Despite the rain, we were joined by 160,000 other visitors who likewise attacked Bra's old town squares and streets. The rations were sufficient; 900 kilos of cheese were devoured and about 9 thousand bottles of wine were pounded by the end of the 4 days. An interesting ratio... 10 bottles of wine per kilo of cheese, must remember that for the next wine and cheese party.
This year's festival included a group of Abruzzese cheese producers who came from the areas devastated by the terrible earthquake last April 6th. A worthy initiative by the National Park of Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga to promote economic recovery of that territory. Another great way to promote the economy of this region would be to help all their producers reach international customers by selling directly through the gourmetKAZOO website! A worthy cause to which we'll devote some of our attention in the coming months.
Also new this year was an area devoted to products coming from the Italian-French boarder region. These producers were helping promote traditional production methods and encouragement of sustainable consumption practices. Regional specialties of the region included Cevrin di Coazze from just outside of Torino, Brousse du Rove from a tiny French village, and Toma cheese from the prized Brigasca sheep coming from the valleys and alpine meadows on the border with France.
Surely, the one of the most unique cheeses was that of a Swiss producer who's logo depicted cannabis leaves... a link to the fact that his cheeses were made with the addition of pot.
It's truly impossible to mention all the excellent products found at the show... so I'll just give a few examples. For starters, there were impressive authentic alpine cheeses, such as Castelmagno Doubt with its cows that graze the Val Grana at an altitude of 2000 meters. Also worth a mention are some of the forgotten heros such as the red cows of Reggio Emilia and white cows of Modena... you know, the ones that give us all of that great Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. We were also happy to see producers of true English cheddar in attendance, showing off their intensely yellow cheese, slightly scented of hay after being aged for a year by producers in their small farms located in Somerset.
For all of you consumers looking for a way to get your hands on these authentic cheeses made with passion by small traditional producers, we have very good news. We are adding more and more cheese producers to the gourmetKAZOO website, giving our loyal consumers the opportunity to interact with and buy cheeses directly from some of the finest producers present at the festival in Bra.
For those looking to experience the festival first hand, Cheese will return to Bra in 2011 and gourmetKAZOO is sure to be there as well!
--------Italian version---------
E' tornata per la settima edizione "BRA CHEESE" la manifestazione biennale organizzata dal 18 al 21 settembre 2009 da Slow Food a Bra, cittadina piemontese che e' divenuta oramai un punto di riferimento per gli artigiani del settore e gli appassionati.
E come potevamo mancare noi di gourmetKAZOO a tale paradiso di sapori ed artigianalita' degni delle migliori eccellenze delle produzioni italiane e non?
Oltre 20 paesi presenti alla manifestazione con circa 130 tipologie di formaggi in mostra. 160.000 visitatori nonostante la pioggia hanno assalito le piazze e vie del centro storico di Bra dove la manifestazione si teneva. 20.000 persone hanno degustato quasi 900 chili di formaggio e circa 9mila bottiglie di vino nella Gran Sala e nell' Enoteca. Tutto esaurito per i 37 Laboratori del Gusto ed i Laboratori del Latte, a dimostrazione di come il pubblico di Cheese sia sempre più curioso sulle tematiche relative al mondo del formaggio.
in questa edizione sono stati presenti anche un gruppo di produttori abruzzesi di formaggi provenienti dalle aree colpite dal terribile terremoto dello scorso 6 aprile, un'iniziativa del Parco nazionale del Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga per promuovere la ripresa economica di quel territorio.
Altra novità di quest'anno, e' stata l'area dedicata ai prodotti dei territori transalpini italo-francesi, nell'ambito di un progetto che punta a valorizzare le produzioni agroalimentari di questa regione sostenendo le economie locali e tutelando i metodi di produzione tradizionali attraverso la promozione di un consumo sostenibile. Presenti prodotti come il cevrin di Coazze prodotto nel Torinese, la brousse di capra del Rove, francese, e la toma di pecora brigasca delle valli imperiesi e degli alpeggi sul confine con la Francia.
Sicuramente curiosa la presenza di alcuni produttori svizzeri con la loro toma affinata nella marijuana con tanto di etichetta con foglia di cannabis e in linea completamente opposta agli ottimi formaggi proposti dai ragazzi della comunità di recupero per tossicodipendenti di San Patrignano.
impossibile menzionare tutte le eccellenze esposte, alcune di queste sono sicuramente i formaggi autentici di alpeggio, come il Castelmagno Dop con le sue mucche della Val Grana ad oltre 2000 metri di altezza, o le vacche rosse di Reggio Emilia e quelle bianche di Modena che danno vita ad un Parmigiano Reggiano da intenditori, per non parlare del vero cheddar inglese che; con la sua pasta di colore giallo intenso che profuma ancora di fieno, viene stagionato per un anno dai piccoli produttori del Somerset.
Noi di gourmetKAZOO stiamo lavorando duro per potere dare la possibilità' ai nostri consumatori affezionati di entrare in contatto ed assaggiare alcuni dei grandi formaggi presenti a Bra Cheese.
Bra cheese tornerà fra 2 anni nel 2011 e noi ne siamo certi...che non mancheremo!
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Ryan | 21 September 2009 |
With the 2009 white truffle season fast approaching, truffle hunters across the Italian country side are preparing for what they hope will be a record year. Referred to as the "diamond of the kitchen", truffles are as mysterious as they are prized. Fetching hundreds or even thousands of Euros per kilo, these difficult to find gems are rarely enjoyed outside of upscale European restaurants. Adding the optional truffle shavings to a dish in these places can easily add hundreds to the price of a meal. International actions have seen absurdly high prices paid for each season's largest truffle, a few years ago, $330,000 was paid by a casino owner in Macau for a 1.5kg prize.The astronomical prices are related to scarcity. Truffles (scientifically named Tuber) are nearly impossible to cultivate, grow naturally only a short period each year, and are difficult to find in the wild. Growing underground, man would not be able to find these culinary delights without the help of a hunting partner possessing a more acute sense of smell. Both dogs and pigs used for the task, but dogs are often preferred as the pigs are more likely to eat the truffles they find!
The team at gourmetKAZOO is excited to be the first online solution allowing customers to purchase the freshest truffles directly over the web! Through the gourmetKAZOO platform, truffle hunters will have an easy way to display and sell truffles that were dug-out of the ground just the night before. Through gourmetKAZOO's website , customers now have an easy way to find & purchase fresh truffles from the web when they aren't lucky enough to be visiting the Italian truffle markets & festivals in person. In addition, with gourmetKAZOO's global shipping contract with UPS, customers are able to have these treasures delivered directly to their door with overnight shipping.
One of the first truffle hunting families that we are working with is the Di Iorio family. For generations, this family has been hunting truffles in the Molise region of Italy, the same region where a record 1.05kg white truffle was found in 2008.
Vincenzo Di Iorio is carrying on his family's tradition and takes genuine pride in the business and it's reputation for quality. He is passionate about the product that he calls "un gem della natura" or a gem of nature.
According to Vincenzo, most if not all of the credit goes to their dogs. These are the real truffle hunters (a fact that has led to truffle dog kidnappings & ransom demands in the past!). He describes the moments he spends in the pre-dawn hours hunting the forest floors with his dogs as moments of great relaxation and peace. "The report developed between the hunter and his dog is something very special."I tried asking Vincenzo the question no truffle hunter will answer... where do you find your truffles. Because truffles tend to grow in the same spots year-after-year, truffle hunters keep these places a closely guarded secret, usually going out hunting veiled by darkness of the night. Nonetheless, Vincenzo had this to share about his hunting grounds. "We find our truffles in the early hours of the morning in the woods where the man still has not damaged the natural ecosystem. These are wonderful places. The truffles live in symbiosis with plants such as oaks, poplars, hazels, willows and other conifers."
There has been much controversy in the truffle world surrounding the false labeling of non-Italian truffles & the sale of inferior quality truffles at inflated prices. I specifically asked Vincenzo about his view on this. His dedication to upholding the reputation of Italian truffles and the legacy of his family's business is clear. He explains "the scandal of imported truffles from China and other locations being sold as Italian truffles not only defrauds the consumers, but demoralizes all of us who are involved in preserving the name and reputation of the Italian truffle."
Through the gourmetKAZOO project, we are helping customers find and purchase from the truffle hunters who care about their reputation and dedication to quality. As producers become established on gourmetKAZOO, their reputation built on genuine customer reviews will speak for itself.
We are happy to be working with Vincenzo and hope to help consumers around the world discover and buy both his fresh truffles and his authentic truffle based products. You can learn more about Vincenzo and purchase directly from him by visiting his profile on gourmetKAZOO.
During the truffle season, gourmetKAZOO will be promoting fresh truffles.
Each fresh truffle will be available on the website until it is sold, or for up to 24 hours. Each order will be shipped EXPRESS using the gourmetKAZOO global contract with UPS.
To receive up-to-date notifications of all fresh truffles posted to gourmetKAZOO, follow our dedicated fresh truffle feed on twitter:
http://twitter.com/gktruffles
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Ryan | 21 September 2009 |
Coming October, gourmetKAZOO will be offering European customers the opportunity to purchase the freshest truffles available anywhere in the world.By purchasing directly from the truffle hunters and benefiting from overnight shipping through our UPS express contract, consumers will have the opportunity to enjoy truffles that were literally just dug-up! To be notified in real time about the truffle sales, customers can subscribe to our special twitter feed for alerts on sizes and prices as they are posted to the site.
Officially launching this October, gourmetKAZOO is an international project focused on helping consumers interact with and buy directly from European producers of the highest quality food & drink products.
October offers us two reasons to celebrate. First, gourmetKAZOO's launch marks a turning point for European artisan producers who need a better way to market themselves and sell directly to the international online community.
Second, October also marks the beginning of one of the most most exciting gourmet seasons in the world; the Italian white truffle season!
We are excited to celebrate this event and we are working directly with Italian truffle hunters to show them how to sell their fresh discoveries to customers through gourmetKAZOO. Using our innovative online platform, truffle hunters will be able to easily create profiles and instantaneously share their fresh truffle finds with the online world.
gourmetKAZOO gives customers an easy and secure way to pay for these products & provides the UPS express solutions to ensure all deliveries arrive in great condition.
In the coming weeks, our homepage will be transformed to feature the fresh truffle products found by hunters in the previous nights' hunt. Fresh truffles will be listed for 24 hours or until sold. For real time alerts, customers can follow our special twitter feed.
All questions and comments are welcome. The gourmetKAZOO team is always available through the methods found on our contact-us page.
To learn more about truffle hunters, visit Tartufi Molise's profile or read this related blog.
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Ryan | 28 July 2009 |
I consider myself to be pretty savvy, I usually spot scams a mile away. A lot has to do with traveling; visit enough far off places and you end up seeing just about every game in the book. Getting taken for a ride on your home turf is less likely... but after my recent trip to Italy, I feel like I've been duped back at home for years!
Turns out, most balsamic vinegar, and nearly everything available on the world's retail shelves, is nothing more than a cheap knockoff. Surely, though, that bottle with the dusty looking finish and the Italian flag must be the good stuff... right, I mean it does say Modena on the label? Come on, just look at those expensive looking bottles, fancy labels, and authentic sounding names, they must stand for quality! Despite what the marketers would have us think, most of what is on the market is nothing more than an industrial produced imitation. A combination of grape juices, vinegar, & caramel colors that attempt to replicate a product that has been painstakingly produced in small quantities since the Middle Ages.
The real traditional balsamic vinegar goes by the name that most of us struggle to pronounce, let alone remember Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale. Aged a minimum of 12 years, this vinegar spends it's life moving among a "battery" of 8 wooden barrels, which each impart complex flavors of chestnut, cherry, oak, mulberry & ash into the final product. Every bottle produced must meet the approval of a panel of 5 expert tasters in order to receive it's official designation status.
I was lucky to be able to spend the day with Andrea Bezzecchi, lawyer turned 3rd generation producer of this amazing stuff at Acetaia San Giacomo. After a little scheduling mix up, although I'm not pointing fingers :) I met Andrea and learned about his passion for producing balsamic and the differences between the real deal and the stuff most of us buy in the stores. Andrea produces within the consortia of Reggio Emilia (the Modena consortia being the only other). It is easy enough to spot the Balsamico Tradizionale of Reggio Emilia based on the distinctive bottles and labels. I'm guessing the consortia also controls the packaging, because it seems you can find similar looking boxes around each producer's product.
Here's the cheat sheet:
Red label = vinegar aged at least 12 years
Silver = at least 18 years
Gold = over 25 years!
Given the time and care going into each bottle of Balsamico Tradizionale, I was not surprised to learn that the price of a small bottle will run more than 10x that of a bottle of the industrial stuff. At this point, I started to panic, as a self-proclaimed Foodie, I knew I had no place in my life for the industrial knock-off.. but given my liberal daily usage of balsamic on salads, cheeses, etc. I grew concerned that the authentic product would break me financially.
I asked Andrea about how the locals overcame this problem and was relieved to discover the traditional product is actually used very sparingly and only on special occasions (although who can't find a reason to make every day one of those). It is best enjoyed as a drop on a piece of Parmigiano, a small spoonful spread on fish or meat dishes, a dribble on ice cream or fruits, even a drop warmed naturally and licked directly off of the hand (see picture below). What about those salads then... surely this trend wasn't started outside of Italy! Andrea enlightened me to the beautiful option available for those every day uses... like the dousing I give to my salad, bruschetta, etc.
Several producers of the traditional product also create a wonderful (and more affordable) product for every day use. This version, referred to as Condimento Balsamico is made in the same traditional way as the real stuff, but with a shorter aging period and without any official oversight from the consortia. As such, it retains many of the great properties that come from time spent in the battery of wooden barrels but it is much less precious than the Balsamico Tradizionale which is released in extremely limited quantities each year.
While there are several producers of Balsamico Tradizionale, I would be happy to source my lifetime consumption of balsamic (in all its forms) from Andrea. After spending a full day with him, I can honestly say that he is probably the coolest producer of Balsamico Tradizionale anywhere in the world!
He is equally loved in his neighborhood. I was able to enjoy an amazing lunch with him at one of his favorite neighborhood restaurants (which stayed open late just for him as we showed up after the lunch crowed had gone). He was enthused to introduce me to the specialties of the region (which I was of course even more enthused about!). A starter of a fried hollow pastry that formed a pillow shape, which was punched out and stuffed with Parma ham! (I can't remember the name of this one) Delicious ravioli stuffed with something similar to spinach & drenched with fantastic olive oil. And a closing of cafe flavored ice cream... I initially passed on dessert but felt a carnal need to prove something after being told I was too skinny by the Italian woman serving us:)
Andrea is a very active and positive figure in his region. I was extremely lucky to be visiting on a day when a organic champagne tasting was arranged at his place, attended by several wine / salumi producers and other friends of his from the area. I couldn't possibly pass up the invitation! It was a once in a lifetime experience for me, after getting a 2 hour intro to champagne in what sounded like Italian (by apparently an extremely well known Italian wine critic), it was flight after flight of champagne accompanied by course after course of amazing Italian food. I really couldn't believe my fortune to share in this experience!
My favorite part of this evening was watching Andrea pull out a bottle of Balsamico Tradizionale resulting in a swarm of attendees clamoring for a tiny drop to be placed on their hand. You can see the picture of that below along with other photos from my visit.
Visit Andrea's profile and story here on gourmetKAZOO. Feel free to engage him in questions or comments at the bottom of his profile, I'm sure he'd be happy to enlighten anyone on the product that he is truly passionate about!
Turns out, most balsamic vinegar, and nearly everything available on the world's retail shelves, is nothing more than a cheap knockoff. Surely, though, that bottle with the dusty looking finish and the Italian flag must be the good stuff... right, I mean it does say Modena on the label? Come on, just look at those expensive looking bottles, fancy labels, and authentic sounding names, they must stand for quality! Despite what the marketers would have us think, most of what is on the market is nothing more than an industrial produced imitation. A combination of grape juices, vinegar, & caramel colors that attempt to replicate a product that has been painstakingly produced in small quantities since the Middle Ages.
The real traditional balsamic vinegar goes by the name that most of us struggle to pronounce, let alone remember Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale. Aged a minimum of 12 years, this vinegar spends it's life moving among a "battery" of 8 wooden barrels, which each impart complex flavors of chestnut, cherry, oak, mulberry & ash into the final product. Every bottle produced must meet the approval of a panel of 5 expert tasters in order to receive it's official designation status.
I was lucky to be able to spend the day with Andrea Bezzecchi, lawyer turned 3rd generation producer of this amazing stuff at Acetaia San Giacomo. After a little scheduling mix up, although I'm not pointing fingers :) I met Andrea and learned about his passion for producing balsamic and the differences between the real deal and the stuff most of us buy in the stores. Andrea produces within the consortia of Reggio Emilia (the Modena consortia being the only other). It is easy enough to spot the Balsamico Tradizionale of Reggio Emilia based on the distinctive bottles and labels. I'm guessing the consortia also controls the packaging, because it seems you can find similar looking boxes around each producer's product.Here's the cheat sheet:
Red label = vinegar aged at least 12 years
Silver = at least 18 years
Gold = over 25 years!
Given the time and care going into each bottle of Balsamico Tradizionale, I was not surprised to learn that the price of a small bottle will run more than 10x that of a bottle of the industrial stuff. At this point, I started to panic, as a self-proclaimed Foodie, I knew I had no place in my life for the industrial knock-off.. but given my liberal daily usage of balsamic on salads, cheeses, etc. I grew concerned that the authentic product would break me financially.
I asked Andrea about how the locals overcame this problem and was relieved to discover the traditional product is actually used very sparingly and only on special occasions (although who can't find a reason to make every day one of those). It is best enjoyed as a drop on a piece of Parmigiano, a small spoonful spread on fish or meat dishes, a dribble on ice cream or fruits, even a drop warmed naturally and licked directly off of the hand (see picture below). What about those salads then... surely this trend wasn't started outside of Italy! Andrea enlightened me to the beautiful option available for those every day uses... like the dousing I give to my salad, bruschetta, etc.Several producers of the traditional product also create a wonderful (and more affordable) product for every day use. This version, referred to as Condimento Balsamico is made in the same traditional way as the real stuff, but with a shorter aging period and without any official oversight from the consortia. As such, it retains many of the great properties that come from time spent in the battery of wooden barrels but it is much less precious than the Balsamico Tradizionale which is released in extremely limited quantities each year.
While there are several producers of Balsamico Tradizionale, I would be happy to source my lifetime consumption of balsamic (in all its forms) from Andrea. After spending a full day with him, I can honestly say that he is probably the coolest producer of Balsamico Tradizionale anywhere in the world!
He is equally loved in his neighborhood. I was able to enjoy an amazing lunch with him at one of his favorite neighborhood restaurants (which stayed open late just for him as we showed up after the lunch crowed had gone). He was enthused to introduce me to the specialties of the region (which I was of course even more enthused about!). A starter of a fried hollow pastry that formed a pillow shape, which was punched out and stuffed with Parma ham! (I can't remember the name of this one) Delicious ravioli stuffed with something similar to spinach & drenched with fantastic olive oil. And a closing of cafe flavored ice cream... I initially passed on dessert but felt a carnal need to prove something after being told I was too skinny by the Italian woman serving us:)
Andrea is a very active and positive figure in his region. I was extremely lucky to be visiting on a day when a organic champagne tasting was arranged at his place, attended by several wine / salumi producers and other friends of his from the area. I couldn't possibly pass up the invitation! It was a once in a lifetime experience for me, after getting a 2 hour intro to champagne in what sounded like Italian (by apparently an extremely well known Italian wine critic), it was flight after flight of champagne accompanied by course after course of amazing Italian food. I really couldn't believe my fortune to share in this experience!My favorite part of this evening was watching Andrea pull out a bottle of Balsamico Tradizionale resulting in a swarm of attendees clamoring for a tiny drop to be placed on their hand. You can see the picture of that below along with other photos from my visit.
Visit Andrea's profile and story here on gourmetKAZOO. Feel free to engage him in questions or comments at the bottom of his profile, I'm sure he'd be happy to enlighten anyone on the product that he is truly passionate about!
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Ryan | 23 June 2009 |
After searching all of Europe, I would like to welcome the newest members to the gourmetKAZOO team. We are very happy to be working with Gianpiero, Damien, Oliver, & Joan who will each be joining us to help expand the gK community to the best traditional food & drink producers in each of their home countries!
With their support, we will be launching and developing our innovative online community made up of small traditional producers of the finest European food & wine products. We are giving these small independent producers a simple & free way to tell their stories and interact with the international online community just like our friend Mauro Manzone.
Gianpiero will be working with producers in Italy
Damien will be working with producers in France
Oliver will be working with producers in the UK & Ireland
Joan will be working with producers in Spain
With their support, we will be launching and developing our innovative online community made up of small traditional producers of the finest European food & wine products. We are giving these small independent producers a simple & free way to tell their stories and interact with the international online community just like our friend Mauro Manzone.
Gianpiero will be working with producers in Italy
Damien will be working with producers in France
Oliver will be working with producers in the UK & Ireland
Joan will be working with producers in Spain
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Ryan | 12 June 2009 |
Perched high among the rolling Lange hills lies the vineyard of Giovanni Manzone. On my recent trip to the Piemonte region of Italy, I spent a great evening in this beautiful setting having my first experience trying Barolo wine!
The host of the evening was Mauro Manzone, a 20 something who is probably one of the most internet savvy producers in all of the Piemonte region! It was great fun sharing with him the concept of gourmetKAZOO and to hear his enthusiasm for using online social media to help promote their excellent brand of wines. Since joining his father in the family business in 2005, Mauro has been doing great things for the vineyard and I'm sure they will have more success than ever in the coming years with his help.
Mauro has contagious passion for what he does. He is extremely proud of the wine they produce, and well he should! He shared with me many of the varieties they produce, including the all-star, the Barolo Riserva! This is clearly the way Barolo is mean to be enjoyed... well aged and paired with something equally strong in flavor, much like the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese we were enjoying it with.
The passion and dedication Mauro and his father Giovanni put into their wines really is really impressive. This comes through in the quality of their final product as evidenced by the collection of outstanding awards their wines have won. I certainly encourage anyone in the Piemonte region to make a trip to their vineyard to visit. Once some renovations are finished, they will really have a first class tasting room in an extremely beautiful setting, I'm already looking forward to a return visit!
You can learn more about the outstanding wine being produced by Giovanni & Mauro & even buy some to try by visiting their gourmetKAZOO store.
The host of the evening was Mauro Manzone, a 20 something who is probably one of the most internet savvy producers in all of the Piemonte region! It was great fun sharing with him the concept of gourmetKAZOO and to hear his enthusiasm for using online social media to help promote their excellent brand of wines. Since joining his father in the family business in 2005, Mauro has been doing great things for the vineyard and I'm sure they will have more success than ever in the coming years with his help.Mauro has contagious passion for what he does. He is extremely proud of the wine they produce, and well he should! He shared with me many of the varieties they produce, including the all-star, the Barolo Riserva! This is clearly the way Barolo is mean to be enjoyed... well aged and paired with something equally strong in flavor, much like the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese we were enjoying it with.
The passion and dedication Mauro and his father Giovanni put into their wines really is really impressive. This comes through in the quality of their final product as evidenced by the collection of outstanding awards their wines have won. I certainly encourage anyone in the Piemonte region to make a trip to their vineyard to visit. Once some renovations are finished, they will really have a first class tasting room in an extremely beautiful setting, I'm already looking forward to a return visit! You can learn more about the outstanding wine being produced by Giovanni & Mauro & even buy some to try by visiting their gourmetKAZOO store.
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Ryan | 02 June 2009 |
The Piemonte region of Italy is the birthplace the Ferrero, the company most well known for Nutella, a chocolate & hazelnut spread. I'm not sure "spread" is the best description, though, as I more often see Nutella eaten with a soup spoon rather than spread with a knife!Nutella is basically a mass produced version of Gianduja, which is a blend of chocolate & hazelnut paste. Gianduja originated in Piedemont when high taxes on cocoa pushed clever confectioners to find ways to blend the more expensive cocoa with less expensive products. Given Piedmont's ample production of hazelnuts, the perfect blending product was easily found!
Today, you can find high quality Gianduja being produced by various artisans in the Piemonte region. My terrific hosts, Marla & Farbrizio brought me to visit an exceptional producer, Cioccolato Puro, located in the center of the small town of Pinerolo about an hour from Tornino.
For those with special diet restrictions, no need to feel left out! I was happy to see Gianduja being sold by Cioccolato Puro in both sugar free and lactose free varieties. In addition to the Gianduja, Cioccolato Puro also creates some chocolates reminiscent of another crowd favorite, Ferrero Rocher, but of a much higher quality of course!
Have a look at the store of Cioccolato Puro to purchase Gianduja and other interesting chocolate products from them directly.
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Ryan | 01 June 2009 |
While in Piemonte, I had the chance to meet many of the region's artisan producers.
Few were better than Enrico Bernard at understanding how exciting the market for artisan produced gourmet products was outside of the local outdoor farmers' markets. He has been putting serious efforts into marketing his hand crafted line of Italian herbal elixirs, from the modern packaging to the communication efforts of attending food related trade shows across Europe.
What he is missing is an effective way to connect with and sell directly to consumers via the internet. So, I was very excited that my hosts for today, Marla Gulley & Fabrizio Roncaglia, brought me to visit with him.
Enrico's products are fine examples of high quality artisan work. His elixirs are infused with flowers and herbs that are collected from the Alpine slopes that surround his hometown.
Being used to some very hard to swallow liqueur products produced in various regions of Europe, I was really surprised with how much I enjoyed Enrico's infusions.
These elixirs are usually meant to be enjoyed as digestifs, and after trying them, I can confirm that the herbal & floral flavors are definitely present, yet subtle and smooth. Without knowing it's contents, I sampled the Serpoul elixir and could immediately pick out the delicate flavor of thyme produced from the infusion of wild thyme flowers hand picked from the mountain side.
Learn more about this elixers at the Bernard store!
Few were better than Enrico Bernard at understanding how exciting the market for artisan produced gourmet products was outside of the local outdoor farmers' markets. He has been putting serious efforts into marketing his hand crafted line of Italian herbal elixirs, from the modern packaging to the communication efforts of attending food related trade shows across Europe.
What he is missing is an effective way to connect with and sell directly to consumers via the internet. So, I was very excited that my hosts for today, Marla Gulley & Fabrizio Roncaglia, brought me to visit with him.Enrico's products are fine examples of high quality artisan work. His elixirs are infused with flowers and herbs that are collected from the Alpine slopes that surround his hometown.
Being used to some very hard to swallow liqueur products produced in various regions of Europe, I was really surprised with how much I enjoyed Enrico's infusions.
These elixirs are usually meant to be enjoyed as digestifs, and after trying them, I can confirm that the herbal & floral flavors are definitely present, yet subtle and smooth. Without knowing it's contents, I sampled the Serpoul elixir and could immediately pick out the delicate flavor of thyme produced from the infusion of wild thyme flowers hand picked from the mountain side.
Learn more about this elixers at the Bernard store!
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Ryan | 30 May 2009 |
Life is busy with the upcoming launch of gourmetKAZOO. Along with the final website developments, we are out in the field promoting the gourmetKAZOO vision to those who stand to benefit from it the most... the artisan producers of regional gourmet specialties located in villages across Europe.
Last week I was in the Italian region of Piedmont (Piemonte) meeting with producers and other people involved in the world of traditional food and drink. It was more clear than ever that small producers in Europe are waking up to the power of the internet, but they are just not aware (nor well informed) of how they should be using it most effectively.
Our challenge is to clear up for them the cloud of confusion surrounding the internet. Many producers have a natural fear of the unknown, a hesitancy to trust a new company promising to use the internet to help them and their businesses. Their reluctance is wise, I could see many producers who had been taken advantage of by opportunistic web developers who charged thousands of Euros for substandard websites that merely give the producers a "web presence" (although a web presence that no one would ever see!).
gourmetKAZOO is offering something revolutionary.... free online presence & a real partnership to help them promote & distribute their products directly to an international community of customers online. We aren't interested in a short term "sale", but rather a long term collaboration that works in both of our interests. Communicating this message to producers is difficult. To be fair, many aren't ready to incorporate the internet into their day-to-day business lives. Fortunately though, many are ready, and we are now learning the most effective ways to connect with this group.
Last week I was in the Italian region of Piedmont (Piemonte) meeting with producers and other people involved in the world of traditional food and drink. It was more clear than ever that small producers in Europe are waking up to the power of the internet, but they are just not aware (nor well informed) of how they should be using it most effectively.
Our challenge is to clear up for them the cloud of confusion surrounding the internet. Many producers have a natural fear of the unknown, a hesitancy to trust a new company promising to use the internet to help them and their businesses. Their reluctance is wise, I could see many producers who had been taken advantage of by opportunistic web developers who charged thousands of Euros for substandard websites that merely give the producers a "web presence" (although a web presence that no one would ever see!).
gourmetKAZOO is offering something revolutionary.... free online presence & a real partnership to help them promote & distribute their products directly to an international community of customers online. We aren't interested in a short term "sale", but rather a long term collaboration that works in both of our interests. Communicating this message to producers is difficult. To be fair, many aren't ready to incorporate the internet into their day-to-day business lives. Fortunately though, many are ready, and we are now learning the most effective ways to connect with this group.
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Ryan | 12 March 2009 |
Buying local (aka local purchasing) is a movement to buy products that are produced within one's own community rather than produced far away. It is usually encouraged for environmental reasons.Personally, I think there are many flaws in the arguments for local purchasing. Nonetheless, I often practice buying locally either because it is convenient or because locally produced products are available at the right quality & price.
I am lucky, I currently spend a lot of time in Paris. Not only is it one of the most beautiful cities in the world, but it also offers an incredible range of locally produced gourmet foods & wines. Every day of the week, I can find a fresh market somewhere in the city to buy the best French products available.
Unfortunately, not everyone is able to buy french cheese, fois gras, confits, fluer de sel, patisseries, etc. etc. from the producers at their local market. In the same way I am not fortunate enough to live close to producers who make Spanish jamon serrano & pata negra, or Italian balsamico & olive oils.
gourmetKAZOO doesn't attempt to replace buying local. I would never encourage someone to buy something from far away when they have an equivalent product that is produced in their neighborhood. "Equivalent" is easy when we are talking about fruits & vegetables. It is not so easy when we are talking about regional specialties produced specifically in only one village around the world.
For commodity type products, sure, buy locally. For gourmet food lovers however, gourmetKAZOO provides a solution when the real thing just isn't available locally.
