Calabria, among the Italian regions overlooking the sea, is maybe the one whose gastronomic culture is most bonded to its hinterland. Decise, strong tastes among which the ‘nduja stands out, typical Calabria speciality par excellence that finds its zenith of nativity in the 'Nduja of black calabrian pig - Consorzio Nero di Calabria, produced by the Consorzio Nero di Calabria, a well known reality among the food excellence. There are united many small producers that breed free range and transform this particular local pig species, closely related with the Iberian Patanegra, endowed with extraordinary tasting and organoleptic properties. The fine meat of this pork variety gives softness both to the taste and the consistency, besides containing omega 3 and omega 6 polyunsaturates that notoriously give benefits to health. Species and red hot chili pepper are perfectly balanced, so that they add a pleasant hot note exiting the natural black pork taste without covering it.

Maybe everybody don’t know that extra virgin olive oil, as it is for wine, is subject to good and bad vintages, low or high in quantity, according to the different area too. This year for the Garda olive trees have produced evo oil in great quantity, that hasn’t altered the quality though, on the contrary the latter one is truly exceptional this year and it is proved by the acidity level (which is normally low in the Garda evo oil yet) at the lowest levels in its history. Leali Monte Acuto has been one those who benefitted from this great vintage, the company olive trees in Puegnago del Garda have rewarded the a work based on natural techniques without any chemical intervention. Garda Casaliva Extra Virgin Olive Oil - Leali is a monovarietal Garda DOP evo Oil, obtained by the namesake local olive typical of the Garda area, the color is a very intense green, in the mouth it is very soft due to the low acidity, lightly bitter with artichoke and almond aromas and a final light hot note.

Sicily and Olives: a thousands year old tradition. There are many products that represent the expression of their origin territory, le olives certainly have a relevant place among these. In the region more than twenty different cultivar (olive tree varieties), of local origin and each of them with their own particular taste and organoleptic characteristics. The Agricultural Company Melia cultivates and processes the olives at a completely artisanal level in Alcamo, in the north-west area of the island, an ideal zone thanks to the constant presence of sun and wind all year long. The kind of olives cultivated by the company by the company is mainly the Nocellara del Belìce, endowed with a great aromatic-tasting intensity and pleasant bitter and lightly hot notes. The Pitted black olives in condiment - Az. Agricola Melia are great both during an aperitif or for the preparation of recipes too.

It is a common thought associating the nduja calabrese to an extremely strong and hot taste: this is absolutely wrong. If the nduja you’ve tried in the past had merely an hot connotation it is a sign of low quality, as the spiciness has to be balanced in order to exalt the other tastes and not being above them. The 'Nduja of black pig - Consorzio Nero di Calabria is without any doubts at an unattainable level for the others, the reasons are mainly two. The starting raw material comes from the Calabrian black pig, a local specie free range bred endowed with great taste and organoleptic properties. The meats of this pork variety give a softness both in taste and consistency, that is not possible to find in products derived from other porks meats. The other motivation is the perfect balance of spices and red hot chili pepper, which gives a pleasant hot note, exhaling the black pig natural taste without covering it. Perfect as an appetizer on toasted bread, in a pasta sauce to give it a sprint or on a pizza paired with some gorgonzola cheese.