The Market

Aged for one year, this mixed-milked sheep and cow cheese has flavors that land somewhere between a bright, mouthwatering pecorino and a rich robust asiago—with a creamy-but-toothsome texture that will convince even the pickiest of cheese eaters that there's more to life than just cheddar. Try it melted on a grilled cheese or straight off the block as a next-level midnight snack

Produced with goat's milk singularly sourced from the herb-laden hills of Gerrei in south-eastern Sardinia, the subtle flavors of Lentischio are unmistakably fragrant and floral; notes of citrus and artichoke hide within the dense, crumbly paste of this truly exceptional aged caprino: the perfect cheese for lovers of Sardinian pecorinos looking to branch into new and exciting territory.

 

In the 1860s, cowherd Giuseppe Pedroni used his lottery winnings to buy several farms and renovate an old benedictine monastery into a roadside tavern, where he began producing balsamic vinegar using his empty Marsala and beer barrels.

Six generations later, Giuseppe III carries on his namesake and family's legacy, hosting visitors to the tavern and making balsamic according to traditional methods. Trebbiano di Spagna and Ruggine grape varieties are pressed, cooked, fermented, and then aged in a series of barrels made of different types of wood, a process referred to as a 'battery.' This resulting vinegar is slightly syrupy, well-balanced and sweet with a distinctive earthy richness. Try it drizzled over Bea pasta, tossed into a risotto, or served simply on pieces of Parmigiano Reggiano.

 

Few words can describe how special this olive oil truly is.  Made just north of Rome in picturesque Lazio, this small batch production is handmade by eighty nuns of the Cistercian Order at the monastery where they live and work. Their organic olive grove is home to five native varieties of olive, including the late-ripening Canino, giving this otherwise buttery oil its vibrant green color and enticing aroma. Don't miss this truly unique, limited-run oil.

The Gargano family's 200-year-old groves of olive trees produce a limited run of 750 bottles each year. This heritage estate in southern Sicily yields a bright and peppery oil versatile enough to be used on everything from grilled fish to summery bites of ripe melon. Make sure to finish with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt for best results.

One of family cheesemakers Casa Madaio's most precious wheels, this sheeps' milk cheese is aged to crystalline perfection in natural stone caves perfumed with locally-sourced spring herbs. A bit of toothy bite gives way to flavors of sweet thyme blossoms and sun-baked grasses.

While this vinegar is barrel-aged over the course of one year in a process that mirrors the aging process of Balsamic vinegar, this vinegar is made from organic apples. Italy's northern regions are well known as a prominent and traditional apple-growing region within Europe, so its only natural that apples eventually found their way into one of Italy's most renowned culinary products. The resulting vinegar is sweet but not cloying with a distinct baked apple aroma.

The classic Italian melting cheese. Fontina holds it out while standing apart from the swiss and french greats. Versatile and workable, this cheese holds its own on the cheeseplate as well with distinct notes of mushroom and cured meat.

Giorgio Cravero and his family have been aging wheels of Parmigiano Reggiano in their caves since 1855. Each wheel arrives in the Piedmont at a year of age and is flipped every two weeks to ensure a smooth texture with delicate crystals throughout. Notes of sweet fresh cream give way to a robust, brothy finish. Pair with Prosecco and a drizzle of Villa Manadori aged Balsamic.