Speciality Food Magazine May 2024

specialityfoodmagazine.com 33 A taste of Italy COOKS&CO Cooks&Co has extended its range of store cupboard ingredients with the addition of five new authentic Italian antipasti lines. All products are sourced from Italy and can be added to grazing boards, antipasti platters or served as dish accompaniments to bring true Italian flavour. Favourites include Diavulillo - spicy mixed vegetables - which are a perfect accompaniment to meat or used to top fresh crusty bread and Saporiso, a selection of mixed vegetables which make great addition to rice or pasta. rhamaronline.co.uk STOCK CHECK S P E C I A L I T Y F O O D M A G A Z I N E * 2 0 2 4 * SUMA ORGANIC ITALIAN BLACK CHICKPEAS Tasty, budget-friendly and sustainable store cupboard staples. These really catch the eye and can be used in many different dishes. wholesale.suma.coop GAROFALO FARFALLE TRICOLORE ITALIAN PASTA Red, green and white durum wheat pasta bringing the enveloping taste of Italian tradition and colour to the plate. pasta-garofalo.com BIO ORTO PUTTANESCA TOMATO SAUCE Bio Orto grows all of its own produce organically, and this exquisite sauce is an authentically delicious expression of their ripe tomatoes, olives and capers. justgourmetfoods.co.uk BELAZU VEGAN BASIL PESTO A vegan take on the brand’s classic Genovese pesto. Free from dairy, soya, nuts and wheat. belazu.com SEGGIANO ORGANIC MELANZANE PASTA SAUCE This gorgeous sauce features quality and provenance of ingredients, cooked in the traditional Italian way without starch thickeners, sugar or flavour enhancers. seggiano.com RISO GALLO CARNAROLI RISOTTO 1856 PORCINI Prepared with a traditional recipe, mixing high quality dehydrated ingredients with the very best Carnaroli rice. Easy to prepare, and utterly delicious. risogallo.co.uk THENATION’S FAVOURITE CUISINE From antipasti platters, to pizza, meatballs, ragu and lasagne – Italian food is deeply ingrained in our food culture in the UK now, both at home, and when we’re eating out H e may be biased, but Antonio Picciuto of Buongiorno Italia thinks Italian food and drink is still some of the best around. “It’s so versatile,” he says. “And there’s so much variety. You can create anything with Italian ingredients. Also, it’s accessible. I always say, you can come into my deli and create a whole dinner party.” And that’s what sets the Italian offering apart. Bruno Zoccola of Valentina Delis agrees, saying Italian cuisine is, “The most popular in the whole world. People know it and understand it. They love the variety of options within Italian food, and the focus on healthy ingredients.” To get it right, both say what you stock must, crucially, be better than the supermarkets. For success, Antonio says you should... - Have a mixture of prices across your ranges that reflect your customers’ spending powers: “Don’t be a food snob! You need to have that £7.95 bottle of oil as a great everyday option. Then, if customers want something better at a higher price tag, you can talk them through what you have.” - Get the basics right: Too many delis miss the mark by being ‘out there’ with their range of products. “It’s important, at the very least, to have everything a client needs to create an entire meal. If you have tomatoes, they’ve got to be amazing tomatoes. You need great buffalo mozzarella, nice bread, superb pasta and wine.” THE ESSENTIAL INGREDIENT SWEET TREATS Simon says his bestsellers are Sicilian cannoli which “are a real footfall driver”. SNACKS AND NIBBLES Simon points to the Seggiano range, finding the brand’s Lingue flatbreads popular throughout the year, whether for summer picnics, or as part of a cheeseboard. “Taralli biscuits, in their signature swirl shape, are also popular among customers. PASTA Stocking Garofalo is a sign of attention to quality, and David’s also a fan of Benedetto Cavalieri which is “probably the best dried pasta”. FRESH FRUIT AND VEGETABLES “Fresh produce is absolutely key,” David says, pointing to delicate stuffed courgette flowers with ricotta. “You can’t get anything better than that,” he says. OLIVE OIL There’s always more than meets the eye with olive oil. “We started in Sicily with one olive oil supplier. We now have three,” David says. That’s because each blend is so different, from olives that grow in the rocky soil in the south to the richer soil in the north, with gives an earthier flavour. SAUCES No Italian deli (or any other deli for that matter) is complete without a range of exemplary sauces, made with real ingredients and no artificial additives. The duo say fresh pestos, from Genovese-style with basil, to pesto rosso, made with sundried tomatoes, are a must. These should sit with the likes of arrabiata and puttanesca sauces, to help shoppers put together a quick, easy, delicious Italian meal in minutes. CHEESE AND CHARCUTERIE Gorgonzola, Pecorino, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Mozzarella and Fior Di Latte are non-negotiables at the deli counter, alongside Burrata, which is seeing huge growth as an ingredient up and down the UK. Also, don’t forget, Simon says, to offer DOP meat products like Parma ham, San Daniele ham and mortadella. And spicy nduja sausages is essential. David Josephs of Panzer’s Deli, and Simon Warren of The East Street Deli select their in-store Italian must-haves. ITALIAN TOPS THE LIST OF BRITS’ FAVOURITE FOODS, EATEN BY MORE THAN 51% OF THE POPULATION ON A REGULAR BASIS YOUGOV Suma’s new Italian-made organic oat pasta is one of the first available in the UK. Made with organic oat, corn and rice flours, it is certified gluten free and ideal for those with gluten intolerance, or who simply prefer to reduce their gluten consumption. The texture is tender and the taste delicate, so it’s perfect to use wherever you’d otherwise use a wheat pasta. The eye-catching packaging has a luxury deli feel. It’s made from cardboard from a sustainably managed forest, fully recyclable and 100% plastic free. Linguini, Rigatoni and Casarecce available. suma.coop/wholesale Organic Oat Pasta SUMA