In our ongoing mission to provide the best in Italian extra virgin olive oil and specialty foods, there’s one event that is the highlight of each summer: the Fancy Food Show.
Usually hosted in New York City, the show decamped to DC for the second and final year. With the completion of the refurbishment of the Javits Center, the show will return to its home next year. Not that NYC is a hardship, but we’ve been fortunate to have the show in our own backyard at the Washington DC Convention Center.
The Italian Trade Commission anchors a large pavilion for producers from Italy, complete with a corps of translators. This year’s pavilion was crowded with producers from Sicily–with smaller numbers from other regions. We are on a quest for products from further afield. We are seeking products from Veneto, Molise, Calabria, and Basilicata to fill a few gaps.
As always, the highlight was meeting with vendors who have become friends and compatriots in the world of food. We’re thrilled that our best selling balsamic vinegar, Villa Manodori Artigianale, won a Gold SOFI award in the classic category. A terrific and well deserved award.
As a result of our meetings at the show, our shelves will soon carry gems such as spicy jarred olives, Morello cherries, a spicy red pepper spread, and more herb blends. We’ve found a delightful bergamot infused oil from Molise, and a new selection, Itrans, the sibling olive oil to the sold out Raro, from Madonna del Olivo in Campania. To wrap it all together, there’s a new section of exquisite cotton and linen damask dish towels, tablecloths, and aprons — in designs featuring wheat, grapes, and even olives. We will announce each arrival through our emails, so be sure you are on the email list! (Sign up here).
Photos: The Italy Pavillion, The Gold Sofi Award for Villa Manodori, and Luanne with Kevin from Manicaretti at the Manicaretti Booth.
