Sunday, December 1, 2013

The Best Things We Ate or Drank (from Provenance Food & Wine) in 2013


Our 3rd annual list is here!

We stock so many wonderful items and, if you know us at all you know that we LOVE talking about food & drink. This list is short & sweet, but come chat us up & we'll gladly share more with you.

Herewith, the best things we ate or drank in 2013:

Tracy Kellner: Reluctant Trading Experiment "Divakar's No. 004 Black Tellicherry Peppercorns" - the most wonderful, aromatic and flavorful pepper I've ever tasted. I've been using this to top everything at home, sometimes even without salt (though their Icelandic Salt is just as amazing).

Joe Patt: Caponi Pappardelle. Andrea & Alessandro Tagliagambe, who credit the regional water, the fresh eggs they purvey from a nearby farm that are split by hand, and high quality durum wheat flour, also sourced locally. They dry the pasta for 70-80 hours at room temperature which results in supreme flavor, texture and aroma. This is about as close dry pasta comes to fresh pasta, and once you try it, you won't go back to the mass-produced stuff.

Mary Stover: I was drawn to Sir Kensington's Mayonnaise because I LOVE mayonnaise. This is the dreamy best - thick, creamy and bright with a hint of lemon. Yum yum with french fries, spoon a bit into tuna salad, and try a smear on a tomato sandwich. The best!

Richard Sparks: Reluctant Trading Experiment Flaky White Icelandic Sea Salt and Black Tellicherry Peppercorns. I'd never had salt and pepper until I tasted these! Steak au poivre! Granny's sausage gravy and biscuits! Simple...sensational!

Nicole Benjamin: I just love Zócalo Gourmet Pussac Punay Andean Heritage Beans. Organically cultivated, visually stunning, and I feel so good after eating them. Simply prepped, real foods = my kind of medicine!

Nathan Sohnly: Chiriboga Blue spread on Potter's Crackers Cranberry Hazelnut Crisps with a small glass of 1985 Toro Albala Don Pedro Ximenez Gran Reserva Sherry on the side. Salty and creamy blue contrasts the subtle, nutty sweetness of the crisp while this awesome vintage sherry ties it all together with its own smoky, sweet richness.

Leslie Parry: Desperada Wines' Fragment: a dazzling Sauvignon Blanc from the Central Coast with a bouquet of mango, citrus and sage, and a palate of persimmon, honeycomb and sea spray. California dreamin'!