Gastronomix

Oh Joy,
today I had one of my food dreams fulfilled, I found some of my favourite products from Italy right here in Toronto.
This is something important to say: these are high-​quality, mostly organic, authentic Italian products. In fact lots of the packaging are mostly in Italian (but they all have English ingredient lists in the back).
Is also important to point out that these are local (oils, sweets), high-​quality foods, not the mainstream things you can find mostly everywhere (either here or in Italy).
Being super picky about quality (and a true believer of organics) I am a huge fan of Alce Nero stuff, Alce Nero being a pioneer in organic farming in Italy and very focused on quality and fair trade. In fact this company is actually a co-​operative of mostly smaller and medium farmers (which in the end is the heart and soul of Italian farming when it comes to the more unique and peculiar foods).
What to look for here:
— high quality EVO oils. These oils are high quality 100% Italian.
I especially suggest you should try the olives and oils from Liguria, since this is a delicate kind of oil that is very hard to find. It’s mostly from the Taggiasca olive, which is peculiar of this region. Liguria is a small region and it’s not a large producer, so that’s why this is a hard-​to-​find oil (do not miss it)!
Of course it is also a matter of taste, but anyone that is a fan of olives and oils should give it a try.
— Tomato purees and sauces. These are from Alce Nero and are my favourite Tomato sauces; I especially love the pulp version, which gives your sauces more of a texture.
Both the purée and pulp are delicious (and the pre-​made sauces as well, but I usually cook my own) and you can taste all the «sweetness» of Italian tomatoes. The label also explains where the (100% Italian) tomatoes come from and so on.
— Honey, being a honey fan I really longed for some new «flavours». Honeys also depends on the terroir, so to speak, in its case it’s actually the vegetation. The Canadian organic ones (mostly from Alberta) are good, but in Italy there is more variety and specialty. Try the Orange or Acacia honeys and you’ll taste the difference. It’s good to have access to this variety for organic honey lovers.
— Orzo (barley coffee): Orzo coffee isn’t as famous as the other Italian foods/​dishes, but it’s actually a staple. It’s the kids coffee and it’s actually having a revival at the moment because it’s healthy, caffeine-​free (comes from roasted barley) and really tasteful. I love it sweetened with honey and it’s great at any time!
— Cookies: I’m back to my favourite breakfast! In Italy we love a sweet breakfast and have tons of different cookies, «the classic Italian breakfast frollini biscuit» the package says, you should take the world biscuit in his UK flare here. It’s awesome cookies in many flavours!
Rich and crunchy, but not as buttery and heavy as the British shortbreads. These are perfect with a coffee, latte or orzo and even with tea!
I remember a few years ago Alce Nero advertised on its packaging that they had gone completely palm oil free, to offer a healthier and higher quality products. Now the packaging says with «olive oil only», to emphasize their choice. To me they’re always one step ahead in terms of quality/​healthy-​ness!
— Organic pasta: if you would like to try something different than the ubiquitous penne and spaghetti, go with the conchiglie (seashells) or farfalle (butterflies) or the Senatore Cappelli variety (it’s a grain variety with first and last name, that must tell you something).
— Chocolate: the bars offered here are organic and fair trade. I really love the 71% and 80% with cocoa nibs, really special! The bars themselves are actually made in Swiss (Italian Swiss though) so for the chocolate connoiseur they’re likely Swiss style.
One last note, the exchange rate with the Euro is quite brutal right now, but the prices are fair for the quality of the products (lots of which are among the best organic you can find in Italy).
So basically I went back home with the same grocery shopping I used to buy in Italy and with a bunch of my fav products (happy me) :).
Of course there is a downside to all of this, the place has been opened for around a year and I’ve discovered it only now, truth is it’s in a part of the PATH I don’t really walk, but it’s literally just a few minutes from the Union subway station (Commerce Court)!
Very long winded post and hopefully also somehow informative, what can I say? I’m stoked!

Maria is very selective about the products she sells. She certainly has plenty of knowledge about the items in her store! With an emphasis on quality ingredients, Maria will tell you with passion and gusto about what Italy has to offer.

Maria KNOWS her products. We’re happy that we finally found a store that specializes in top quality Italian products in the downtown core. Go in and have a taste of some of the different balsamic vinegar and olive oil that she has — your palate will thank you!