This very special treat from a hand selected mountain farm located in the mountains of Apennine of Italy exemplifies some of the finest Parmigiano-Reggiano we have ever tasted.

This cheese is aged over 36 months and is a very special treat, so place your order now to reserve your slice. We sell out of our specially selected wheels of cheese quickly.

One way in which Parmigiano-Reggiano differs from wheel to wheel is the season during which it was started.

Spring cheeses are often the most pungent and herbaceous due to the concentration of fresh, spring grasses and young wild herbs and garlic scapes where the cows forage. And like olive oil, each season has its followers.

I like all the seasons of cheese, and would be hard pressed to pick one. I like the differences, which to me is always a wonderful surprise.

Preorder Spring Milk Parmigiano-Reggiano Now!

Malloreddus is a small pasta shape from Sardinia made with water and semolina flour in plain or saffron dough. The name has Latin origins from “malleoulus” meaning small morsel. It is also believed the origins of the name come from the word malloru, meaning bull, and that malloreddus means calves. The shape of the pasta is like the calf of a leg.

No matter, this saffron-infused pasta is traditionally handmade in homes by taking small rolled dough in 15 cm pieces and pressing and rolling it against the bottom of a wicker basket. This method generates the exterior ribbed look while being pressed by the thumb and as it is pressed it is rolled into its shape.

This shape is sometimes referred to as “gnocchi” in Italian and “cigiones” in Sassari. There are many robust, yet simple dishes you can make with this shape.

Shop now for Casa del Grano Malloreddus Pasta with Saffron!

This recipe is easy and simple. Malloreddus pasta cooks up quickly and the shape holds onto the pesto perfectly. Tuna adds a nice flavor when flaked over the dish.

See the recipe Malloreddus Pasta with Pesto and Tuna here!

This crushed black molasses sugar is perhaps the most lovely sugar in the world available today.

This sugar is from the southern-most island in the chain of over 150 islands in Okinawa Prefecture, south of the mainland of Japan. Hateruma Island is, as a crow flies, 2,006 kilometers (1,246 miles) south of Tokyo and 247 kilometers (153 miles) to the east of Taipei.

This small island is just 1270 hectares (3138 acres), or 4.9 square miles. In comparison, Orcas Island is 11.69 times larger. The only way to get to the island is via a 60 minute fast boat. If the seas are too rough you can take the cargo ferry, leaving at 9, taking 2.5 hours.

The island is a destination for holiday makers and is known for its relaxing island life.

It is also here that this very special molasses brown sugar is from. Unlike many brown sugars (made with white sugar mixed with molasses), Kokuto (rich black sugar) is made by slowly cooking and reducing the sugarcane juice.

Sugarcane is one of the healthiest foods you can eat. Antioxidant rich, it is a fighter of infections and helps strengthen your immune system. It is also rich in calcium, iron, potassium, vitamins B1 & B2 and essential amino acids.

Potassium helps excrete excess sodium and keeps the blood pressure balanced. Calcium is known for preventing high blood pressure, arterial sclerosis, and keeping you calm.

Kokuto molasses brown sugar can help with dehydration, infections, and can even help fight a fever. Keep in mind that processed white sugar cane is not the same and can have the opposite health benefits.

Kokuto dates back to the 17th century and now is a protected process by the Okinawa Prefecture Brown Sugar Industry Council ensuring that quality and traditional production methods are used. Just seven of the islands grow sugar cane.

To taste Kokuto is nothing like a spoonful of sugar or a cube of table sugar. To taste Kokuto is like an awakening! It is not sweet like you expect sugar to be. It is almost savory, with hints of molasses, earthy tones, and even a rich subtle touch of tobacco on the top of the edge of the back of the tongue. It is full of complexities with many flavor hits and hints.

It is most often used for savory dishes like noodle soups, stir-fry, hot pots and sushi rice. And of course, straight up, like a health pill of sugar.

How great is this? Pop some sugar and get healthy!

Shop now for Kokuto Murakami Syouten Crushed Brown Sugar from Hateruma Island!

Jaggery (which you may know as Guda or Indian Gur sugar) is a whole, unrefined sugar that is as pure as any sugar from sugarcane can be. Compared to most sugars, especially refined white sugar, Jaggery has great properties.

Jaggery is made by boiling down raw sugar cane juice until it solidifies and is formed into a block. From there it takes on different forms for consumption.

According to Ayurveda, pure Jaggery powder has Ushna (hot) properties and eating some daily after meals improves your digestion and can prevent constipation.

Though Jaggery does not meet your daily iron needs, it is an excellent source of plant-based iron and can be a good daily step to ward off anemia.

Jaggery, with its antioxidant and mineral properties, can work to clear the mucus in lungs and help the digestive system to function better by giving cytoprotection to your cells.

All these properties help with your immune system, a good thing to have in the winter when you are out playing in the snow, or at the beach, warding off the flu or whatever might be out there.

And for some it might even curb your desire to eat more cookies

Jaggery has a rich aroma of molasses and sugarcane. Jaggery powder is like a wonderful perfume of sweetness.

At ChefShop, we have a crushed form, that has little round globe-like pieces as well as finer granules. Eat the little globes with your fingertips to get a shot of adrenaline and a hit of flavor, even regularity.

If you like sweet like I do, you should consider adding some Jaggery to your life! Use as you would white sugar and eat it with abandon, just like you would like life to be. All out!

Sweet and happy, this is a sugar I have to have in my personal essential pantry!

An excellent alternative to sugar!
"I first became familiar with jaggery during one of my several visits to India. On the sub-continent jaggery is frequently used in place of refined sugar in both sweet and savory dishes and is considered to have health benefits. That seems reasonable, because jaggery is a "non-centrifugal" sugar derivative, meaning the molasses component of sugar cane, which contains a number of nutrients, is not spun out during the manufacturing process - as would be case in producing refined sugar. I have for many years used jaggery in place of sugar in my morning chai, on cereals such as oatmeal, and in baking. I find Jaipur Avenue's product to be an excellent jaggery in every respect. The taste is sweet and flavorful, more nuanced than sugar or many other sweeteners. The color is a light golden brown, which in India is preferred over darker brown varieties. I highly recommend this product."
-- john

Shop now for Jaipur Avenue Unrefined Jaggery Powder!

This buttery, crisp - but slightly moist - shortbread is handmade by Willow McCrain in South Carolina's Lowcountry region. It's baked to a golden brown and its texture and flavor border on the sublime. Willow uses only the best ingredients -- and you can tell. We like our shortbread to be crisp when you bite into them, but not hard. And these shortbreads do not disappoint!

Willow uses an old family recipe -- passed down from mother to daughter for generations. Although the recipe is not complicated and has just a few pure ingredients, the key secret to the consistent and delicious outcome is clearly the love and caring that Willow puts into every batch.

Traditional shortbread lovers will be thrilled. Shortbread has often been considered the traditional hostess gift, in our modern life, this is still a wonderful thank you gift and a treat to yourself!

Shop now for Heritage Shortbread Cookies!

We are sorting and paper bagging them now. Orders will ship early next week.

Shop Now for Hardneck Garlic - Limited amounts available!

Love this Cocoa Powder!!
" I use this in baking and put a little in my chocolate smoothie every day. I've tried others, but this is my favorite. "
-- april

Shop now for ChefShop Cocoa Powder!


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Basic Tomato Sauce Recipe

I first met Ethan Stowell in Aspen at the "Classic". He was being honored as one of the Best New Chefs by Food and Wine Magazine. Since then he has opened like a billion new restaurants and has a fabulous cookbook. Ethan Stowell's New Italian Kitchen is about his philosophy of cooking. It happens that he focuses on Italian cooking using both very Italian and very local ingredients. Nothing fancy really, simple family style dishes. He says that he went from restaurant to restaurant, taking what he had in the kitchen and made dishes. That's what's in his book. A good one worth having.

Marinated Flank Steak Recipe

I am feeling like a flank steak...you can modify this recipe to match your tastes, though I have found having ginger matters.

Moroccan Harissa Grilled Chicken Recipe

This recipe is from our friend Mehdi who has brought some amazing ingredients from Morocco / North Africa and recipes from his family.

This recipe is so simple and easy and tastes great!