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Our company imports and distributes European specialty foods from artisanal producers only. We offer these products to fine dining establishments and gourmet stores across the United States. Professional chefs know that the difference between authentic European foods and mass-produced versions is the flavor, taste, and texture. The high-quality integrity of authentic products is directly linked to elevated tastes. As Chef Emeril Lagasse is fond of saying, "buy the best ingredients you can afford."
Each geographic region has its mysteries over which no technology or chemistry has yet prevailed. Vegetation, climate, rainfall, sunlight, nature of the subsoil, and traditional methods and know-how are passed down for
generations. In Europe, high-quality food production is a science and an art.
Of course, these products are more expensive than mass-produced versions which usually are made from less expensive basic ingredients, artificial chemical flavoring, and preservatives. The production of fine foods is also more labor intensive, from actual harvest to production. We have visited each producer and learned, firsthand, the unique aspects of each region, seen the facilities, learned about the processes, and shared the passion of their life work.
Generally speaking, you get what you pay for. An "extra virgin" olive oil can actually be a refined (processed) oil because US labeling laws do not prohibit that description for refined oils (see olive oil section for more details), or it can be naturally extra virgin. The difference in price can be up to $20.00 per 16.9 oz bottle, but only one is really "extra virgin." Vinegar can be made from water, alcohol, artificial flavoring agents, or fine wine vinegar and natural fruits or nuts (Les Moulin Dores vinegars). Authentic balsamic is not vinegar. It is cooked grape must which is stored in either fruitwood or nut wood barrels over 3 to 40 years. Most balsamic on the market is made from vinegar and balsamic flavoring, with sugar added to thicken it. Authentic balsamic does not achieve the viscous consistency until after 30 to 40 years of evaporation. There is no such thing as 100-year-old balsamic.
In each section, you will learn more about the products and producers, cooking suggestions, and usage. You can easily compare and taste the difference between authentic artisanal products and mass-produced ones. You will be pleasantly surprised.
Knowing how to read labels is also critical in discerning the difference between authentic European products and those with European-sounding names that are made in the U.S. In 1992, the European Union created a certified labeling system that gives traditional, regional items from the EU a guaranteed "stamp of approval." The label certification is a blue and yellow sun logo enclosing the EU stars. Visit www.EU-Authentic-Tastes.com for details. Over 700 products have been certified so far. Absence of this label does not mean the product is not authentic, however. We currently offer many of the products listed on the site.
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