January 2026 - Chef's Companion
Fun Fact
🍌 Bananas are berries, but strawberries aren’t
Botanically speaking, bananas qualify as berries because their seeds are encased in a fleshy fruit. Strawberries don’t, because their seeds are on the outside. Bonus weirdness: humans share about 50% of our genes with bananas. (Nature is wild.)
BORGO DE MEDICI USA — Garlic, Oil & Chilli Soffritto
A Tuscan-inspired flavor base that brings garlic + olive oil + chili together into a rich, spoonable shortcut for spaghetti—and honestly, so much more.
Try it: sauté as a starter for soups, stews, sautéed greens, shrimp, or chickpeas.
Quick idea: warm it gently, toss with pasta, finish with a squeeze of lemon and parmesan.
Tartuflanghe — Black Truffle Tartufata Sauce (5%)
A tasty, versatile truffle sauce made with 5% Italian summer truffle (Tuber aestivum)—ready for everything from weeknight pasta to fancy appetizers.
Try it: on crostini, sandwiches, flatbreads, pizza, eggs, roasted veggies, meats, or fish.
Storage note: after opening, refrigerate and enjoy within 15 days.
Oilladi — 13-Bean Combination (Greece)
A harmonious blend of legumes that makes an amazing base for soups, chili, and hearty stews. The mix includes split peas (green/yellow), chickpeas, wheat, lima beans, black-eyed peas, red beans, and more—plus Mediterranean favorites like barbounia and chaviari.
Try it: in a slow simmer soup with soffritto, broth, and a drizzle of Pizza Oil at the end.
Villa Jerada — Urfa Biber
One of the most complex peppers around: mild heat, smoky-sweet depth, and a raisin-like richness thanks to its drying-and-curing process.
Try it: scrambled eggs, whipped ricotta with pita, roasted veggies, grilled meats, or stirred into mayo for an instant sandwich spread.
(Foodie move: sprinkle it on anything creamy.)
Brightland — Pizza Oil
A hot-and-herbaceous finishing oil made with cold-pressed California extra virgin olive oil, blended with herbs and spices to give “your favorite neighborhood pizza shop” energy.
Try it: eggs, toast, pasta, roasted veggies, delivery pizza, or deep dish.
Quick idea: drizzle over warm beans or lentil soup right before serving.
Oilladi — Kalamon Olive Spread
A classic tapenade-style spread featuring Kalamon olives (from the Kalamata region) blended with capers, herbs, grape must, and vinegar—plus a lovely texture since the olives are minced, not puréed.
Try it: on crackers, crostini, sandwiches, salads, or stirred into pasta as a salty punch.
Kensington Food Co. — Kensington Twins “Gemelli” Pasta
Crafted in Pennsylvania using traditional bronze dies and a slow-drying process, Gemelli (“twins”) is a twisted shape that holds sauce like a champ.
Try it: with the Garlic, Oil & Chilli soffritto, or tossed with a spoonful of Tartufata + a splash of pasta water for instant truffle magic.
3 Easy “Chef’s Companion” Ideas
- Truffle Gemelli: Gemelli + Tartufata + butter (or olive oil) + parmesan + black pepper.
- Greek-ish Bean Soup Upgrade: 13-bean mix simmered with soffritto → finish with Pizza Oil and a pinch of Urfa Biber.
- Snack Board Hero: Kalamon Olive Spread + whipped ricotta + Urfa Biber + crackers/crostini.