This rich pistachio green color crema is so soft to the tongue it literally melts like a “chocolate” bar of pistachio! It is a Pistacchio Crema of luxury wrapped up in a jar.

Squeeze and lick your chops and the pistachio gusto starts in the middle (of your mouth) and then flows to the edges.

As the crema moves outwards through your taste sensors the white chocolate creaminess follows. Then during the dissipation of the first morso, the pistachio flavor reaches the outer edges of your taste buds and then quietly finishes with joys of smoothness with a subtle mix of creamy white chocolate and pistacchio.

Thanks goodness you have a whole jar to try another spoonful!

So smooooth you can spread it like butter on just about anything. From toast to crackers, to topping a simple donut or muffin, sharing this pleasure with pistachio lovers is one of the ultimate experiences you just might have.

Sweetness, the very special pointy Sicillian pistachios and white chocolate describes the taste best! What else could you want in life!

Mix in with your Ricotta for your next cannoli. Add it to your next Banana crema pie or Boston Cream Pie (is that blasphemy?)?? Make a Creme Anglaise or just simply a spoonful to savor like a fine balsamic.

Brontedolci Pistachio Crema is made from 40% Sicilian pistachios and luscious white chocolate ingredients. It is an Italian luxury wrapped up in a jar.

Soft Pastachio Nougat with Wafer Covering.
To the nose, it is pistachio; it is distinctly Sicilian pistachio.
So soft and gentle, you can cut with a butter knife.
The result is visually amazing. You see a sea of pistachios!

Breakfast for some, lunch or dinner for others, Shakshuka is a delicious dish that is easy to make and even easier when you use Cafe Mina’s version.

Shakshuka has a long history with many theories of when and where it originated. An everyday “one pot dish” in a big swath of countries from Tunisia and Morocco and east to Egypt, Israel and Syria.

Variations abound with different spices and the addition of lamb, potatoes and artichokes is common. Cultural variations of tomato based sauces span the globe and this Moroccan version is the spicy one!

Mina’s Shashuka starts like a tomato sauce you would make at home. With chunks and bits of texture giving not only a flavor but also a great mouth feel. The tomato sauce is absolutely present along with the spices and an all-around heat. It’s a heat that’s a tingly pleasantly hot (not spicy) and when you finish there’s a wonderful aftertaste.

If you’re not careful you’ll eat the whole dish before you know it. The combination of the egg whites, the yolk and the tomato all together creates a mouth feel of pleasure, that is very rewarding, satisfying and very homey.

This meaty dish has no meat, instead your heart is filled with tomatoes and eggs. This dish is simple and plain, easy and quick, just like you want your vegetarians to be!

The word "shakshuka" (Arabic: شكشوكة) likely derives from Maghrebi Arabic, meaning “a mixture” or “a jumbled-up mess,” which reflects the dish’s rustic, one-pan nature.

Shakshuka is widely believed to have originated in North Africa, particularly Tunisia, during the Ottoman Empire period. In its early forms, the dish included eggs cooked in a spicy tomato and pepper sauce, sometimes with additions like merguez sausage or potatoes.

Traditionally made in a cast iron pan over the fire (perfect dish to make camping!) the dish came into being after the Columbian Exchange in the 16th century bringing the tomato to Tunisia.

Today it is one of the most popular dishes in North Africa and the Middle East. Variations abound.

This dish is perfect for morning, noon and night! And don't forget the eggs!

Passata, loosely translated as tomato purée, is made at home during the months when tomatoes are fully ripe in southern Italy and Sardinia.

These slow-cooked tomatoes from Sardinia have their skins and seeds strained out before the sauce is bottled. The low temperature preserves all the super aromatic, fresh tomato flavor, whereas a typical tomato sauce that's been long simmered has much less vibrant tomato presence.

Use this bottle of Posardi Passata tomatoes when making lasagna, eggplant parm, or a simple bowl of spaghetti. It's also a superstar in soups and meat stews.

Stuff a tomato with cooked wild rice, caramelized onions, and a spoonful of passata and bake until the tomato is easily pierced. Glorious!

And perhaps the best way to make your life easier is using passata for a pizza!

We love these. The tomatoes are whole and nestled beautifully inside the can. The taste is pure tomato, the way a canned tomato should be, with no added elements, allowing you to be in control of how they're flavored.

For almost 20 years, we have had one favorite canned tomato from Italy.

So when this can of tomatoes came into our lives one day, I was a bit stubborn and hard-pressed to find a reason we should change.

And then I used them in my basic tomato sauce and knew they would become my new favorite. The Posardi Sardinian whole peeled tomatoes are consistently sweeter tomatoes, with a richer, fuller color, and nice soft ends. These whole canned tomatoes work just as they should, adding to a dish without being too strong. Perfect.

They have just three ingredients: tomatoes, tomato juice (juice from processing), and citric acid. No salt added, Non-GMO, Gluten-Free, BPA-Free, Pesticide-Free. 100% Pomodori Sardi Tomatoes from Sardinia. Like all great ingredients, there is a difference from one brand to the next!

These are truly exceptional tomatoes.

The history of Tomato Paste in a Tube di Pomodoro dates back to the early 20th century in Italy. Tomato paste itself has been used in cooking for centuries, but the innovation of packaging it in tubes was a more recent development.

Tomatoes are native to the Americas and were introduced to Europe in the 16th century. Initially, they were regarded with suspicion and were grown primarily for ornamental purposes. However, as their culinary uses became more apparent, tomatoes gained popularity in Italian cuisine.

The process of making tomato paste involves simmering tomatoes for an extended period to remove the excess water and concentrate the flavors. Traditionally, tomato paste was sold in cans or glass jars.

In 1951, Ugo Mutti pioneered the packaging of putting the family's double-concentrated paste in tubes, which provided several advantages.

Packaging tomato paste in tubes offered convenience and practicality. Tubes were easier to handle and store compared to cans and glass jars. They also allowed for precise measurement and because the tube could be closed with a thimble sized cap it reduced the tomato concentrates exposure to the air allowing a longer life.

And, initially the housewives used the thimble, well as a thimble for sewing.

Tomato paste in a tube became popular not only in Italy but also in other parts of Europe. The company's success led to the widespread adoption of the tube packaging format by various tomato paste producers.

Over time, other brands started producing their own versions of tomato paste in tubes, and it became a common staple in kitchens around the world.

The introduction of tomato paste in tubes revolutionized the way people used and stored tomato paste, making it more convenient, economical, and accessible to home cooks and professional chefs alike.

To the nose, there is more twang than tomato. Or is it the tomato that gives it the twang?

It pours smoothly, not fast, not slow, from the bottle. The combination of flavors is quite enjoyable. Not so much tomato and vinegar like we put on our hamburgers and hot dogs; this ketchup is more like a treat that is sweet and savory.

Dip your tongue in, and it is alluring to your taste buds. You want more.

Taste the flavors in the middle of the mouth, and you get a nice burst of flavors. Then, as you squeeze with your tongue, the taste changes to a different experience of salt, onion, and garlic. It is quite wonderful.

Think along the lines of dipping and not spreading. This “ketchup” is more like a finishing touch and not a condiment of sizable proportions.

Find a space where you can enjoy and taste the subtleties of this ketchup. I could be very happy eating this with just a spoon!

Tomato Pasta Soup Recipe from The Blue Zones cookbook. It is an informative look at the foods people are eating in the Blue Zones.

If anything can turn straw into gold, it would be Koji. I suspect that those who say Koji is not magic don't believe in magic, even when they see it right before their very eyes. For some things in life, explanations are only there to take the fear away from that which cannot be explained.

Koji was crafted 9,000 years ago, most likely under another name, in an earthen jar in China, and it has been a staple of food alchemy ever since. Just not so much here, at least not until recently.

To many, it is the newest food rage. In fact, it is not a food but a tool that harbors amazing little workers who can transform and change how and what we eat in ways that would never seem possible.

There is a lot of science in Koji. Papers have been written about the subject. Some are "dry," long-winded, and some so crusty they seem fermented themselves.

If you are interested in it, read the book "Koji Alchemy" by Rich Shih and Jeremy Umansky from your local bookshop. It is new this year and quite a spectacular read. If you want recipes for Koji, this "cookbook" is the place to get them and understand "it" too.

This domesticated mold was originally derived from a toxic mold, and before people start writing, it is not toxic now. This mold has a long history of making amazing food and alcohol.

Koji is a million spores, a thousand knives, cutting up the cells of proteins to make a better eating experience.

This Deep Dark Dutch-processed dark unsweetened cocoa powder is in a class unto itself. We have removed less fat from our cocoa (22-24% fat content), which results in a more intense and immediate chocolate flavor.

This "service pack" of ChefShop cocoa powder is designed for commercial users like baristas, bakers, and gelato makers. It is sealed in a thick zip-lock style bag for production baking with a Plain Jane label. Like many of the foods and ingredients that go to the back of the house, the contents are more important than being pretty.

And price relative to quantity is also a crucial part of the commercial kitchen. So that is why we have chosen this cocoa, for the quality and consistency of product relative to the cost.

And that's what we have here in this bag of exceptional cocoa powder. The resealable bag keeps the cocoa powder fresh and it can last a good long time.