Traveling through food is a topic I’ve written on before and something I’m especially passionate about. I can’t always jump on a plane or get in my car to explore a new destination or revisit one I’ve already been to, but I can always experience it by sampling some of its local culinary delights.
I can “travel” to far-flung locales worldwide, hop all over the U.S., and even stay closer to my New York home by experiencing small, independent brands in the Tri-State area.
My latest travel through food exploration has me going across the river to New Jersey, hitting the American South, Italy, Holland, California, and beyond. My tasty journey, which is satisfying in more ways than one, follows.
An aged salami from Supermarket Italy.
Don’t let the name fool you. Although Supermarket Italy sells the best of the best all things Italian- that means olive oils, hard to find candies and other sweets, sauces, pastas, and more- the site is treasure trove of culinary finds from all over the globe. You can find more than 6,000 products from France, Greece, and beyond.
When I asked my Irish in-the-know friend Siobhan Byrne Learat, who lives in Dublin and runs the luxury travel company Adams & Butler, the best way for people to get a taste of Ireland, she immediately replied, “Wrights of Howth.” The brand has been around since 1893 and became famous for its delicious organic, oak-smoked salmon. Today, Wrights of Howth has expanded its lineup to include a selection of the top Irish food brands presented in beautiful hampers. Yet, according to Siobhan, the smoked salmon is, hands down, the way to go.
La Tienda’s Bestsellers Gift Box
Owned and run by Jonathan Harris, La Tienda brings Spanish food to life with its broad selection of products from around Spain. That means kits for everything you need to make paella, chorizos, Ibérico ham, traditional sweets like Turrón, made with Marcona almonds and wildflower honey, olive oils, sherry vinegars, cheeses, and a whole lot more! As the name suggests, the bestsellers box features the most popular of the bunch—a cheese flight, mini chorizos, serrano ham, olives, and even gazpacho.
Based in Paramus, New Jersey, FrieslandCampina bills itself as the world’s largest Gouda maker. The company is also one of the largest importers of speciality cheeses from all over the world. You can find their decadant cheeses at grocery stores around the country.
The company’s new 12-month-aged gouda cheese.
The brand just debuted a variety called A Dutch Masterpiece Rembrandt 12-month PDO- a gouda made from Dutch milk- specfically from North Holland- and aged for a year. The flavor is distinct, with a hint of caramel. This hard cheese is a keeper.
Ivy’s Reserve Salted Farmhouse Butter
If you ask me, there is no better indulgence than salted European butter. I’m partial to English dairy and recently discovered Ivy’s Reserve. Created by Ivy Clothier in the 1930s, its made in small batches and delicious, creamy, smooth, and rich. A dab makes any dish and my morning toast that much butter. You can find it at Whole Foods or order it online. I suggest buying multiple blocks at a time.
Ivy’s Reserve Salted Farmhouse Butter
An assortment of Bang Cookies bestsellers.
There are cookies, and then there are cookies from the Jersey City-based brand Bang. There’s no junk in these ones- they’re baked to order with organic ingredients and made with pure butter, eggs, and high-quality vanilla extract, nuts, and chocolates. You don’t have to visit their stores to get your fix. The bakery ships anywhere in the country, and the only problem you’re going to have is deciding what flavors to go with. Sea salt chocolate chip, triple chocolate, s’mores, and oatmeal raisin are just a few of the choices. I also love the cookie cakes for birthdays and other special occasions.
Nut Butters from Big Spoon Roasters
Find your way to the American South by trying the range of nut butters from Big Spoon Roasters. This small, independent brand from Hillsborough, North Carolina sources its nuts locally and handcrafts each batch to order.
Carrot Cake nut butter from Big Spoon Roasters.
Each flavor is better than the next- bourbon pecan peanut butter, chocolate sea salt almond butter, cashew butter with coconut nectar, and my favorite- the carrot cake almond and walnut butter, crafted with the highest quality nuts, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and sea salt.
The Signature Selection from Enzo.
Get a taste of California’s ever-growing olive oil scene by picking up the five-set sampler from Enzo. The Ricchiuti family owns this brand and looks to their farm in central California’s San Joaquin Valley to grow the organic olives for its expressions. The set gives you a chance to sample a range, including the basil and clementine-infused varieties and the delicate and bold expressions. There’s also a balsamic vinegar included, which is great in a salad dressing or to drizzle over mozzarella or strawberries.
