Stories of exceptional food

Everybody loves good food. But some people take it to the next level, researching and experimenting to reach the perfect food. It can be through innovation or maintaining the quality of tradition.
Today we want to talk about two food specialists who made quality food their main goal.

Paolo Parisi

A dozen Paolo Parisi eggs can cost you 20 euros. But it’s a small price for the finest Italian chefs, who can taste the difference when an egg comes from a hen fed on goat’s milk.

Parisi, 57, is from Genoa but has lived for more than 30 years in a farmhouse in the Tuscan countryside near Pisa. He began what is known in Italy as “agriturismo,” or agricultural tourism, and started making goose salami, and then different kinds with the famous Tuscan Cinta Senese pigs. “At a certain point we were number one for the Cinta Senese salami. And that bothered me — when you’re at the top, the only other direction is down.” He says.

So, Parisi set himself a new challenge: to be the best egg producer. And this is where he hit on his singular idea. “I got some Leghorn hens, which are the most prevalent in the world. Then, since I also had some goats, I thought about giving the milk to the hens. The result was amazing: snow white eggs with rich egg whites and creamy, soft yolks.”

So the legendary Paolo Parisi egg was born, and its creator began to sell it in supermarkets — his ideology is quality products for everyone. Today, Parisi has 2,000 hens that produce 1,000 eggs daily. His products are a must-have for food lovers and chefs, especially in Italy and in the US.

Volpetti

Walking through the doors of Volpetti is like entering Italian gastronomic heaven. Opened by brothers Emilio and Claudio Volpetti 40 years ago, this gourmet food store boasts hundreds of varieties of cheese, an awe-inspiring selection of cured meats, top quality oils, balsamic vinegars and condiments and much, much more.

Located in Rome’s Testaccio neighborhood, this small specialty food shop stocks not only delicious salames and sausages like my favorites, Salame Toscano and Salsicette di Cinghiale, it also has beautiful prosciutto, pancetta and Iberica ham.  The cheese selection makes your mouth water with over 14 different kinds of pecorino, 9 goat cheeses, an impressive display of mozzarella and other cheeses. They are not snobbish with their cheese preferences either, carrying a wide array of French cheeses in their case.

You’ll also find a variety of olive oils, balsamic vinegars, wines, smoked fishes, jams, coffees, chocolates, pastries, pastas (of course), and even caviar.  But the favorites in the store are the prepared foods like gnocchi, crepes and pasta dishes.

And soon you will be able to try both Parisi and Volpetti delicatessens in Bangkok. La Pala Pizza Romana, one of the most loved Italian restaurants in town, is soon hosting an event dedicated to these amazing products. And to give you some other good news, too. Stay tuned for more info!