From http://savorycharacters.wordpress.com - Not just another food blog. This site tells the stories of the people – the grandmothers, the chefs, the barbecue dads, the inventors – behind gourmet and specialty foods. Read interviews, features, and blog posts by chefs, product developers, culinary travelers, authors and more.

So you probably know by now that I lived in Italy which means I have a special affinity for Italian food (and wine!). So I was thrilled to hear from Gisella Civale, president of Dolce Nonna, a specialty food business based in Queens, NY, but purely based on all that’s good and natural about Italian food. Gisella created the company in honor of her mother, Maria DiGiorgio, and her authentic Italian recipes. Gisella fondly remembers each fall how her grandmother would harvest her fine vegetables for canning; to this day, she can still smell the wonderful aromas of the vinegars and spices. She really wanted to bring the old way of eating back to the present day, thus, Dolce Nonna products are derived from old world recipes that are over 100 years old, originating from the Campania region of Italy, specifically the Amalfi coast.

Dolce Nonna products include Pickled Eggplant, Argi-dolce Peppers, Pickled String Beans. Wow – those can certainly add a unique flavor to just about any dish – fish, poulty, veggies, or even as appetizers. Dolce Nonna uses only the finest all natural ingredients including the highest quality extra virgin olive oil, vinegar, Sicilian oregano, garlic, spices along with fresh premium eggplants, select red peppers and Chinese long pole beans for her collection of products.

Gisella says, “these products are true to the Italian Table of Standards. They are both highly consistent with quality and affordable for an amateur gourmet to use either at home or in a large production.”

The products are available in specialty markets in NY, NJ and MA and also online at http://www.dolcenonnas.com/