The best local producers Italy

The island of Elba is famous for its desserts. To taste absolutely: La briaca, le and cantucci, especially if you go to the Capoliveri area, where one of the most famous producers on the island is located. Elba Magna with sweets according to old recipes (great research work was provided), with the will to continue to make tradition. Do not hesitate, this little grocery store does not pay a mine, but it is the only place on the island where you find such a typical choice of products!

This family business, located in the heart of a vineyard, has been producing traditional balsamic vinegar for several generations. Visits allow to discover the production, to test different balsamics (even 100 years old!) and to buy some products on the spot: balsamic creams, olive oil, balsamic condiment flavoured with truffle, pear, passion fruit, etc. L'acetaia also organizes visits followed by a meal at the estate and cooking classes to learn how to prepare traditional tortelloni.

Located in Ostiense station, the building designed by postmodern architect Julio Lafuente houses "Eataly Roma Ostiense", a vast oenological and gastronomic temple dedicated to Italy. More than 17,000 m2 on 4 levels that pay tribute to the culinary arts, products and culture in general. A place of exhibition, sale and gastronomic tasting of quality, it offers a selection of the best products directly from the regions. A perfect address for lunch, dinner or just a snack. The only concern is to choose!

Since 1925, the Sommariva mill has been producing oil from the small taggiasca olives, an extra virgin cold-pressed oil used for the specialties of Ligurian cuisine. The company is one of the first associations of organic farmers and producers in Italy. All the products come from the family farm and are preserved in olive oil, without additives or chemical preservatives. A small museum dedicated to the history of olive growing was inaugurated by the brothers Gianni and Agostino in memory of their founding father.

Another of Italy's great olive-growing families is the Carli brothers. This emporium is entirely dedicated to the sale of their olive oil and its derivatives: pesto, tinned sardines, tapenade, olive and artichoke pâté, as well as traditional cakes and cosmetics, all in the Ligurian gastronomic tradition. A small counter allows you to attend themed lunches on reservation (see the agenda on the Facebook account, don't hesitate to contact them to find out about all the events planned, which vary according to the season).

The pastry tradition of the Novara region has ancient origins. The Novaresi (and Italians in general) are fond of dry cookies and shortbread of all kinds. In Novara, the Camporelli cookie factory has been nurturing this tradition since 1852. Today, Ambrogio Fasola, a descendant of the Camporelli family, perpetuates this know-how with passion. Simple ingredients and rigorously hand-crafted production form the basis of Biscottini di Novara, the company's specialty (up to 100,000 cookies are produced here every day).

The scent of cookie invades Via Lanza, driving gourmands to^No. 17. A large counter, utensils from the early ^20th century, dozens of prizes on the walls... The star here is the krumiro, a delicious little cake in the shape of a striped boomerang. In fact, its shape is linked to the moustache of King Victor Emmanuel II, who died in 1878, the year the krumiro was created by pastry chef Domenico Rossi. Since then, production has remained strictly artisanal.

Brisighella is famous for the production of a quality extra-virgin olive oil with an intense and balanced aroma, Brisighello, which has a protected designation of origin (PDO). In this gourmet shop, you can buy Brisighella oil, but also local products: jams, cheeses, local wines and condiments for pasta and bruschette. It is certainly not cheap, but the products are of quality; ideal to bring back a greedy souvenir of your holidays. A stone's throw from Via degli Asini.

Opposite the Pastis bar, in the heart of Quadrilatero Romano, La Conserveria opened its doors in autumn 2015. A beautiful setting, which has kept the wooden stalls of an old pastry shop intact to house hundreds of cans of every color. Spanish-speaking preserves that the boutique offers for sale or consumption on the spot. The concept is the same as that of tapas: small fish, olives, octopus, vegetables in oil and even small cakes to pick at on the spot, washed down with fine wines!

The saffron! Rita Sala has been working for years with these flowers so fragrant and delicate. On 8,000 ^{m2 of} land, she plants the bulbs and picks the flowers by hand, then separates and dries the 3 red filaments of the pistil. Since it takes about 150 flowers to obtain one gram of dry saffron, this spice is considered one of the most expensive products in the world. And Rita will be able to tell you all about its culture and uses.

Set in the countryside, the Masseria Brusca is an imposing fortified farmhouse dating back to the 18th century, where many film scenes were shot. For some quality shopping, don't hesitate to visit the shop under the entrance porch, where the Zuccaro family's own production is sold: cheese, honey, olive oil, wine and meat, guaranteed "kilometre zero" products. It would be a pity to leave the premises without visiting the church and the beautiful walled garden. Definitely a place apart and out of time!

Tartufi Morra was founded in 1930. Not only was it the first to market Alba's fine, renowned white truffle, but its founder also came up with the idea of organizing a major truffle fair in his town every year. This internationally renowned fair is still a must if you're in the area in October or November. As for the store, it's heaven on earth! You'll find truffles in all their forms, for all uses, all occasions... Tasting by prior arrangement.

Since the 1960s, the Menazza family has been producing fresh pasta of all shapes and forms with varied and absolutely succulent recipes, in bronze dies, with slow, low-temperature drying. Tagliatelle, stuffed ravioli, meatballs and spinach... you will be spoilt for choice, with many original pasta shapes. Dry, fresh, filled pasta (ravioli)... The Vittoria collection offers flavoured dry pasta (fettuccine with raddichio, rocket or blueberries, tagliolino with lemon...).

Founded in 1848, Afeltra is one of Gragnano's historical pasta producers. Their quality handmade pasta, with selected grains and water from the springs of the Lattari Mountains, is extruded (i.e. shaped) with bronze and left to dry for a long time. Their slightly rough texture allows the accompanying sauce to "cling" better to the dough. The shop offers a wide variety of these products (fusilli, maccheroni, linguine...); it is also possible to book a guided tour.

The Arrighi wine farm presents a varied collection of wines, according to different elaborations, the strong point of this small family business. Some of them are based on ancient methods, such as the conservation of wine in terracotta amphoras. A reminder of the origins, some of them 2,500 years old, such as the immersion of grapes in baskets in sea water, offering a natural end product that is unique on the international market: Nesos wine. Also to be discovered: its olive oil, walks through the vineyards and tastings.

This "bottega" smells like tradition. Just look at the locals waiting their turn when they discuss their next pasta recipes! Because here, Angelica prepares the "pasta fresca" every morning: pici, ravioli, cavatelli, tagliatelle... If cooking a sauce is not your specialty, it's a good thing, you'll have a choice of colors and flavors: pesto, arrabbiata, ragù... Don't forget to ask for the cooking time for "al dente" pasta, of course!

Below Castellina, this agricultural estate with its remarkable panorama produces organic wine and olive oil. The 13 hectares of Sangiovese and 4,200 olive trees are processed in the simplest way in the world. San Donatino was the property of Léo Ferré, and today his son Mathieu, a winegrower, protects the poet's memory with humility. He prefers to talk about his wine! To play the wine tourism card, guest rooms and apartments have been created in this idyllic setting.

In the Modenese countryside, Villa San Donnino is a picturesque Liberty-style mansion built in 1910. It is here that Davide and Cristina make their precious traditional balsamic vinegar and show visitors the stages of its production, the fruit of ancestral know-how. Welcoming and very clear explanations in French. At the end of the course, tasting vinegars of different ages... delicious on a scoop of ice cream!

Even though she doesn't speak French and speaks a bit of English, Carla, the owner of the place, knows how to make herself understood. She will take you on a tour of her small production and test her traditional balsamic vinegar aged 25 years, with parmesan and some sweets prepared on the go. Educated to the joys of balsamic vinegar by her mother-in-law, she now takes real pleasure in producing it and sharing her passion.

This is the story of Salvatore, a former truck driver who loved honey but feared bees. Initially a beekeeper as a hobby, he discovered such a passion for bees that he made it his main activity, inevitably involving his queen (his wife). Both produce excellent honeys such as asphodel, eucalyptus, thyme, arbutus... Their authentic products are strictly made in Ogliastra, and always with respect for the bees "who are the basis of our survival", Salvatore insists.