Gourmet Grocery Items
Top quality ingredients shouldn’t be looked at as a luxury but a necessity. Staples such as spices, sauces, stocks, olive oil, vinegar, pasta and rice are the foundation of a dish and can make the difference between a so-so meal and one that’s so, so delicious. Market manager Chad Labenz hand picked each item as the best in its category and encourages you to see what a difference quality makes. Among the other gourmet grocery items we offer are crackers, olives, salsa, chocolate, preserves, honey and nuts. Matthew’s Market is also the exclusive retailer for Martin Coffee Company with three flavors of fresh roasted whole coffee beans available for purchase.
Chad's Top Picks, Manager & Owner
We've provided some of Chad's favorite items so you can see what we're currently enjoying.
Colonna Extra Virgin Olive Oil
This olive oil is from the Molise, an Adriatic region to the south and east of Rome. Principessa Marina Colonna is descended from a noble family and now controls production of the family's 140 acre olive grove where she maintains 22 varieties of olive trees, including Coratina, Leccino and Gentile. Colonna is luscious and smooth, with a clear, distinctive olive flavor that is complimented by overtones of apples and pears. It has a gentle, spicy bite that is characteristic of the style of many southern Italian oils. I find that many of my NY friends are quite fond of this oil while another oil, Laudemio, is preferred by my California friends.
Hint: Olive oils like Colonna should be drizzled on greens and vegetables rather than cooked with in a pan.
Laudemio Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Laudemio is one of my favorite Tuscan olive oil producers. It's actually produced by a consortium of estates that strive to produce the finest olive oil in Florence. Pressed from Frantoio, Maraiolo and Leccino olives, the pungent fruitiness and grassy flavor set this oil apart. This is a sophisticated oil suitable for drizzling and dipping.
Hint: Drizzle the Laudemio on a wedge of toasted baguette. Add some prosciutto and some fresh bufala mozzarella. Salt, pepper to taste and eat!
Villa Manodori Balsamic Vinegar
Villa Manodori balsamicos are produced in very limited quantities by Massimo Bottura, chef and owner of Osteria Francescana restaurant in Modena, Italy. Villa Manodori Artigianale is crafted from the must of locally grown trebbiano grapes and aged red wine vinegar. It is aged for 10 to 20+ years in small barrels of oak, chestnut and juniper woods, yielding a balsamic of dark rich color, intense aroma and syrupy consistency. Drop for drop this is the best item in the store. I use it daily in salads and on vegetables and even occasionally on ice cream! I also have a Dark Cherry Balsamic from the same producer.
Hint: Drizzle a bit of Villa Manodori on chunks of freshly cut Parmigiano-Reggiano. The resonance of the vinegar will enhance and balance out the salty crystalline cheese.
Rustichella d’Abruzzo Pasta rustichella.it/English/home_eng.html
What makes Rustichella d'Abruzzo pasta different from commercially made pasta? Gianluigi Peduzzi makes his pasta from two ingredients: stone ground durum flour from hard winter wheat, and pure spring water. After being extruded through hand carved bronze dies, the pasta is air dried for a crucial 56 hours, which creates a dense, flavorful pasta that cooks perfectly al dente. By far the best dried pasta available in this country. Also have many great shapes, sizes (Pennine, Trenne, Pappardelle, Spaghetti, Bucatini, Chitarra, Orzo, etc.)
Hint: We love pairing Basiltops Pesto with Rustichella d’Abruzzo Pasta, toasted pine nuts, and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Yum!
Basiltops - Pesto Perfectto basiltops.com
Basil is grown hydroponically near San Diego, CA. Pesto is made near Oceanside and sold at L.A. farmer's markets. We're the only retailer on the East Coast. Fantastic on pasta or vegetables. We also feature it on our paninis.
Hint: Add a tablespoon of Basiltops Pesto Bravo to your caprese salad to spice it up a bit.
Martin Coffee
Martin Coffee is a local Jacksonville roaster that has been in business since 1957. To date they've only supplied coffee to restaurants and hotels. Matthew's Market is the first retail location for the coffee. It's aroma is great and the freshness comes through in the flavor.
Hint: Grind only the amount beans you’ll use for a pot of coffee. Keeping coffee beans in the freezer will help preserve the freshness.