Taste The Earth

Location: Just outside Cremosano, among the flatlands of Lombardia, Italy

In other words: Kinda looks like we're in Kansas, Toto.

Il Nutrimento was created by a husband and wife team, Emanuelle and Enza Argiuli. About twenty years ago they moved from their home in Puglia to live in Lombardia, to work with a new business featuring bio-dynamic products. About ten years ago, they split from that venture to begin their own. Together, Emanuelle and Enza developed relationships with organic farmers from Sicily, Puglia, and Calabria. And separately, Enza gathered together a rich history of family recipes while Emanuelle used his mechanical expertise to adjust machines to accommodate large quantities of ingredients for Enza's recipes. Enza tasted every batch. This was the start of Il Nutrimento.

Today, with the help of just five other employees (two of whom are their daughters), the Argiuli's sell small batches of their family recipes to 40 European countries. For the first time, Taste the Earth introduces Il Nutrimento to the U.S.

"What's so distinct about Il Nutrimento is how their products really taste like the ingredients on the label," says Steve Boss, head-honcho for Taste the Earth, adding, "Their stuff's chunky. Pop open a jar, stir, and you can figure out what's in there. Or just taste it, and you'll be able to figure out every part, the flavors are so distinct."

How do they do this? Their biggest secret is this: Their roughly chopped vegetables aren't cooked. It's during the pasteurization of the bottling process that heat is applied. The other secrets are common sense: Fresh ingredients are brought in every day and then immediately placed into production within 24-48 hours. All the ingredients are organic, except for the sea salt, and all are of the highest quality. Enza approves each pallet and warns her farmer partners, "If you have any hesitation about the quality, you might as well not ship them—because I'll end up not taking them." The only ingredient that isn't sourced fresh is the tomatoes, which arrive ripe but canned so the family can maintain consistency of flavor in season and out. Oh, and don't forget the olive oil—it's extra virgin olive oil, recently pressed among the hills of Puglia, the Argiuli's first home.

Enza still tastes every batch and is the Supreme Commander in the kitchen.  Emanuelle is left to deal with the machines where he can tinker to his heart's content. This is another secret to their success: That one half doesn't meddle with the other's expertise.

In more words: Through a dynamic working relationship, husband and wife Emanuelle and Enza jar the best sauces we've ever found on a shelf. They come from Enza's family recipes and they taste exactly as they're called. If an ingredient's listed, your palate will be able to find it. That's why we carry such a long list of these special creations.