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"Acquerello is the Rolls Royce of rice." - Alain Ducasse

"Acquerello is one of the very last authentic products." - Frédy Girardet

Acquerello is the rice grown, aged, whitened, and packed in Italy on the Colombara farm by the Rondolino family.

It is the ultimate rice: first the unhusked rough rice is aged to perfection for at least one year, then it is whitened slowly using "The Helix" where grains rub gently one against the other, and finally it is restored with its most precious element, the embryo or germ. This re-enrichment of the refined rice with its germ restores the most valuable nutrients of brown rice.

Known as the "king" or the "caviar" of Italian rices, Carnaroli is the preferred risotto rice in most regions of Italy. Acquerello Carnaroli rice is classified as "Extra rice" for its quality. In order to preserve its characteristics perfectly, Acquerello rice is vacuum sealed in unique enameled tins.

Carnaroli rice keeps its shape better than other forms of rice during the slow cooking required for making risotto. For instance, Arborio rice is widely available, and sometimes suggested, for risotto. We are not fans of Arborio for risotto. Compared to Arborio, Carnaroli rice has a smaller grain size, and higher starch content. This means Carnaroli can absorb larger amounts of liquid, and thus flavor, from the wine and broth, without overcooking. So your risotto is more flavorful when you use Carnaroli rice. Also, the higher starch content in Carnaroli rice guarantees an ultra-creamy texture that is the hallmark of a superior risotto.

Acquerello's grains stay perfectly intact, absorb flavors exceptionally well, do not bind together, and do not lose starch, proteins, or vitamins. Therefore your risotto is fully consistent, tasty, creamy, and not sticky. Acquerello risotto will always be outstanding.

Acquerello is used in the finest restaurants around the world:

• The French Laundry, USA (Thomas Keller)
• Osteria Francescana, Italy (Massimo Bottura)
• Troisgros, France (Michael Troisgros)
• The Fat Duck, England (Heston Blumenthal)

The Carnaroli rice cultivated at Colombara, being the only variety sown since 1997, is 100% pure and therefore produces uncontaminated Carnaroli seeds.

Once you have tried it, you will never look back!

Click here for risotto recipes!

500 gram (1.1 pound) metal tin (about 6 servings)

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Corn flour polenta is popular in northern Italy. In recent years, many farmers have brought back heirloom corn varietals such as Pignoletto, Ostenga, Ottofile, and others. These unique varietals are used in our Ritrovo Selections coarse-ground slow-cook polenta. They give added flavor to polenta dishes and are non-GMO. Serve with braised meats, grilled vegetables, as polenta incatenata with beans, vegetables, grated cheese and extra virgin olive oil, or slice thinly as a base for cold dishes.

Make some of these recipes:

• Traditional Polenta
• Creamy Polenta using a Rice Cooker
• Shrimp and Grits using our Aji Limo Organic Paste
• Rustic Chicken Stew & Creamy Polenta
• Polenta with Parmesan & Parsley, Mozzarella & Tomato
• Brined Pork Chops with Soft Parmigiano Polenta using our Fennel Pollen
• Blood Orange Polenta Cake

Best by: 30June2024

500 gram (1.1 pound) sealed bag

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Chestnut flour is a classic in the Ligurian Hills and is considered a defining product on the Mediterranean coast of Italy. La Bella has combined this traditional flour with a ruffled flat short pasta in a tribute to the history of food in Liguria. These short, flat ruffles are meant to look like the ruffled collars of "signorine" of Liguria. You can combine this wonderful pasta with kale and pine nuts for a modern and healthy pasta dish, or make a brown butter, sage sauce, and top with strips of proscuitto.

Best by: 31Dec2023

Ingredients: Organic durum wheat semolina, organic chestnut flour (25%)

250 gram (8.8 ounce) box

These hearty, thin-skinned beans cook to perfection in a few hours without preliminary soaking. They are an heirloom treasure that are carefully grown and tended by Michele Ferrante and are registered by the Italian Ministry of Agriculture as authentic “Fagioli di Controne.” These tender beans are flavorful in your favorite soups or simply served with olive oil and seasonings.​

Best by: 30Sept2024

300 gram (10 ounce) bag

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The production of Bomba rice is limited as it is very delicate and hard to grow. Its size is equivalent to that of short grain rice, sometimes even smaller, yet Bomba rice more than doubles its size when it is cooked. Its main characteristics are its great capacity to absorb flavors and aromas, and that when cooked it is always “al dente”, loose, and whole; it is never sticky, mushy, or fluffy.

It is the preferred rice for paellas!

Certified origin (Denominacion de Origen a.k.a. "D.O.") from the L’Albufera nature preserve in Valencia, Spain.

1.1 pound (500 gram; approximately 6.2 cups) bag

The spirit of the Basque people is most evident in the vibrant colors and patterns woven into their linen. For the past thirty years, Jean Vier has created fabrics based on these patterns from 100% natural cotton and flax. The resulting linen is elegant, long lasting, and the highest quality. Delightful to the touch and beautiful to behold, Jean Vier linen is a perfect addition to any kitchen or dinner table.

The universal designs, and timeless elegance, suit any home interior.

Drawing on a weaving tradition that dates back to the Middle Ages, Jean Vier produces both historical and contemporary versions of distinctive fabrics. They're unique in their legendary color resistance: Soak new linens overnight in cold water, and those vivid hues won't fade even after multiple washes.

This woven red and white bread basket features a removable base full of cherry pits that, when heated, will keep your bread and muffins deliciously warm. The basket will add a nice pop of color to your table and will add life to your meal. Made from 50% linen and 50% cotton, this basket makes for a functional fashion statement.

One Bread Basket: 5" x 7"

The spirit of the Basque people is most evident in the vibrant colors and patterns woven into their linen. For the past thirty years, Jean Vier has created fabrics based on these patterns from 100% natural cotton and flax. The resulting linen is elegant, long lasting, and the highest quality. Delightful to the touch and beautiful to behold, Jean Vier linen is a perfect addition to any kitchen or dinner table.

The universal designs, and timeless elegance, suit any home interior.

Drawing on a weaving tradition that dates back to the Middle Ages, Jean Vier produces both historical and contemporary versions of distinctive fabrics. They're unique in their legendary color resistance: Soak new linens overnight in cold water, and those vivid hues won't fade even after multiple washes.

This woven blue and white bread basket features a removable base full of cherry pits that, when heated, will keep your bread and muffins deliciously warm. The basket will add a nice pop of color to your table and will add life to your meal. Made from 50% linen and 50% cotton, this basket makes for a functional fashion statement.

One Bread Basket: 5" x 7"

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In 1900, a pastry shop in what is now known as Dunkerque, France, started to make delicious pure butter waffles. When the shop first began to make these waffles, they only made them at the beginning of the year. It didn't take long before there was such a high demand for the waffles that the shop started to produce them all year long!

These deliciously light pure butter waffle cookies are delightful with milk, tea, or coffee, or as a snack on their own.

22% real butter!
The highest percentage we have ever seen!

Best by: 20Dec2023

Ingredients: Wheat flour, sugar, butter (milk) 22%, eggs, salt. May contain traces of almonds.

14.11 ounce (400 gram) decorative metal tin (10.5" tall, 3.5" diameter) containing 48 cookies (8 individual packs of 6)

These are the only certified 100% Italian Pine Nuts in the USA. They even go through customs with their own certificate of authenticity.

To find these gems Ritrovo scoured Italy, eliminating from consideration any pine nuts that might be blended from Turkish or Greek sources, and completely shying away from the oilier, more rounded and petite, central Asian and Chinese nuts which can cause "pine mouth". They found a certified 100% Italian source of pine nuts, our great friends Nicola DeLaurentiis and his wife Paola at Casina Rossa. We are happy to be able to offer them to you. Enjoy!

Two of our favorite Pinoli Recipes:

• Lamb Burgers with Tuscan Wild Pinenut and Rosemary Crust
• Classic Pesto

Best By: 10Sept2024

1.76 ounces per jar net weight; about 1/3 cup