Christian MacKenzie Smith

For some of us, spending more than just a weekend with our family seems a little overwhelming. Not for the Martelli family though. Nope, these kin-loving folk are the only ones that work in their middle-of-nowhere factory in Lari, a teeny tiny Tuscan town filled with olive trees and beautiful, sprawling grassy valleys. And when we found this bright, eye-catching package of yellow pasta, we had no idea how bad ass this family actually was. The Martelli’s spend no money on advertising and the the factory that they’ve been occupying for almost 100 years prevents a certain trendy store from manufacturing in their quaint little town. Pretty rad, huh? We think so, and what’s even better is how awesome their pasta is.

By using old school techniques, this pasta, which comes in four classic shapes, has a super-porous finish that is absolutely perfect for soaking up sauce while still maintaining a nice al dente bite. Not only do they use the finest hard durum wheat flour but they actually grow it on their own property. And unlike mass produced pasta, which is dried in a giant heated air blaster, the Martelli’s dry their pasta for fifty hours using a low temperature that allows the pasta to retain a beautiful flavor and a perfect texture. We recommend tossing the cooked pasta with olive oil and freshly grated Parmigiano for a simple and quick meal that is surprisingly opulent.

All in favor of satisfying their sweet tooth, say aye!

We now carry a bunch of super delectable and completely original cookies that come from the ‘hood – so you can enjoy these treats any time of the week and not just at the Flea on the weekend. Both The Good Batch and Whimsy & Spice are the bomb at making some dope-ass cookies because, unlike most store bought cookies, these little goodies are made in small batches and only use the best of the best stuff around.

And even if you don’t like sweets that much, some of these cookies come in savory flavors like salty brown butter or the slightly sweet massaman curry and peanut butter. Shovel a spoonful of salty caramel ice cream between any of them for a sweet summertime treat that’s downright devilish and only slightly addicting.

Oh me oh meyer lemons! These little lemon and mandarin orange hybrids are in full bloom in the Spring but can last year round when preserved. So thank goodness for Sweet Deliverance NYC for canning these little bulbs of sour sunshine so we can enjoy them even in the depressing Winter months. The preserved wedges are excellent when sliced super thin, and laid over crostini, smoked ricotta, and shaved red onion. You can even bake them and the remaining juices right into a pound cake for a buttery-citrus loaf that everyone will fuss over. Use the syrup for mixing up exotic cocktails or as a main ingredient in vinaigrette. You can also chug it -no judgement passed – or use it as a chaser after a florally shot of gin… if you’re into that sort of thing.

Two and a half years ago, Leana McCarthy started Anarchy in a Jar as a way to  stick it to the man create delicious, locally sourced and handcrafted jams, jellies, and marmalade. By using eccentric and aggressive flavor combinations, Anarchy in a Jar doesn’t take no shit from nobody. Not even sugar; which is typically an overused product in commercially bought preservatives. Yuck. Who wants a mouthful of artificial gook when the real stuff from upstate tastes so much better?

Take the Arnold Palmer jelly for example. This jiggly little thing infuses lemonade and tea to create a bright, zingy spread that’s perfect over buttered cornbread and other good stuff – as you can imagine. At the shop, we’re known to smear the grapefruit and smoked sea salt marmalade over toast with a little bit of fresh ricotta cheese. Oh yes, it’s good. It’s really fucking good. The perfect balance of tartness and sweetness. Oh mama.

This jam is our jam, yo!

This authentic Portuguese hot sauce, made by Bon Jovi’s former manager in Asbury Park, packs quite the kick. We’ve got a dirty down addiction for it. It’s what we need. Shake it up like… like bad medicine? Sorry, we just had to say it. But really, it’s damn good. Use it as a marinade for chicken wings or douse it on eggs for a straight-up spicy zing.

We just got two new awesome products in from some crafty makers in the neighborhood; Smoked Ricotta from Salvatore Bklyn and Preserved Meyer Lemons from Sweet Deliverance NYC. Putting these two tasty little treats together, along with some other ingredients which you can find in our shop, on top of some crispy baguette rounds makes a super simple yet completely impressive appetizer that will make your guests question how the hell they got such an extremely talented and creative culinary friend. You don’t have to tell them it’s because of us though, you can keep that to yourself.

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp of smoked ricotta from Salvatore BKLYN
• 1 tbsp of olive oil from Salvatore BKLYN
• 3 slices of baguette, toasted
• 1 wedge of perserved lemon from Sweet Deliverance NYC, julienned
• 1 tbsp of shaved red onion
• sea salt and fresh cracked pepper

Instructions

1. Smear 1 tbsp of smoked ricotta onto each piece of toast. Top with a few slices of shaved red onion and preserved meyer lemon. Sprinkle with sea salt and crack some peppercorns on top. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and serve.

We just got an amazing shipment of Blood Oranges in from Satur Farms. Tart, juicy, and sweet, these stunningly beautiful bulbs of citrus are absolutely delightful. On the outside, reds, oranges and yellows come together to create an ombre of warm colors that reflect the stained glass appearance of the fruits’ meaty insides.  And although just as tasty when eaten straight out of the rind, blood oranges are perfect when added into to recipes that call for ordinary citrus. We’re really into this vinaigrette that is perfect drizzled over fresh arugula, baby heirloom tomatoes, and shaved parmesan or when added to fresh seafood for a slightly sweet and acidic ceviche.

Ingredients

• the juice from one blood orange
• 1 tbsp of Verjuice
• 1/2 tsp of dijon
• 1 tsp of olive oil
• a pinch of salt and freshly cracked pepper

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until all the ingredients are completely incorporated. Serve immediately.

Beef Jerky. Yes, beef jerky. These chewy, flavorful strips of dried meat are hard to resist – especially when you discover what the good people at Kings County Jerky are making. Unlike other commercially processed dried beef, Kings County uses only the finest local meats and thoughtful packaging for their brand. The cows that they source are raised on a farm upstate, and they’re also brought up in a stress-free environment that prides itself by being an antibiotic-free and hormone-free farm. At processing, each tender nugget of beef is hand-cut to ensure the finest quality is in each bite. The flavorful marinades that they use are also prepared by hand to grantee that each little morsel is rich, zesty, and perfect. No mass production here. No sir.

This protein packed snack comes in unique flavors like Korean BBQ, Sichuan Ginger, and Kings County Classic and we’re sure you’ll dig ‘em, too.

With longer days ahead of us, what better way to bring in Spring than by indulging in some good ole’ fashioned day drinking. Sure, you could go to a bar and hang out but it’s definitely prime rooftop season and we think we found the perfect little mate to help you relax on top of your building. This sweet and spicy cocktail will knock you on your ass (believe us, we had a little too much fun testing this recipe) and is made with one of our newest arrivals and one of our old favorites. Royal Rose’s Three Chiles Simple Syrup adds a deep smokiness to this margarita while the sweet and grassy notes from Belvoir’s Lime and Lemongrass Cordial play with the bright burn from the tequila.

MAKES 2 DRINKS

Ingredients:

• 1/2 shot Rose’s Simple Syrup – Three Chiles
• 1/2 Belvoir Cordials – lime and lemongrass
• 2 shots of tequila
• 2 shots water
• juice of one lime, save one small wedge
• 1 tbsp of raw sugar
• 1 tbsp of chile powder, mixed

Instructions:

1, Mix the raw sugar and chile powder in a shallow bowl; set aside. Rub a lime wedge around the rim of the glass and dip into the chili-sugar mixture.

2. Combine remaining ingredients in a shaker, over ice, and shake vigorously for thirty seconds. Add more ice to rimmed cups and gently pour mixture on top. Serve immediately. Repeat.

Bye bye 50s era hash! We’re so over that played-out potatoes and ham concoction, that we’re bitch slapping it out of our diets and replacing it with this sweet and savory combination that uses local butternut squash, smokey Nueske’s bacon, apples from Migliorelli farm, and sweet onions from the Hudson Valley. Add some fresh eggs right into the mix and it’ll create a yokey richness that makes this dish extra creamy. The shaved piave, which is sort of like a young Parmesan that has fruity and nutty undertones, adds an extra burst of brightness and rounds out this one-pot dish.

And we don’t mean to brag, but we might just blow your mind with this tasty little breakfast.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of Satur Farms butternut squash, grated
• 1 Migliorelli farm apple, grated
• 1/2 medium sized Basis: Farm to Chef onion, diced
• 5 slices of Nueske’s bacon, diced
• 3 tbsp of Meggle’s Alpine butter
• 5 Feather Ridge eggs
• 1/4 cup of Piave, grated
• salt and pepper to taste
• *optional – rosemary for garnish*

Instructions:

1.  In a large saucepan, add bacon and cook over medium heat until it begins to firm up; about 3-5 minutes. Add in onion and stir, cook until it becomes translucent. Add in 2 tablespoons of butter, the butternut squash, the shaved apple, and a pinch of salt and cook until tender.
2. Turn heat to high and allow the hash to brown; about four minutes.
3. Turn heat to medium low and by using the back of your spoon – create five little holes in the hash. Put a dab of butter in each hole and allow to melt. Crack one egg into each hole and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover sauce pan with a lid and allow eggs to cook. For runny eggs, cook for three minutes, for hard eggs, cook until firm to the touch.
4. Finish by sprinkling grated piave on top of each egg.  Salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.