Agricola Maraviglia
Founded by husband-and-wife team Francesco and Francesca Palmarini, Agricola Maraviglia is pushing the boundaries of what Italian food can be. It began when Francesco Palmarini noticed all of the abandoned olive groves around his home in Tuscany. Determined to help restore them, he and his small team began caring for the trees in exchange for the neon-green oil they press every fall.
Next, Francesco expanded his vision to include his passion for fermented foods. After years of expirmentation and painstaking ingredient sourcing, he began to produce the world's first Tuscan-made miso. Traditionally a Japanese condiment made from fermenting rice and soy with a particular strain of mold called koji, Francesco wondered if he could create an Italian version by replacing soy with chickpeas and rice with barely. To everyone's excitment, his recipe was a success. This savory, creamy, salty spread is a secret weapon in the kitchen. Similar to bullion, it's jam-packed with umami flavor and can be used to boost broths and sauces or even a spread on sandwiches. For an incredible and unique flavor, dress the miso with a healthy glug of olive oil.
To compliment the lineup, he makes his tamari, which is the liquid byproduct of the miso fermentation. Finally, he also produces shoyu, more commonly known as soy sauce, although his version is made with chickpeas and heirloom wheat. After tasting his entire collection, your pantry will never be complete without the quartet!
All of the grains and legumes that Maraviglia uses for miso, tamari and shoyu are grown on their 6 hectare property. They are part of a specific rotation program that aims at re-establishing a healthy and balanced soil by providing the correct microbial balance in the first layer of our grounds. We at Mad Rose Foods are so proud to be representing the next generation of growers and makers in Tuscany.
