M’tucci’s Products
Pork - One of our goals when we created a partnership with Sackett Farms in Iowa, was to serve pork with more flavor. The heritage breed of Duroc combined with the careful feeding and pasturing, means that our pork is now better than ever. The second goal was to increase the variety of products that we could offer. We are buying the entire pig, which is then processed to our specifications by another family-owned business. Of course, we have all of the popular cuts like chops, loins and ribs, but we are using lesser-known parts for our cured meat program (bacon, pancetta & guanciale) and to create special cooked dishes.
Shrubs - Our guests are big fans of Partner Austin Leard’s project, M’tucci’s Shrubs. Shrubs are a sharp, tangy infusion of fruit, vinegar and sugar. They can be traced back to American colonial days, though regions across the globe, from the Middle East to Asia, have offered their own unique interpretations. The American version of the shrub dates back to 17th century England where vinegar was used as an alternative to citrus juices to preserve berries and other fruits.
“I wanted to do something that would set us apart and that nobody else was doing. I had heard of Shrubs and did some research, but found very little information about them. So I started making small batches in mason jars. When I got the recipe right, I started experimenting with them in cocktails. The Collins-style with citrus, shrub and spirit has been an amazing combination,” he said.
Bread - Why is M’tucci’s bread is so good? Technique, time and quality ingredients pretty much sums it up. Start with great flour, use an excellent starter, take the time to mix it, let it rise slowly and bake it carefully. One of the most important of these is the starter, which is used instead of a commercial yeast. Several years ago, as Chefs/Partners Shawn and Cory were given the task of creating the menu and products for the Italian Market, Shawn came across a very old starter (or mother) that the Chef where he was working (a local restaurant which shall remain nameless) was going to discard. He nabbed it and our bakers have been feeding it since then.
Pasta - The best pasta is made from hard durum wheat, which is milled to become semolina. The quality and purity of the water is important. However, the die used to extrude, or shape, the pasta through the machine is critical. Only bronze die have slightly rough openings that create a pasta with a rough surface texture, which is essential for allowing the sauce to cling to and become one with the pasta. Pasta from a traditional Pastificio (pasta factory) will air dry their pasta instead of quick drying it in ovens.
At M’tucci’s we make some of our pasta shapes (campanelle, pappardelle, fettuccine, spaghettini, rigatoni and ravioli) and import other shapes from an Italian Pastificio (Orzo and Tortelloni). All of our house made pastas use two kinds of semolina from Italian durum wheat, one a fine grind and one a course grind. Our Italian pasta machine is fitted with a bronze die for each shape.
Since April of 2019, we have published a weekly newsletter on our website, La Gazzeta di M’tucci’s, which covers M’tucci’s culture, Italian food and Italian travel. In addition, we have a YouTube Channel where we share cooking and cocktail videos with our guests.
