Forza Luciana Italian Pinzimonio Oil

We're super excited for this one! Mino and Kathy Spada have been hard at work on this limited release of their famous Spada family Pinzimonio Oil. This special edition is appropriately named "Forza Luciana!"

• 100% of proceeds benefit Little Warrior Foundation
• INGREDIENTS: Extra Virgin Olive Oil Cold - Extracted, Course Sea Salt, Fennel Seeds & Black Pepper
• 500 mL
• No preservatives or water added

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The Story Behind the Product, from Mino Spada:

At our restaurant, Mino’s Cuciana Italiana in Wausau, we wanted to create something to accompany our fresh baked bread.

Something we could be proud of and that would speak to the Spada family’s deep Italian roots.

Something that would transport people to Italy.

I suppose this was the birth of what would become Mino’s Pinzimonio - from the Italian word pinze or pliers in English because the fingers mimic the action of pliers when you dip bread into the oil.

In Italy, dipping oil is usually made with extra virgin olive oil, pepper and fresh garlic, but I removed the fresh garlic (who wants to be in a romantic Italian restaurant and eat fresh garlic), and I added my own twist by using fresh fennel seeds, a flavor that reminded me of Italy and my native Puglia.

We knew we had something special when we started to get requests from friends, family and customers who wanted some pinzimonio to take home or give as gifts.

Pinzimonio became a staple at the restaurant and in local supermarkets. For years, family and friends gathered at Mino’s restaurant and shared in this tradition of coming together at the table to share, build community and strengthen bonds all while fortifying themselves with bread and Pinzimonio before settling into a delicious Italian meal.

After eighteen years, we sold the restaurant and stopped bottling the oil. We were done with that part of our lives-or so we thought.

Fast forward to today. We have a reason, a very real reason to create a special release of this family recipe. Over the past year, we have felt helpless after the diagnosis of our bella Luciana Maria in September 2019. Kathy, Marco, Kristin and I have asked ourselves how we could contribute to the fight. What gifts did we have that we could share and make a difference for Luciana and all kids fighting this battle? Then it hit us!

We would bring Pinzimonio back to life with a new name and new look. We are calling it “Forza Luciana,” which translates to something like - “You got this Luciana! Now go get it because you have the strength, power, and resiliency to overcome this.”

It has provided the Spada family with strength, nourishment and love, and I know it will do the same for you the next time you gather at the table with family and friends.

Forza Luciana!