Our pantries can be our best friend throughout the year, but particularly in these colder months when leaving the house to brave the elements just isn’t desirable. By having a well-stocked gourmet pantry with intentional staples, it’s so easy to elevate simple dishes to a gastronomic indulgence in the comfort of home. Since a big part of our mission is to make people happy with good food, that means making sure our grocery aisles are filled with these pantry treasures from around the world. We’re on an endless quest to scout the most unique and delicious foods near and far, and our appetite to bring you the best is never fully satisfied. 

From worldly favorites like the beautiful mustards from the Fallot family in France to a stunning lentil or cassoulet bean from the Sando family of California, we prize the art of discovery that travel brings. We also approach any food show, like the Fancy Food Show many of us recently attended, with eyes wide open. Join us as we celebrate the many wonderful curated items on our shelves, most coming from families carrying on generational traditions. We can't wait to share your joy as you become familiar with these products that give rise to “rock star” meals at your table!

During the month of February, earn Bonus Points on select pantry favorites when you use your Club DLM card!

1. Vera Jane's Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

By far, this is our best selling and most beloved oil, named after long-time owner and matriarch of DLM, Vera Jane Mayne. We import this from our friends the Zanetti family in Lucignano, Tuscany. For quality, flavor, and value, nothing beats our Vera Jane’s!

2. Olio Piro. Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

A very special award-winning extra-virgin olive oil produced by the brother and sister team Romain and Marie-Charlotte Piro on their estate in southern Tuscany. Interestingly, the Piros are originally from France, but their unadulterated love for great olive oil led them to some of the best terroir in the world, Tuscany. We first heard about Piro. from a publication touting its taste and high levels of health-giving antioxidants. Upon meeting Marie and Romain, he remarked that flavor is an indicator of an oil’s quality. We wouldn’t argue with that, especially after tasting Piro! "I’ve had the opportunity to taste hundreds of oils, and this is in my top echelon," says Calvin Mayne. 

3. Les Moulins Mahjoub

A couple of decades back we had the pleasure to meet Majid and Onsa Mahjoub in New York City at an international food show. This humble, hospitable couple introduced us to the best flavors of Tunisia, all produced on their family estate! Situated on the northern rim of Africa, their land is known for some of the more exotic and healthy foods of the Mediterranean diet. Here’s a few of our favorites we recommend for your pantry: olive oil, sun-dried tomatoes, and their most popular condiment, harissa

4. Olive Truck Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

Sam Bayraktar studied olive varietals and production for years. To make great oil, he figured he needed not only good olive trees, but also better technology. His journey led him to California, where he created the Olive Truck, a mobile, state-of-the-art vacuum-milling facility outfitted on a unique truck that Sam takes to the olive groves at harvest time. This immediate process allows him make the freshest and fastest production from tree to bottle. This mobile milling approach yields a high polyphenol content and complex flavor profile

5. Burlap & Barrel Spices

Burlap & Barrel is a small American company with an ethos to directly source spices from farmer cooperatives and small farms, bypassing a myriad of usual supply chain operators, to drive up quality. Amongst the different spices we have, our current favorite is the Silk Chili which is a Turkish variety of the Aleppo pepper that has a warm, tomato-like flavor and mild heat. Perfect for cooking or finishing, add to a dish that needs a bit more excitement, such as scrambled eggs or your favorite burger.

6. Marsh Hen Mill Carolina Gold Rice

From a family-owned mill on Edisto Island, South Carolina, this heirloom rice gets its name from the beautiful golden hue in the field right before harvest. It has an exceptional aroma, flavor, and texture with softer grains that stay separate when you cook them making an interesting risotto-type dish.

7. Rancho Gordo Beans

The Sando family of Napa, California, has been bringing these beautiful heirloom beans to market for two decades. With an obsession for simple, honest ingredients, these beans are special in a range of dishes, from white bean chili and lentil salad, to bean soup and cassoulet, our winter favorite

8. Jacobsen Salt Co. Sea Salts

We are huge fans of this company which procures its salt from Netarts Bay on the Oregon Coast. These cold, pristine Pacific Northwest waters help create a bright, briny, and crunchy salt that is perfect for the everyday home cook!

9. Momofuku Noodles

A quick favorite, these ramen-style noodles from famous New York City chef David Chang are air dried, not fried, and infused with flavor combinations such as Soy & Scallion, Spicy Soy, and Tingly Chili. While these are really good on their own, use them as a base and let your imagination run wild with additions like vegetables, chicken, beef, or seafood.

10. Rustichella d’Abruzzo Pasta

Made from heirloom wheat with pure mountain spring water and produced in small batches, these are extruded through bronze dies and slowly air dried for a rustic texture that holds sauce no matter the cut.

11. Ritrovo Selections Sugo Sauces

These gorgeous sauces are from Italy’s famous Abruzzo region. Great with pasta (we like Rustichella d’Abruzzo), yet flavorful and versatile enough to pour over meats for an easy, authentic Italian meal.

12. Watcharee's Thai Sauces

Watcharee Limanon, the creative force behind these fantastic classic Thai finishing sauces, recognized the need for the authentic, yet time consuming, Thai sauces from her childhood to be ready-made for consumers. She initially began bottling to share with her family and friends, and the rest is history. We are big fans of these flavorful sauces that provide a simple way to bring favorite Thai dishes to life from home. 

13. Edmond Fallot Mustards

Marc Désarménien, the grandson of Edmond Fallot, is the talent behind this extraordinary, independent family mustard producer in Burgundy, France. With an array of flavors from traditional Dijon to Tarragon or Green Pepper Mustard, we like them brushed on grilled meats, sandwiches, or as an accompaniment to a charcuterie board.

14. Aneto Natural Broths

Our favorite broth to use by far, these use no concentrates, flavorings, or powders! The resulting product is a satisfying broth or cooking base perfect for soups, stews, risotto, and paella.

15. DLM Egg Noodles

When we first tasted these double-yolk noodles made locally in Amish country, we knew we had to bring them into our family of DLM products. We hope you love the full, rich flavor of these noodles in classic comfort cooking as much as we do!

16. Fishwife Tinned Fish

A super fun, female-founded company that makes ethically sourced and tasty tinned seafood that should be a staple in every cupboard! With a selection including Slow Smoked Mackerel With Chili Flakes, Sardines With Preserved Lemon, and Anchovies in Spanish Extra-Virgin Olive Oil, simply spread some on a cracker or add to a charcuterie board for some interest.