Tuscan farm to city shop in one step (From St Albans & Harpenden Review)

Tuscan farm to city shop in one step

11:53am Friday 31st March 2006

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A DELICATESSEN in St Albans is now offering products from its own farm in Tuscany that the shop owner has just bought into.

David Liveing, owner of the Olio and Farina shop in The Maltings, is entering into a joint venture with Paolo Parisi, who farms near Pisa.

Thanks to their relationship, he is able to offer top quality parmigiano (parmesan) and pecorino cheese within three or four days of it leaving the farm.

And he will soon extend the range of goods produced on the jointly owned estate to salami, Parma ham and wild boar paste.

Mr Liveing said: "Paolo is world-renowned for producing top quality products.

"He even produces eggs which are completely different from any other egg.

"Most people competitors don't have hand-delivered fresh produce from Italy every week."

Most parmigiano is matured for less than a year, but the version Mr Liveing brings in from the farm is given between 24 and 28 months.

He said: "That gives it much more flavour. This parmesan you could put on your cheeseboard not just use it for cooking."

The farm's products will complement his existing range, which includes oil from his own olive grove near genoa, and Mr Parisi will be supplying wines from vineyards near the jointly-owned farm.

Mr Liveing hopes to open more shops in the future to expand the sale of the farm's products.

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