Fino Fresco: Italian greens available year-round from the field

Who's behind it

Fino Fresco is the premium brand of Gebr. De Mooij in Amsterdam, importer of Italian vegetables. The brand has existed since around 2008 and targets the top end of the market: catering that seeks exclusivity and Italian freshness. De Mooij buys directly from Italian growers, from north to south of the country. Thanks to that spread across multiple growing areas, the range is available year-round. The focus lies on babyleaf: about twenty Italian varieties, from corn salad and arugula to mizuna, tatsoi, red chard and bull's blood. In addition, ready-made mixes come in under the name mesclun, plus wild spinach and Sicilian sun-dried tomatoes.

From field to kitchen

The leaves are picked as fresh as possible from the field, with root or as babyleaf, and go through strict quality control with full traceability. Packs range from 125 to 1000 grams, so you order what your kitchen needs. For mise en place: washed babyleaf comes in the purple-red pack, unwashed in the green one. That way the cook sees on arrival what still needs a rinse. The flavour is pronounced. The pepper of arugula and the light bitterness of the red varieties hold up under a warm component.

In your kitchen

Use the babyleaf for its flavour. Try arugula, corn salad and red chard under seared fish. Use the mesclun as your steady base and shift the accent per season: more bitter leaves in winter, softer ones in spring. The wild spinach is small and punchy and holds its shape in the pan, so a handful per dish is enough. On the menu, call it Italian babyleaf from Fino Fresco. Because the same varieties arrive all year, a dish with arugula can stay on the menu in November too.