Stephanie Zaccario at Elm, one of the first customers of her wholesale Masseria Maccarone olive oil.
Stephanie Zaccario’s business life has been defined by discovery and sharing. Now, the New Canaan resident of 16 years is bringing that passion to a new venture: selling bottles of Parco D’Agnello, estate-grown olive oil, directly to local consumers. Zaccario, owner of Artisanal Pantry—a wholesale company supplying extra virgin olive oil and Italian specialty foods to restaurants and shops—purchased an estate in Puglia three years ago, “and the olive oil is beautiful,” she says.
Demand led Zaccario to begin bottling Parco D’Agnello.
Zaccario’s love affair with Puglia and olive oil began during a family trip in 2013. She, her husband John and her daughters Bella and Gigi visited Masseria Maccarone, a family-owned olive oil farm where the owner introduced them to the process of growing and pressing extra virgin olive oil. Alessandro Colucci’s family has been producing olive oil since the 1700s, and some of the estate’s trees are 1,000 years old. The traditional, labor-intensive cold pressing method used in the old mills produces an oil that is a revelation to most Americans. “When you taste the pure, true DOP olive oil, it is like a magical, tantalizing experience. You can’t imagine not using it again,” Zaccario says.
When she brought home bottles of Masseria Maccarone olive oil to give as gifts, everyone lucky enough to receive one asked, “Where can we get more?”
The olive mill in Puglia where Parco D’Agnello and Masseria Maccarone olive oils are pressed
So Zaccario, who had previously spent 16 years as a kindergarten teacher, launched Artisanal Pantry, a wholesale company importing Masseria Maccarone olive oil. Darien Cheese and Fine Foods and New Canaan’s Elm Restaurant were among her first customers and have remained loyal partners as Artisanal Pantry has expanded its offerings to include products from family-run Italian businesses producing truffles, honey, tomatoes, pasta, biscotti and cakes. “We know the families and we know the stories,” she says of the Italian producers.
The Zaccario family returned to Puglia every summer and three years ago they purchased Parco D’Agnello, an estate not far from Alessandro Colucci’s farm. Although the abandoned buildings were crumbling, the groves of olive, orange and walnut trees remained healthy. Colucci visited the estate and conducted a test run, milling Carolea, Peranza and Cima olives into a luxurious oil with an initial note of almond and a delicate citrus finish. When Zaccario brought back bottles to share with friends and family, everyone raved yet again.
Thethe oldest olive tree on the Zaccario family’s estate
Zaccario debuted the limited-edition Parco D’Agnello extra virgin olive oil at a spring event at the New Canaan Country Club—and sold out. The next day, messages poured in from people asking for more. “Each bottle is numbered, and it is truly special, imbued with the traditions and beauty of Puglia,” she says.
The new venture is called The Italian Bloom and, as of press time, operates primarily through its Instagram page (@theitalianbloom). Zaccario plans to expand the line and is currently looking for new office space after the building on Pine Street was sold.
This summer, the Zaccario family will return to Parco D’Agnello, where renovations on the estate’s three buildings are finally complete. Life in Puglia moves at a slower, simpler pace. “We melt into the land,” Zaccario says. “We breathe. Our family connects on another level.” And when they gather for a late, relaxed dinner, no matter what is on the menu, a bottle of extra virgin Parco D’Agnello is always on the table.