As important as giardiniera is in Chicago, the dish was not invented in Chicago. It comes from Italy, where it means mixed pickles. Giardiniera also is the name for a female gardener, which is helpful insomuch as it alludes to the vegetables in the mix. The owner of J.P. Gaziano Grocery Co., an Italian import company in the West Loop since 1937, giardiniera is the Italian method of preserving vegetables. "That's the most important thing," says Graziano. If you want fresh Giardiniera, visit our website at jpgraziano.com.