Extra Virgin

For the next few weeks Oil & Vinegar is returning to its roots with our Extra Virgin Olive Oil promotion.  After years of searching, Oil & Vinegar finally found a Moroccan olive oil that meets all the requisites to sit on our amphora wall.  Produced from olives grown on three family owned estates located at the foot of the Atlas Mountains, the olives are constantly monitored to ensure optimal ripeness and make sure that there is only a 20 minute lapse between harvesting and grinding.  This oil is made with 30% Moroccan Dahbia olives and 70% Spanish Arbequina olives.  This oil has an acidity of 0.2%, a well-balanced taste and complex profile.  The initial bouquet is of ripe olives with secondary aromas of apple and banana.  It also has hints of almond, tomato, fennel and artichoke.  On the pallet it is slightly sweet, and reminds you of almonds with a fruity, slightly bitter finish.  It is kosher certified and has one an array of awards around the world. 

Use this or any of our oils with this recipe for Parmesan Twists:

INGREDIENTS

·        1 package puff pastry

·        1 tablespoon EV Olive oil

·        1 tin Parmesan Dipper herbs

PREPARATION

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Mix the Dipper herbs with some water and olive oil to make a paste. Spread the Dipper herbs on a sheet of puff pastry and cut this in strips about 1/2 inch wide. Twist the strips 2 times so they form a spiral. Place on a greased cookie sheet and bake for 12 minutes until golden brown. Try with all our dippers for an array of great flavors!

For a printable version of the recipe or to purchase ingredients on line click here!

Easy to do Bleu!

We recently introduced a scrumptious Roquefort Crème that is quickly becoming a favorite in our stores so I wanted to share some fun facts about Roquefort and delicious, easy recipes for you to try.

• Roquefort cheese is made exclusively from the milk of Lacaune Sheep.
• It takes 12 liters of milk to make 5.75 pounds of Roquefort
• A “master cheese ager” known as Maitre Affineur, cares for the cheese as it ages.
• Roquefort cheese is aged in caves.
• Roquefort cheese has a PDO and can only use the name if it is aged in the natural Combalou caves of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon.

Our Roquefort Crème has all the strengths of Roquefort Cheese, but has a softer finish that is easier on the pallet and won’t overpower lighter dishes. You can serve it right out of the jar on our fornelli crackers or use it as an ingredient in a variety of dishes.

Roquefort Crème puffs

For the cream puffs:

• 3 1/2 tablespoons butter

• 1/2 cup flour

• 2 eggs beaten

• 1/2 cup milk

• pinch of salt

For the filling:

• 1 jar Roquefort crème
• 5 oz cream cheese
• 4 tbsp whipped cream
• Piment d’espelette
• fresh parsley to garnish

PREPARATION

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to400° F. Put the milk in a saucepan and add the butter and salt. Bring the milk to a boil. When the butter has melted add all the flour and stir. Remove from heat. Stir in the eggs one by one; add each one only after the previous one is mixed in. The dough should be glossy. Put the dough in a piping bag and pipe about 30 small balls on the baking sheet. Bake the puffs 15 minutes until golden. Bake 30 puffs and allow to cool completely. Create the mousse by mixing all the ingredients, and then spoon the mousse into a piping bag. Cut the puffs in half and pipe the cream cheese mixture in. Serve with fresh herbs on a serving

Make a gourmet salad dressing:

1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar IGP

3 Tablespoons Oulibo Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Tablespoon Roquefort Crème

3 Tablespoons of water

Salt & Pepper to taste

Try this vinaigrette over mixed greens with pears or dried cranberries with spicy walnuts

Looking for some other easy uses?  Stuff olives with the Roquefort Crème and garnish a Martini, or try my new favorite; spread it on a burger and make gourmet blue cheese burgers! Visit an Oil & Vinegar store near you, or order the Roquefort Crème or other highlighted products online at http://www.oilandvinegarusa.com/

Valentine's Day at Oil & Vinegar

With Valentine’s Day just a few days away I thought I would highlight some of Oil & Vinegar’s favorite choices for sharing your passion with that someone special. 

For the traditionalists, you can’t go wrong with our Belgian Chocolate Fondue, available in Milk or Dark Chocolate.  As we all know, chocolate fondue is delicious with bananas, strawberries, and pineapple, but why not try it this time with our Italian Amaretti Cookies, or Cantuccini?

Try something sweet with a twist with our Strawberry Balsam Vinegar.  It’s red, it’s tasty and you can gift it in a heart shaped bottle or even our signature Message in a Bottle with your own sweet message inside.  

Use the strawberry balsam vinegar with your favorite oil on a salad; our pairing of choice – white truffle oil; or, try this easy to make Strawberry Mascarpone Tart:

INGREDIENTS

1 sheet of puff pastry, thawed

1 egg, whisked

2 lbs strawberries, stemmed and quartered

1/2 cup strawberry balsam vinegar +

1 Tbsp strawberry balsam vinegar

12 ounces mascarpone cheese

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/3 cup confectioner's sugar

Roll out puff pastry sheet to 12x12 inches. Place on a baking sheet. Fold the edges over to form a border. Prick bottom of pasty with tines of a fork. Chill for 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 400°F. Brush on egg wash and place in hot oven.  Cook until evenly browned, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven to a rack and let cool completely.

Gently combine strawberries, half of the orange zest, and the ½ cup of strawberry balsam vinegar in large bowl so that the strawberries are coated. Let the mixture stand for 30 minutes.

Mix together the mascarpone cheese, the remaining strawberry balsam vinegar and the vanilla in a medium bowl until well combined. Refrigerate until needed.

After the strawberries have soaked for 30 minutes, drain the liquid out of the strawberry mixture into a small saucepan. Bring the liquid to a boil on medium high heat. Boil until the liquid has reduced to the consistency of syrup, remove from heat and let cool.

Spread the mascarpone mixture over the puffed pastry.  Arrange the strawberries on top of the mascarpone mixture and brush the strawberry glaze over the top.

Serve with a glass of sparkling wine with a drop of Strawberry Balsam Vinegar inside.

Want a bigger idea?  Put all these ideas in one gift basket and have it wrapped, complimentary, in our signature style!  

Passionate about 2011

2011 brings some fantastic new promotions at Oil & Vinegar and I can’t wait to get started. Of course we started the year with our exciting grab bag promotion, “Winter Specials”. They are moving fast, so be sure to stop in and pick one up while supplies last!

We are upping things a notch in March with an exciting olive oil promotion called Extra Virgin where we will be introducing an award winning oil from Morocco, a late harvest, Novello from Italy, both from the tap and a prepackaged EVOO from Italy made with 100% Moraiolo olives for a fresh, fruity taste.

After that we will be exploring the Andalucía region of Spain with wonderful new tapas, oils and table accents. There is so much more, but I don’t want to give it all away, so check back in a few weeks for an in-depth story about Extra Virgin and more news about upcoming products, recipes and events.

Holiday Entertaining at Oil & Vinegar

The holidays are right around the corner and Oil & Vinegar offers scrumptious ideas for the tastiest dishes. Whether you need ideas to spice up your Thanksgiving Dinner or easy recipes for an impromptu gathering with friends, we have all the ingredients to make your gathering memorable. This season we have added some amazing new products, so come on in for a taste and let our culinary specialists guide you through a tasteful experience!


Start the party right with these super easy appetizer recipes with some of our favorite ingredients:

Wasabi Deviled Eggs

6 eggs – Hard boiled

2 Tablespoons Wasabi Ginger Dressing

2 Drops Piri Piri Sauce

1/8 teaspoon salt

Piment d’espelette

To hard boil the eggs, place the eggs in a pot of cold water, bring to a boil for 5 or 6 minutes, rinse immediately with cold water. When the eggs are completely cool, peel the shell and slice them in half lengthwise. Remove the yolks and place in a bowl. Add the Wasabi Ginger Dressing, Piri Piri and salt and mash with a fork until well blended. Fill the mixture in a pastry bag with flower tip or a plastic bag with the tip cut off and squeeze into the egg white. Sprinkle the filled egg with Piment d’espelette and serve.

 

Holiday Brie En Croute

1 Puff Pastry sheet

1 Brie cheese wheel

½ to 1 jar fig spread (choose your flavor – plain, orange, cocoa, hazelnut)

1 egg

 

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Lightly flour your work surface so the puff pastry doesn’t stick. Roll the puff pastry out flat. Cut the brie wheel in half length wise, so you have two equal wheels. Place one wheel on the puff pastry, spread a generous layer of fig spread even on the brie, and then place the other wheel on top. Make an egg wash with the egg and about 1 tablespoon of water. Brush the edges of the puff pastry with the wash then fold the pastry over so the brie is completely enclosed. Trim the edges if necessary. Place the brie in a Baked Brie Dish and brush the top with a bit of egg wash. Bake in the center oven for 20-25 minutes. Serve warm with crackers or French baguette.

Olive Poppers

1 – 1 ½ jars Feta Stuffed Olives (approximately 24 olives)

3 tablespoons of shredded sharp cheddar cheese

½ cup of all-purpose flour

¾ teaspoon of piri piri sauce

½ teaspoon fleur de sel

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 - 2 tablespoons milk, as needed

Drain the Feta Stuffed Olives and pat dry. Set aside.

With a wooden spoon, combine the Cheddar cheese, flour, piri piri sauce, and fleur de sel in a bowl. Add the melted butter and mix. Add the milk, starting with 1 tablespoon and using more as needed, and mix again.

Using your hands, knead the mixture for a minute until a soft dough has formed.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Pinch off small balls of dough about the same size as the olives and flatten each ball of dough with your fingers, then wrap each olive with it. Place the dough-wrapped olives on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet about an inch apart. Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes.

 

Serve with Tzatziki Sour Cream Dressing

Mix ½ cup sour cream, 3 tablespoons of heavy cream with 1 to 2 tablespoons of Tzatziki spice mix.

(Items in bold are available at Oil & Vinegar)

Vive la France Part 2

We've just started our third week of the Vive la France promotion and the response has been fantastic. The promotion has brought out a renewed interest in our French Extra Virgin Olive Oil which I find very exciting, so I thought I would share some interesting information about French oils.
France is not considered a major olive oil producer. In 1956 a devastating freeze killed most of the trees and many producers chose not to replant olive trees. Because France’s production is so small, they focus on the uniqueness of an oil instead of quantity in production.
Our French Extra Virgin Olive Oil comes from a cooperative that produces some of the best olive oils in France. Most French olive oils are blends, but our oil is an outstanding, single variety oil from Lucque olives. The Lucque olives are cultivated exclusively in the west part of Languedoc-Roussillon. The olives are picked by hand and pressed within hours to capture the sweet flavor of the oil and deep rich color. The oil has 0.5% acidity.
We have also introduced a new on-tap oil with Provencal Herbs, and a bottled Extra Virgin Olive Oil with Sundried Tomatoes both from the Provence region. They are made from an artisan producer whose name literally means garden of flavors. These two oils truly rediscover the qualities of Provence. The flavors are inspired from the traditions of the Provence region with an added breath of creativity. The oils are flavored with herbs and vegetables grown from the local hill sides, handpicked and packaged in traditional French packaging.
All three of these oils are easy to use and enhance any recipe, so if you get a chance, stop in a store for a taste and give one a try!

Vive la France

Unquestionably, one of France's greatest treasures is its rich cuisine and October introduces some great new additions to our line of French products with the Vive La France promotion.
France’s culinary heritage is so vast and rich in tradition that it is impossible to present it in a single dish. Each region has its own specialties, products, and unique style. The Vive La France promotion highlights some of Southern France’s most well known flavors with easy to use recipe ideas.

As autumn sets in I enjoy creating delicious salads with heartier ingredients to make a complete meal, and with all these wonderful artisan products, what better salad to create than France’s renowned Nicoise Salade.

Nicoise Olives (pronounced nee-SHWAZ) are a style of prepared olives from the olives of the Cailletier olive trees which are grown around Nice, France. The olives are small, with a large pit and very little flesh. Ripened to a dark purplish-black color, they are cured in brine first and then packed in oil for a rich, nutty taste.

These are delicious right out of the jar, but here they are the ideal finishing touch to the renowned Nicoise Salade. The highlighted items are available at Oil & Vinegar.

Nicoise Salad

Make a dressing by whisking together the following ingredients and set aside:

3 Tablespoons lemon juice
3 Tablespoons Tarragon Vinegar
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil from France
1 medium shallot, minced
1-2 Tablespoons Herbes de Provence
1 teaspoon garlic mustard
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Salad

2 cans of tuna
6 hard boiled eggs, peeled and quartered
10 small new red potatoes, cooked and quartered
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large head of butter lettuce, leaves washed, dried, and torn into bite-sized pieces
3 small ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges
1 small red onion, sliced very thin
8 ounces cooked green beans, trimmed and halved
1 jar nicoise olives
1 jar caper berries (optional)

Toss the lettuce in ¼ cup of the dressing mixture and arrange on a serving platter. Mix the tomato wedges, red onion, salt & pepper with a bit of dressing and arrange in a pile on the lettuce. Toss individually the potatoes, tuna, and green beans with two or three tablespoons of dressing and arrange in mounds on the lettuce, placing the tuna in the center. Place the egg, olives and other ingredients in mounds on the lettuce, drizzle with the remaining dressing and serve.

Stay tuned for more stories and recipes about our journey through France!