Flavors are Friends

Jess took this photo of my son, age 1

Hello!

I'm going to go ahead and put the bug in your ear for our Wine and Cheese Happy Hour on May 14 from 5-8.  Jess Gallegos from Artefact Image Co.  is going to hang some of her fantastic prints in our store and we would love for you all to come check out her work and share some libations with us. I realize we didn't have a happy hour in April.  Things got a little crazy around here, but I'm hoping t
o make up for it with our May event.  I'll send out a reminder once we get a little closer.

We had a blast at the Ozark Folkways mobile tasting.  If you've never been out that way, it is a really neat spot.  It's about a 30 minute drive south on 71-B with just stunning Ozark views. The store is pretty spectacular, with lots of handmade pottery, art, baskets and generally cool things.  Big thanks to those guys for hosting us.  Don't forget, we can come to you if you ever want a private, mobile tasting.  Or we would be glad to keep the store open late for you and a group of friends!  Just give us a shout and we'll work out the details.

Behold! Sale Table!

We are very nearly out of the Wild Mushroom & Sage Olive Oil, so if you want it for your incredibly tasty egg salad sandwiches, come get it while you can.  We are about to switch out our Spanish Arbequina for a California Arbequina.  I think it will be really fun to see how the same kind of olive can make such different tasting olive oil.  We'll have to get out the good old tasting wheel to compare them.

As soon as we sell the tail end of our Pendolino, Arbosana and Leccino stock (all 20% off!) we will order the new Italian and Greek oils we've been coveting.  New balsamics will be coming in soon, too.  We will switch out some of the "wintery" balsamics for nice, light ones.  I'm not sure exactly which ones we're going to order yet.  What do you think of Tangerine Dark Balsamic, Alfoos Mango White or Coconut White Balsamic?  They all sound pretty fantastic to me.

I don't know about you guys, but I have been fairly uninspired with my recipe repertoire lately. The reason is partially due to cooking for a toddler, but it's mostly because of the gray, dark period called Spring.  "That's ridiculous!" you say, "Spring is all things green and bright."  Not if you think about it.  I've just emerged from my comfort food loving Winter, where everything swims in butter and it doesn't matter since I really only wear sweats anyway to "holy crap, I have to wear a bathing suit in 3 months, what have I been doing with my life?" Totally the dark days.  The problem is that Spring produce, to me, is the least fun.  I love all things fruit or veggie in the Summer and Fall.  Even in the winter, who doesn't love potatoes for every meal and a little citrus here and there to brighten things up?  Spring is  also tricky because the weather isn't consistent enough to either fire up the grill (oh, look at that - rain!), or run the oven for extended periods of time (why is the house suddenly 80 degrees and the air conditioner kicking on?).  You see?  Uninspiring.

That is why there are great food writers out there.  What did we do before the internet?  And I'm not saying I don't have favorite cook books.  I do!  You should see my bookshelves! But these ladies (whom I've never met, but I pretend that we're best friends and on a first name basis) give me something to look forward to cooking.  Even in Spring.  They embrace flavors.  Molly Wizenberg just won a James Beard award for her blog Orangette.  I have been following her for about 6 years.  Now that's love.  Smitten Kitchen by Deb Perelman is my other blog haunt.  If you ever need inspiration, look at these two fantastic blogs. They make me think of stepping out of my box and trying Asian-fusion food and Middle Eastern Carrot Salads.  I hope I'm giving you ideas, because here are a few of my favorite recipes.

Easy Asian Noodles
Adapted from Orangette

I love these noodles.  So much.  I love them right as I make them, and maybe even more the next day, cold, straight from the fridge. No shame.  You can make the whole recipe for a large group or cut it in half.  Either way it will get eaten.  You can add grilled chicken or shrimp, if you're into that.  You can substitute the Roasted Red Peppers for Grilled Eggplant or the Bean Sprouts for Shiitakes.  Or just throw it all in together, because the more the merrier!  The list of ingredients looks daunting, but chances are you have nearly all of these things lying around in the back of your refrigerator.

For Dressing & Noodles
7 Tbsp. Japanese Toasted Sesame Oil
7 Tbsp.  Soy Sauce or Tamari
3 Tbsp. Traditional Balsamic
3 Tbsp.  Honey, Maple Syrup or Sugar
1 Tbsp. Chili Paste or Sriracha
6 scallions, green parts thinly sliced
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro, Thai basil or mint (I prefer mint)
1 Tbsp. fresh ginger, grated
1 clove garlic, minced
3 Tbsp. sesame seeds, toasted if you'd like
1 lb. spaghetti, or rice noodles or soba noodles

For veggies
3  Red, Yellow or Orange Bell Peppers (look at the Aldi ad for the week, they are frequently on sale)
1 c. snow peas
1 carrot, grated
1/2 lb. mung bean sprouts (or shiitakes!)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  While oven is preheating and water is warming, mix everything for the dressing together in a very large bowl (all your noodles and veggies will get tossed in this bowl together later).

Once water comes to a boil, add noodles and cook until al dente.  Before you drain the noodles, throw in your snow peas and boil for another 30 seconds.  Drain the noodles and snow peas, rinse with cool water to stop the cooking process.  Put your well drained noodles and snow peas in the large bowl of dressing and toss well.  Set aside to meld those flavors while you move on to roasting the peppers.

Place cored and halved red bell peppers on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, flipping once (or use our lovely roasted red peppers here at the store!) .  Once they are cool enough to handle, cut them into strips and throw them in the bowl of noodles along with the grated carrot and bean sprouts.  Taste and adjust for seasoning.  If you used low-sodium soy sauce you might want to add 1 tsp. of salt.  If you like the spice, add some more chili paste.

Eat up!

My Go-To Granola
Also adapted from Orangette

I am not a breakfast person.  At least not until 10-11 a.m.  But this granola is a great breakfast food.  I eat it with a little yogurt (either plain or honey-vanilla) and some fruit and it completes me.  I have made a lot of granola and I truly love this Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Granola from David Lebovitz, but Molly's granola is the bees-knees.  And! It features a ton of olive oil! I know a place that has a lot of olive oil!  But seriously, this is a great snack to have around the house.  It requires one large bowl, two baking sheets and some parchment paper.  No excuses not to make this one.

6 c. old fashioned rolled oats
2-3 c. unsweetened coconut chips (found at ONF in bulk or the baking aisle at Wal-Mart)
3-4 c. chopped nuts of your choice or a dried fruit/nut combo
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. pure maple syrup
2/3 c. Extra Virgin Olive Oil (or try the Blood Orange Fused Olive Oil!!)


Preheat oven to 300.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.  Dump everything into a large bowl (I seem to use the same bowl for this granola as for the above mentioned noodles) and mix well.

Bake for 40 minutes, flipping the granola every 15 minutes, so that it doesn't burn.  It should be lovely and fragrant and nicely golden when it is finished.  Let it cool before putting it in an air-tight container.

This will keep at room temperature for a couple weeks.  However, I freeze mine and grab handfuls out of the freezer bag in the morning.  Which ever you prefer!


Carrot Salad with Harissa
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

So, this is a great spring salad, in my opinion.  The carrots are sweet, the Harissa is spicy, and it is so good.  Eat it on a sandwich, or a pita pocket with either of these Lamb Meatball recipes (Deb's Meatballs or Molly's Meatballs adapted from Deb's).  Personally I prefer Molly's version, because I'm a very busy woman and I haven't got all day (won't cost much, just your voice) and she omits a step.  Back to the carrot salad: try it.  You will love it and never think of carrots in the same way again.

3/4 lb. carrots, peeled, trimmed and grated
4 Tbsp. Harissa Infused Olive Oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. ground coriander (The original recipe calls for ground caraway seeds)
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. sugar
3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint
Feta, as much as you'd like

In a small frying pan, over medium heat, cook olive oil, garlic, coriander (or caraway), cumin, paprika and sugar until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.  Remove from heat, add lemon juice and a pinch of salt.  Pour over your grated carrots that are eagerly awaiting in a medium bowl.  Add herbs and mix well.  Let marinate for 1 hour, add the feta and enjoy!

Happy Dark Days of Spring, my friends!

Dill-icious Edition

Hi friends,

I feel like it has been a while since I've given you any new material, so here I am about to overload you to make up for lost time.  Are you ready? Okay.  I realize that on my previous posts I give you three to four recipes that often feature a variety of oils and vinegars and you may think, "well that sounds great, but I'm not going to buy 15 things to make these fantastic-sounding foods."  I'm here to help.  This post is just going to feature one (1!) of our olive oils: the Wild Anthos Dill Olive Oil to be exact (hereafter called WADOO.).  I have been using this oil shamelessly for the past couple of weeks.  Partially I've been using it to give you some good recipes, but mostly I just really love it and I hope you do, too!  It all started with this http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2015/02/spaghetti-pangrattato-with-fried-eggs/#more-14209.  I used the WADOO to fry the eggs and toss the pasta, added fresh chopped dill and omitted the parsley and rosemary.  Holy Moly.  I went nuts after that, as you will soon see.  But! I'm going to go mullet on you and do business in the front, party in the back.

Business: Next week we are doing our second mobile tasting.  This time we'll be going to Ozark Folkways in Winslow on April 16 from 6:30-8:30.  Here are the event details: https://www.facebook.com/events/1573496369587690.  Join us if you can!  We would love to see your friendly faces.

Image courtesy of Justin Rucker

If you happen to come by our store and it sounds like a herd of badly behaved elephants are jumping on the ceiling, we apologize.  Construction has begun on the apartment upstairs and I don't think it is humanly possible to destroy walls quietly.  So, my apologies if we get cut off mid-sentence by a loud bang.

But, do come by!  We are now selling our Wild Mushroom & Sage Infused Olive Oil for 20% off.  Why, you might ask, are we discounting such a lovely oil?  Well, I'll tell you.  We just got in a Cilantro & Roasted Onion Infused Olive Oil that we are really excited about.  Think summer grilling, salsas, Asian Fusion food, etc.  And now you're thinking, "I want this!"  We would love to give it to you, but we have no room.  So, the Wild Mushroom & Sage is going to give up its slot until the fall/winter.  We'll pull the old switcheroo and have our rotating seasonal oil, so stop in and grab a bottle at a great discount.

Also, our Spanish Oro Bailen Arbequina is nearly out!  We will have another Arbequina to take its place, but it is a from California and has a very different profile.  You'll still like it just as well, but if you're in love with the Oro Bailen Arbequina, better safe than sorry.  Come refill while you can!

Many people ask us, "what can I do with this flavored oil (or balsamic) besides put it on a salad?"  I agree that the infused/fused oils lose their potency when you cook with them over high heat, so I roast with one of our Ultra Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oils and use the infused oil as a finisher.  I drizzle it over hummus, pasta, roasted veggies, popcorn, fruit salads (strawberries tossed with our Traditional Balsamic is heavenly).  Use it in pancake or waffle batter (think Butter or Blood Orange for sweet and Baklouti, Chipotle or Harissa for potato pancakes or savory waffles).  Bake a sweet potato and drizzle our Butter Infused Olive Oil and Cinnamon-Pear Balsamic over it.  And, really, give the Balsamic a try in your cocktail.  You won't be disappointed! Don't be afraid to experiment.  There are lots of things you can do with the oils and vinegars besides "just" using them on a bed of greens.  Although that is quite wonderful as well.

If you are ever stumped as to what you can do with any of our products, shoot me an email or call us up at the store.  I also take requests. That's right, if you want me to develop a recipe just for you, I can do that! Or if you would like me to write about something on one of the next blog/email posts, let me know.

And now, the party:

Epic Failure

First, let me say, that I am an extremely stubborn person.  I do not accept defeat graciously.  The first time I attempted this Aioli, it was a disaster.  A disaster.  Ina Garten says, "homemade Aioli is so easy! You should always make your own mayo because it takes only minutes."  Do not listen to this woman.  Her kitchen is far too beautiful for her to be considered trustworthy.

See Exhibit A.  I even tried to cook the dang thing over low heat, as if making homemade ice cream (after 30 minutes to zizzing it to death in the food processor, then blender, then immersion blender).  It's not pretty.

Victory is Mine!

And then I watched a YouTube video.  Apparently all I had to do was SLOWLY (as in a few drops at a time) add in the olive oil until it just barely started to thicken.  Then, and only then, can you continue adding the oil in a SLOW and steady stream.  Well then.  I suppose patience really is a virtue.

Exhibit B. My lovely jar of Aioli.

Also, I was mad at my food processor because it had never failed me before, so I decided to whisk the second batch using my whisk attachment for my immersion blender. It turned out great!  I think it would have done just as well in the food processor, but don't tell it I said so.  We're still a bit sore over the whole Aioli debacle.

Dill Aioli
Adapted from Savor The Best

*This recipe uses raw egg yolk.  Be warned! Salmonella, death, etc. You can substitute in pasteurized egg yolks such as Safe Eggs if you're worried. But it's lovely and can be used as a condiment for your grilled salmon, the Dill-viled Eggs, and the Dilly Chicken Salad (or a quick Tuna Salad). This makes about 1.5 cups and can keep in the refrigerator, in a sealed container, for up to a week.

2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 tsp. Dijon Mustard
2 large egg yolks
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh dill, optional
1 c. Wild Anthos Dill Olive Oil
1 Tbsp. fresh squeezed lemon juice
Salt to taste

Place the garlic, dijon, egg yolks and fresh dill in the bowl of a food processor.  Blend it together until smooth, about 10 seconds. (Or whisk it the old fashioned way).

With the motor running, slowly (SLOWLY!) add in the WADOO, in a steady stream until completely emulsified, about 3-4 minutes.  Add in the lemon juice and salt and give it a few pulses.  Scrape down the sides and give it a few more pulses.  Your Aioli should be nice and thick.  Let sit for 30 minutes before serving.  Put the remainder in a container and refrigerate.

Dill-viled Eggs
Adapted from Serious Eats
http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2011/09/great-deviled-eggs-recipe.html

*Use your left over Easter Eggs that you never got around to dying (slacker).  Older eggs are actually easier to peel than fresh eggs.

12 large eggs
2 Tbsp. Dill Aioli or Mayo
1 Tbsp. Dijon Mustard
up to 1 Tbsp. Red or White Wine Vinegar
Dash of hot sauce, optional
1/4 c. Wild Anthos Dill Olive Oil
3 Tbsp. sliced Chives
Salt
Pepper
Paprika

Dill-viled Eggs

Prepare an ice bath (lots of ice cubes in a bowl of cold water) and set aside.

Fill a large pot with an inch or two of water.  Place steamer insert into pot, cover, and bring to a boil over high heat.  Add eggs to steamer basket, cover, and continue to cook over high heat for 12 minutes.  Immediately transfer eggs to the ice bath and let cool for 15 minutes. Peel your eggs under cold running water.  (My husband says don't let the egg shells go down the garbage disposal.)

Slice each egg in half.  Scoop out the egg yolks and put them in the bowl of a food processor (if you're smarter than I am, you would make the Aioli and then these deviled eggs so that you would only have to wash your food processor once.)  Add Aioli or mayo, Dijon, half of the vinegar, and a dash of hot sauce to the egg yolks.  Process until smooth, scraping down sides as needed.  With machine running, drizzle in 2 Tbsp. of the WADOO.  Taste your concoction.  Add more vinegar, if you want to.  Season with salt and pepper.

Pick out the best-looking 16 egg whites, put them on a fancy platter and set them aside.  Add the remaining egg whites to your chicken or tuna salad.

Transfer mixture to a plastic Ziploc bag or pastry bag, snip a hole in the corner and pipe into your egg whites.  Drizzle with remaining WADOO, sprinkle with salt, pepper, paprika and chives.

Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Grilled Simple Salmon with Orzo
*This is not a "real" recipe, it is just an outline for you to wing it as you'd like

Fresh Salmon (as much as you need to feed the number of people you're cooking for)
1 or 2 lemons, washed and sliced into medium-thickness circles
Wild Anthos Dill Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
Fresh Dill, optional

Pat your salmon dry with paper towels, brush on a bit of WADOO, and season with salt and pepper.  Lay down your sliced lemon on your grill rack, in roughly the shape of your fish.  The lemon is going to act as a tasty barrier between your salmon and the grill.  I cried the first time I lost half my salmon because it stuck to my grill. This will ensure that it never happens to you!

Light your grill, set it to medium flame and lay the salmon, skin side down, on top of the lemons. Close your grill and cook your orzo.  Fish cooks fairly quickly, so be sure to peek at it every 5 minutes or so to make sure it isn't going to dry out on you.

When your fish is grilled to your preferred level of firmness (15 minutes or so, depending on the size), remove from grill, set on a platter and drizzle on a healthy dose of WADOO, more salt, pepper and dill, to taste. Serve with the dill Aioli and orzo.

Orzo:
1 lb. orzo (or any short pasta)
Cherry tomatoes, halved
Red, yellow or orange bell pepper, chopped
Red onion, chopped
Cucumber, peeled and chopped
Feta Cheese, crumbled
Salt
Pepper
Wild Anthos Dill Olive Oil

While salmon is grilling, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Cook orzo, per package directions.  Drain, put it in a large bowl and throw in your chopped veggies and cheese, toss with a few glugs of WADOO and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Easy Peasy!

Dilly Chicken Salad

*I feel like chicken salad, as well as tuna salad, is a very personal affair. I am not a mayo fan, so I like a lighter (1/4 c.) Greek Yogurt version.  My husband loves mayo more than life itself, but hates raw onion.  So make it however you like.  But use the WADOO.  You won't regret it.

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, baked at 350 for 25 minutes or grilled (Don't boil it, for heaven's sake! Unless you like boiled chicken, then by all means, carry on.)
1/4 c. to 1/2 c. Greek Yogurt or Mayo or Aioli
1/4 c. Wild Anthos Dill Olive Oil
1/4 c. Red Onion, chopped fine (you can cook them, if you don't do the raw onion, or substitute in sliced Scallions)
Handful of Grapes, halved (optional)
Handful of Walnuts, toasted (optional)
A few strips of Roasted Red Peppers (optional)
Chopped fresh Dill, to taste

Chop up your cooked, cooled chicken and toss everything together in a medium bowl.  Serve on toasty bread, over a bed of greens, on a spoon, in a picnic lunch, etc.  Enjoy!

Meet my best friend, Dill.