Salty Pickled Things

Hi there!

As I sit here eating the most pungent salad you could dream of (the type of salad that might scare you away, should you walk in the door right now), I thought I would share a few recipes with you along with some updates.  But first let me have a mint.

So, what's going on around here?  A lot!  We have some crazy new salts, chocolates, Northern Hemisphere Olive Oils, a Walnut Oil, soon to be put out Lavender Balsamic and Blueberry Balsamic. I'll tell you a bit about each of these things in a minute.

You may have noticed that our sign outside of the store is gone.  We haven't moved or anything; the wild wind blew it away last week.  A new one will be up soon, but if you were just cruising by and didn't see it up, that's why. Also our open sign fell down and was out of commission last week.  It really did look like we were closed, but we weren't!  We're here! Except from 5:00-5:15 on Wednesdays and Fridays.  I have to go pick up my dear son from day care during that time.  If you come by and I'm not here, there is a sign in the window saying I'll be right back.  I will be! I will be right back with a small boy and his stuffed penguin in tow.  Sorry for any inconvenience.

The salts.  We have a new salt bar, so to speak.  My favorite is the Cyprus Flaked Salt, which has really large, crunchy flakes that are perfect sprinkled on the NY Times Chocolate Chip Cookies and on roasted asparagus. (Disclaimer about these cookies: if you make them, you will forever be a changed person.  No other cookie can compare.  I insist that you use Kerry Gold Butter and Ghirardelli 60% Bittersweet Chocolate Disks.  And the Cyprus Sea Salt.)  But there is also Fleur de Sel, Sel Gris, Himalayan Pink Salt, and Hawaiian Black Salt to try.  And then you can get crazy (think rimmed drinks and baked goods and meat rubs) with Espresso Brava Salt, Habanero Infused Salt, Hickory Smoked, Mesquite Smoked, Sun Ripened Tomato Infused, and Thai Ginger Infused Salt.  Check them out, they are really fun.

Don't worry, we still have the infamous Black Truffle Salt and Seasonello Salt. Those guys aren't going anywhere.  The same goes for the Theo's Chocolates.  We have a great stock of Theo's going, but now we've added on Taza Chocolate.  This chocolate is really interesting.  It is Mexican-Style stone ground, so it is fairly unrefined and minimally processed, resulting in a somewhat gritty texture that is strangely addictive.  It's also organic and fair trade.  We have it in five flavors, all of which are dark chocolate: Coffee, Chipotle Chili, Guajillo Chili, Salted Almond, and Cinnamon.

Salt?  Check.  Chocolate? Check. Now let's talk oils and vinegars.  We're at that time of year again when we have the Northern Hemisphere lineup.  From Greece, I bring you the perfectly balanced medium bodied Athinoelia. The Coratina Grand Cru and Favolosa are both medium/robust and back from Italy.  Our Spanish beauties include the Melgarejo Frantoio (robust), Melgarejo Hojiblanca (very robust), and Oro Bailen Picual (also robust), our all-time favorite.  We are also home players and have a super mild Sevillano and medium Organic Arbequina from California.  Our new, amazing!, Roasted Walnut Oil is also from California.  The Walnut Oil is so dang smooth and lightly nutty that I don't even know where to start.  Actually, I do.  I'm going to start by pairing it with our Raspberry Balsamic and it's going to be heaven.  I should have most of these guys out by Tuesday, if you can wait until then.

As for the balsamics, I'm swapping out the Vermont Maple for Lavender and the Pumpkin Pie White for a Wild Blueberry.  Those two are still on clearance for 25% off.   I'll probably switch them over on Monday, so if you NEED Maple or Pumpkin Pie Spice, speak now or wait until next fall when we get it back.  I think that's all that we have new in that department.

Okay! If you've been by lately while I'm here, you will have undoubtedly seen that there is to be a new baby here in the store sometime Mid June.  Hooray!  Well, I'm in that lovely phase of pregnancy when anything salty or pickledy is the bees knees.  Which is actually a gigantic step ahead of hating the smell of anything at all!  And I finally (finally!) want vegetables again.  So for the past week solid, we have been having some version of salad around my house.

My true love lies with a Falafel Salad.  Stay with me.  This is one of my top ten meals, maybe even top five.  I could eat one of these every. single. day. and not get sick of it.  I bake my falafel instead of frying it, so I don't feel too greasy and weighed down.  I do a quick pickled red onion that I use throughout the week on unsuspecting salads like Panzanella (I'll get to that later) or on burgers and other sandwiches.  Marinate and grill chicken, so if (a toddler sized) someone in your house doesn't like falafel (heathen), they can have that instead.  Then you just add normal salad fare: tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce/greenery, feta, pepperoncini, and dressing of your choice.  If you're feeling lazy and want to go with a bottled dressing, I recommend Newman's Own Family Italian recipe. Or just a good EVOO.  Either way, you will no stop wanting to eat this salad.

But then you move on to the more adult, more pungent Panzanella.  I didn't write out the recipe, but here's a link to a decent starting point.  I use Ina's recipe for the vinaigrette, which is spot-on and can also be used for the Falafel Salad. However, I make a few changes to suit my tastes. I don't use cucumber or basil, but Arugula and anchovies instead.  And I probably use more like 1/4 c. capers.  I also throw in cubed mozzarella or the little mozzarella pearls if I'm eating the salad as a main course.  I had my Panzanella with a side of roasted asparagus and leftover grilled chicken.  It's also what I was eating when I started this email. You'll love it.  Try it this weekend.

Here are the recipes.

Baked Falafel
Adapted from Epicurious

2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 onion
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. baking powder
4-6 Tbsp. flour (if you are gluten free, use chickpea flour or other substitute)
1/4 c. or so EVOO, divided

In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade, put in the onion and garlic and pulse until well chopped.  Add in the chickpeas, salt, pepper, and cumin and process until blended, but not pureed.  Sprinkle in the baking powder and 4 Tbsp. flour and pulse until it forms a ball and is no longer sticky.  Add more flour, if necessary, but make sure it doesn't get too crumbly.  Put it in a bowl, cover it, and refrigerate it for an hour or so. (Start marinating the chicken and pickling onions)

Preheat oven to 425.

Line a large baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper.  Form falafel into walnut sized balls, flatten slightly and place on lined baking sheet.  Continue until all the mixture is used.  Drizzle half of your 1/4 cup EVOO over the falafel.

Put them in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Flip your falafel, drizzle on the other half of your EVOO and stick back in the oven for another 15-20 minutes, until they are golden brown and smell heavenly.  If they are too dry, add a bit more olive oil.  Serve these guys in a falafel salad or in a pita. Falafel Salad: tender greens, tomato, cucumber, feta, falafel and/or grilled chicken, pickled onions and/or pepperoncini, vinaigrette or Greek or Italian dressing of choice.

Chicken Marinade/Grilled Chicken
3 chicken breasts, pounded thin
1/4 c. plain yogurt
juice of 1 lemon
2 Tbsp. EVOO (I use Wild Fernleaf Dill Olive Oil for fun)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Mix all the ingredients together in a gallon Ziploc bag, add the chicken and smush it around so that it all gets covered.  Stick it back in the refrigerator and marinate for about an hour, while you move on to other things (like pickling red onions and slicing tomatoes and cucumbers).

When you're ready, preheat your grill to medium flame (?).  Remove chicken from the bag and shake off excess marinade.  Place your chickens on the hot grill, close the lid, and leave them alone for about 5 minutes.  Flip them over and cook for about 5 more minutes (depending on how thin you pounded them and how hot your grill is).  When your chicken is cooked through, but not yet a dry, tough bird, remove and set aside until cool enough to slice.

Quick Pickled Red Onions
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

1/2 c. Red Wine Vinegar or Champagne Vinegar
1/2 c. cold water
1 Tbsp. salt
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced

In a bowl, combine all the ingredients and set aside for at least one hour.  These guys gets better with time, so you can cover the container and keep it in the refrigerator to use on sandwiches, in Panzanella, and in any salad.

Roasted Asparagus
1 bunch asparagus, washed and woody ends trimmed
4? Tbsp. EVOO
1 tsp. or more sea salt (Cyprus Sea Salt, that is)

Preheat oven to 425.  Place washed asparagus on baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and bake for about 30 minutes, flipping once.

Thanks for reading and I hope to see you in the store soon!

Cheers,
Andrea

Takeout at Home (and Happy New Year)

Hello there and Happy (Belated) New Year!

That, my friends, was one crazy holiday season.  Thank you all for being such wonderful people and coming in to hang out with us, shop local with us, and (most importantly) bear with us as we navigated that crazy Christmas thing.  Between one shipment getting lost en route, one getting utterly destroyed somewhere in L.A. and then hoodlums vandalizing the building we're in, we decided we earned a break.  We took a vacation for the first week of January, so we're sorry if you came by and we weren't there.  We'll be happily back at the shop on Tuesday, January 12, restocked and rested from the madness. When we reopen, you'll notice a new face among us.  A lovely lady named Connie is going to be our Tuesday/Thursday and some Saturdays helper and she's great.  I think you'll like her.

What I'm doing on my vacation. 

Many of you rushed to the call and purchased our Denissimo Ultra Premium Balsamic and now I'm sure, like us, you're wondering how to get the dang stuff out of the bottle.  Well, you have to heat it up a bit.  Put your bottle in warm water or hold a blow dryer to it, because these cold days make that thick beautiful balsamic quite unwilling to move.  I know the feeling. If you have any questions about it, shoot us an email or give us a call.

So, it's that time of year again.  We are switching over to Northern Hemisphere Olive Oils!  We already have two Californian EVOOs: the mildest Sevillano I have ever tasted and a perfect (perfect, I say!) medium bodied Arbequina.  Soon we'll have some Spanish varieties (Hojiblanca and Picual for sure) and, later, some Italian and maybe a Greek oil.  I'll keep you posted.  It's also time to swap out the Vermont Maple Balsamic for the Lavender Balsamic and I'm taking it upon myself to introduce a Champagne Vinegar instead of our Red Wine Vinegar.  I hope you don't mind.

I don't know about you, but I really, really like the restaurants in Fayetteville.  I mean, we're across the street from A Taste of Thai and Petra Cafe, so it's a wonder I haven't gained 20 pounds this year.  But I never go for Chinese Takeout.  I think I have maybe eaten at one Chinese restaurant in the 10 years I've lived here, and that was because I was with a group of starving males who could truly put a hurting on a buffet. But I kind of love it and it's quite nostalgic for me, as my grandparents often took my sister and I out to eat Lo Mein and Wanton Soup.  So I decided to make my own Chinese Takeout at Home.  All of these recipes are fairly easy, although making the dumplings is a bit time consuming. And each of these recipes features our Toasted Sesame Oil, which is darker, richer and nuttier than any sesame oil I've bought from a grocery store.  Not to brag or anything.

First we'll start with the Pork Dumplings/Potstickers/Jiaozi, whatever you want to call them.  The filling comes together really easily.  It's like making meatballs, you just throw everything into one bowl and mix it around.  The filling and folding is also easy, it just takes time.  Words of warning: don't get overly ambitious and try to stuff in lots of filling because that will lead to heartache when it won't fold and then you lose all of that filling when you cook them.  Not that I learned from experience or anything.  There are tutorials on YouTube (isn't there a tutorial for everything now a days?) if you want a perfect technique.  I will say that I lay out all the wrappers first, then dole out all the filling, and then I fold them all.  It seems to be easier that way.

Then you go for the Orange Chicken.  I decided to do this instead of my favorite Cashew Chicken because 1) oranges are in season and 2) I thought my son would be more likely to eat it. The recipe I'm giving you is fine.  The marinade/sauce is actually really tasty, but the next time I make this I'm not going to fry the chicken.  Gasp!  I know!  I went for the more authentic takeout experience, but I think this recipe would be truly delicious with grilled chicken instead.  Which is great for all of you ambitious, brave souls who made healthy New Years Resolutions.  I would still marinate it the same, but leaving the chicken breasts whole, then draining the marinade and grilling them.  Make the sauce the same way, though.  And maybe add some spicy pepper, which I couldn't do to my child.

The green beans I made are not really a "recipe".  I'll just tell you, take a pound of green beans and roast them or sautee them in a little EVOO.  Once they are to your desired crispness or charred-ness, add equal parts soy sauce, Toasted Sesame Oil, Honey (1 Tbsp. each?) and 2 cloves crushed garlic and toss them all around.  Cook for a few minutes to get them glazed and that's that.  Easy peasy.

Without further ado...the recipes.

Chinese Pork Dumplings
Adapted from All Recipes

Filling:
1 lb. ground pork
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 egg, beaten
2 Tbsp. chives or scallions, chopped
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 1/2 Tbsp. Toasted Sesame Oil
1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger
50 dumpling wrappers
1 c. vegetable oil, for frying
1 quart water

Dipping Sauce:
1/2 c. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1 Tbsp. Toasted Sesame Oil
1 Tbsp. Sriracha

1.  Mix together the pork, garlic, egg, scallions, soy sauce, sesame oil, and ginger in a large bowl until thoroughly combined.  Set out wrappers on a lightly floured surface (or wax paper or a Silpat liner) and spoon 1 Tbsp. filling onto each wrapper.  Wet the edge with a little water and crimp together (as per whatever YouTube video you watch) to seal the dumpling. Repeat until all are sealed.

2.  Heat 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Place 8-10 dumplings in the pan and cook until browned, about 3 minutes.  Pour in 1 c. water, cover, and steam until dumplings are tender and pork is cooked through, about 5 minutes.  Repeat for the remaining dumplings.  Serve with the dipping sauce.

Chinese Orange Chicken
Adapted from Damn Delicious
*Again, next time I would grill the chicken.  Then I would feel healthier and my house wouldn't smell like KFC for two days. It would probably also taste awesome.

1 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut into 1 inch cubes, if frying)

Marinade/Sauce:
1 c. chicken broth
1/2 c. fresh orange juice
1/4 c. sugar
1/3 c. distilled white vinegar or rice vinegar
1/4 c. soy sauce
1 tsp. Toasted Sesame Oil (optional)
1 tsp. Sriracha (optional)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. orange zest
1/2 tsp. ground ginger or 1 Tbsp. fresh ginger
1/4 tsp. pepper

If frying:
1 c. cornstarch
2 eggs, beaten
1 c. vegetable oil

1.  Mix together all the ingredients for the marinade in a large bowl.

2.  In another bowl, combine chicken and 2/3 c. of the marinade; let marinate at least 30 minutes (the perfect amount of time to cook the dumplings!).  Drain the chicken from the marinade, discarding that particular marinade.

3.  If frying, dip the chicken into a bowl with the beaten eggs, then dredge it in cornstarch.  Heat 1 c. oil in a large pan and, working in batched, fry the chicken until golden brown.  Transfer to a paper towel lined plate.  Discard excess oil.

4.  Heat the remaining marinade in large pan (I used my same chicken pan, wiped out) and add 2 Tbsp. cornstarch with 2 Tbsp. water to it.  Cook until thick and bubbly.  Throw that chicken back in the pan, stir it all around to coat and voila! Orange Chicken! Sprinkle on some sesame seeds and scallions to make it look fancy and serve with white or brown rice.

Don't forget to make the green beans, too.

Thanks for shopping with us and for reading until the end.  You're the best!

Cheers,
Andrea

 

Thanksgiving Edition

Well, hello there!

It has been a while since I've seen you here.  Hi!  I feel like there is a lot to fill you in on.  Let's start with pointing out that Thanksgiving is next week.  Next.  Week.  How did that happen?  I blinked and now the holidays are upon us.  The store will be closed Thursday and Friday (Nov. 26 and 27), but we will be ready to move and shake on Small Business Saturday, which is the 28th.  Small Business Saturday is your chance to shop locally for good deals and to support those small town folks you know and love.  We will have cider and treats and extended hours for all your shopping needs!  We'll have popcorn (obviously), door prizes, and a freshly stocked store just for you.  It's also our One Year Anniversary, so we'd love to see you to say thanks for all of your support.  Oh, and The Lights of the Ozarks light up at 5 p.m. (the parade is Friday the 20th at 6 pm, if you're into that sort of thing), so hang out with us and then walk around our lovely square!

We're trying out something new and fun for Thursdays, which have traditionally been our slowest day of the week.  I introduce to you, "3-for Thursday"!  Buy 2 bottles (200 ml or above) and get the 3rd one for half price.  And don't forget your punch cards.  Those punches can quickly add up to a free bottle.

We just ordered a new balsamic for the holidays, which will have you reeling.  If you are addicted to our Traditional Balsamic, great!  But now we will have another option for you, the Ultra Premium "Denissimo" Balsamic.  This balsamic has a density of 1.36 and contains less than 1% aged Italian Red Wine Vinegar, making it the thickest, richest balsamic available to date.  Whew!  Just go ahead and put it on your wish list.  It's made in very small batches, so we are restricted to only a few cases this season.  When we sell out, we're out. Get it while you can!

Picual "Reserve"

The EVOOs we have right now are pretty stunning, too.  We just cracked open a Picual "Reserve"
from Chile that is dang near perfect.  I really don't think there is a better olive oil out there, but we'll keep searching and find out.  We have a robust Coratina from Chile coming our way that won "Best in Show" at an olive oil competition on Los Angeles.  We'll also have a mild Australian Manzanillo that I'm very interested in trying, as this is a new variety for us.  This is probably our last  order of Southern Hemisphere oils, as the Northern Hemisphere has just finished up their early fruit harvest.  There are some Californian cultivars that are already selling their oil, so we should have that available soon enough.

Anyway...I thought for this round of recipes I'd go with Thanksgiving sides.  I made Sweet and Spicy Candied Nuts, Wild Mushroom & Sage Cornbread Stuffing, and (my favorite) Balsamic Braised Brussels Sprouts.  Read on for full descriptions and recipes.

The nuts.  These things are strangely addictive.  The day that I made them they became my lunch because I just could not stop.  You can buy a can of plain old mixed nuts for the holidays, but why? Why?? If you want people to stay out of your kitchen while you frantically scrape together the entire Thanksgiving meal, put out a bowl of Sweet and Spicy Nuts and a cheese plate.  They'll be too busy munching to ask you for anything else.  Now, there is a lot of room to improvise with these.  I added rosemary to mine, and while I don't exactly regret it, I'm not sure that I would go that route again.  But if you love rosemary, do it! They were still fantastic.  If you don't have Smoked Paprika in your spice repertoire, I ask you, "what are you waiting for?"  You can pick it up at Walmart and you will use it constantly.  If you are a rebel, and refuse to do as I say, you can use our Chipotle Olive Oil instead to achieve that nice smokiness.  Or Garlic Olive Oil or Blood Orange Olive Oil or just your favorite EVOO.  The recipe I'm giving you makes one baking sheets' worth of nuts.  If you have a large family, I recommend doubling it.

Most appetizing photo of food ever

Stuffing is complex thing.  Everyone has their own way of doing stuffing.  Mine is on the simple side.  I make cornbread, cube it up, spread it over a baking sheet and either let it dry out over night or bake it at 400 for 10 minutes, depending on how much I have planned ahead.  Grease a baking dish.  Fry up some bacon (or this year Italian Sausage seems to be the trend), sautee 2 onions and 4 ribs of celery in the drippings, deglaze pan with white wine or cooking sherry, add some stock and butter. Throw in pecans, dried cranberries, or whatever floats your gravy boat.  Mix everything (gently) together along with two beaten eggs and put it in the baking dish.  Bake it. That's it.  That's my stuffing.  This year I used our Wild Mushroom and Sage Olive Oil to grease my pan and drizzled a very healthy bit over the top of my stuffing before I baked it and it came out beautifully!  I didn't add any additional salt, due to the bacon and stock being plenty salty and I'm really glad that I refrained.  I also didn't add porcinis or creminis or any other mushroom to my stuffing only because, with large groups, there is inevitably some weirdo who doesn't like mushrooms.  If I was making it just for myself, I would omit the nuts and fruit and do mushrooms and smoked oysters.  Do what you want, just use the Wild Mushroom and Sage as a finisher.  It's fantastic.

Even if you don't think you like Brussels Sprouts, you need to make these Balsamic Braised Brussels Sprouts.  My husband said, "I don't think these count as a vegetable anymore." I have to agree.  The original recipe calls for toasted bread crumbs to put on top.  However, I made the mistake of trying a bite out of the pan and I didn't get any farther than that.  I used our Traditional Balsamic, but I could see the Pomegranate Balsamic also being a bit hit.  Either way you shake it, your Thanksgiving spread needs these Sprouts.

Sweet and Spicy Mixed Nuts

Adapted from Bon Appetit Nov. 2015

1 heaping c. whole almonds
1 heaping c. pecans
1 heaping c. walnuts
1/3 c. pure maple syrup
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil of your choice
1 Tbsp. chopped dried rosemary (optional)
2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. salt

1.  Preheat oven to 350.

2.  Toss all ingredients together in a large bowl.

3.  Bake on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing occasionally, until nuts are toasted, 20-25 minutes.

4.  Spread out on parchment or wax paper to cool, breaking up clusters.  The end.

Wild Mushroom and Sage Cornbread Stuffing
A Bon Appetit/The Pioneer Woman combo recipe

Your favorite cornbread recipe, cubed and dried out
1/3 c. chopped pecans
1/3 c. dried cranberries
8 oz. bacon, chopped
2 onions, chopped
4 ribs celery, chopped
1/2 c. dry cooking sherry or white wine
1 stick butter
2 eggs, beaten
2 c. turkey or chicken stock
1/3, or up to 1/2 c. Wild Mushroom and Sage Olive Oil

1.  Preheat oven to 350.  Grease a large baking dish with the olive oil.  Place your cornbread, pecans and cranberries in a large bowl.

2.  Heat 3 Tbsp. Olive Oil in a large skillet and cook bacon over medium heat until crisp, about 6 minutes.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked bacon to the bowl with the cornbread.

3.  In the same skillet, cook onions and celery, stirring often, until golden, 10 minutes.  Add them to the bowl, too

4.  Deglaze your pan with the sherry or white wine, scraping up any browned bits, until almost all of the liquid is evaporated.  Now add the butter to the pan and cook until butter is melted.  Pour  over bread mixture.

5.  Whisk together the stock and 2 eggs and add them to the bread mixture, gently mixing everything together.  Season with pepper (lay off the salt!) and transfer it to the greased baking dish.  Drizzle the top with a healthy dose of olive oil.

6.  Cover with foil, bake for 30-35 minutes.  Remove foil, increase oven temperature to 450 and continue baking 20-25 more minutes.  Let sit 10 minutes before serving.  Enjoy!

Balsamic Braised Brussels Sprouts
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

2 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4 Tbsp. butter
2 lb. medium Brussels Sprouts, washed and trimmed
6 oz. bacon, chopped (4 slices?)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c. Traditional Balsamic Vinegar
1 1/2 c. Beef stock (or any kind of stock)
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

Looks can be deceiving. 

1.  Heat Olive Oil and butter in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add Brussels Sprouts and saute, tossing frequently, until golden brown.

2.  Add in chopped bacon and cook, stirring regularly, for another 10 minutes.  Add in the garlic and cook for another minute or so.

3.  Turn up the heat a bit and add in the balsamic and stock.  Cook for 20 minutes, tossing frequently, until liquid is cooked down and the sprouts are glazed and tender.  Check for seasonings.  If it needs salt or pepper, add some.  Eat straight from the pan, if you're me.  Otherwise, transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle to top with parsley and enjoy.

Those are all the sides I have for you.  I hope you have a fantastic holiday and that we see you here on Small Business Saturday!

Cheers!

Andrea & Tami

Roasted Cauliflower and Such

Hello, hello!

I think it is fair to say that today could be considered the first real day of autumn.  It's gray, chilly, and altogether lovely.  Speaking of lovely, did you guys see that Blood Moon/Lunar Eclipse/Shooting Stars/UFOs the other night?  Pretty wild stuff!  In honor of this truly fall day, I'm sending you a recipe for Roasted Cauliflower Pasta.  It's garlicky, lemony, walnutty, and super easy.  Make it tonight with a good salad.  Because, really, fall is for roasting vegetables.  Bring on the Brussels Sprouts, Potatoes, and Squash in all their charred glory!

Tomorrow night we are hosting an Art Reception/Happy Hour for David Holcomb.  You can check out his art beforehand at www.davidleeholcomb.com.  We'll be here from 5:30 until 8:00 with a rocking cheese plate, stuffed dates, and several other tasty treats along with wine to sip in David's honor.  I even decked out the store for fall.  (This is a big deal. I don't decorate.  I can cook and sew, but Martha Stewart will always have the one-up on me with her mad decorating skills.)   Be there or be square!

Fall Decor for the Store.

We have a big order coming in with some of our fall favorites.  Wild Mushroom and Sage Olive Oil as well as Whole Fruit Eureka Lemon Olive Oil are on their way.  We're also putting out our Vermont Maple Balsamic and Pumpkin Pie Spice White Balsamic, for if you're really feeling festive.  As for the Extra Virgin Olive Oils, we have 4 (four!) new ones from the Southern Hemisphere, which had an impressive harvest.  There are two mild oils from Chile, an Arbequina and a Picual (Gold Medal winner at an L.A. competition).  A medium intensity Barnea from Australia, and a robust Frantoio from Chile.  I think you'll really like this season's haul.

Roasted Cauliflower Pasta
Adapted from Cooks Illustrated Sept/Oct 2009

*Please note that you could skip the roasted garlic part and use our Garlic Infused Olive Oil, but I really, really love the complexity the roasted garlic adds to this dish.

**Also note that I have been making this recipe since 2009 and stopped measuring things around 2010, so the actual measurements given are approximations only. Proceed.

1 head garlic
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
1/2 c. (ish) olive oil, divided
salt, pepper, red pepper flakes
1 lb. Campanelle or Orecchiette Pasta
1 c. (ish) chopped Walnuts
1 lemon, juiced (or 2, if you really like lemon)
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese

1.  Preheat oven to 425.  Slice off the papery end of the garlic bulb, drizzle it with a bit of olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, wrap it in foil, place it on a baking sheet and stick it in the oven.  While that's getting started, chop up your cauliflower.  Put the cauliflower in a large bowl and toss with a good bit (2 Tbsp.?) of olive oil, a healthy sprinkle of salt and pepper. a pinch of sugar, and a shake of red pepper flakes (optional).  

2.  Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

3.  Remove the hot baking sheet with garlic from the oven and (quickly) put the cauliflower onto the sheet.  Return to the oven, and bake, turning once, for 30 minutes or so.  You might want to check on your garlic after 20 minutes and make sure it's still soft and not burning. Oh, and add your chopped walnuts to the baking sheet when there's 5 minutes left for the cauliflower, so they get a bit toasty.

4.   Once your water is boiling, add in pasta and cook according to package directions.  Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water before draining it.  I like the put the cooked pasta back in the same bowl that I tossed my cauliflower in, so as to use any left-over oil.

5.  Remove everything from the oven.  Put the cauliflower and walnuts in the same big bowl as the pasta.  Once the garlic is cool enough to handle, squeeze out the roasted cloves (I start with half of the cloves, to make sure it's not too overpoweringly garlicky) into a medium bowl with the remaining olive oil and juice from a lemon.  Whisk it all together with some salt and pepper, until smooth.  Pour it over the pasta, adding in the reserved pasta water if it seems too dry.  Add on the Parmesan and toss well.  Voila!

Cheers, friends!

Andrea

Long Weekends Were Made For Brunch

Hi!

Happy almost Labor Day.  I don't know about you, but the 4th of July feels very far away, and that was our last long weekend.  I'm so ready.  In honor of three whole days together, I have been developing some brunch recipes that, I must say, are the best yet. I bring you Blood Orange Scones, Butter-Garlic Shrimp and Grits and a boozy drink that I'll just call "Honey."  I think I put the most actual work into the beverage (juicing a grapefruit and a lime is hard work).  The other recipes are really, really simple.  I know I've probably said that before and you've cursed my name, but this time I'm serious.

Easiest Scones in the World

Let's start with the scones.  You literally dump some flour, baking powder and salt into the bowl of a food processor, fitted with a blade.  Then, in a large measuring cup, you beat together the oil and an egg and throw that in as well, followed by milk. [You can get fancy here and add in about 1/3 c. crystallized ginger, as I did.  Or add chocolate chips.  Or add the zest of a lemon or an orange, or that grapefruit you just juiced.  Or add in some dried cherries or something.  But you don't have to. Simplicity is the key here!] Pulse it until it all (kind of) comes together, pat it around into a (sort of) circle, cut it into eighths and put it in the oven.  Walk away.  Come back 15 minutes later and you have perfectly lovely scones! Have some tea with those and enjoy your day, or go ahead and make some Shrimp and Grits while you're at it.

Hmm...Shrimp and Grits.  I feel like these are the Green Eggs and Ham of the South.  "I don't like grits," says someone.  "Have you ever tried them?"  "No, they just sound gross."  Well phooey! Give these a go. You'll love them.  These guys are buttery, cheesy (but not too cheesy), with just the right amount of lemon and garlic tossed together with the shrimp.  Now, I'll do you a favor here and tell you to buy the UNCOOKED shrimp, as it will taste worlds better.  Frozen shrimp is fine.  You don't have to impress anyone around here, but make sure it's the uncooked grey kind.  Also, I'll have you know that these Shrimp and Grits were so good all by themselves that I didn't even add Tabasco to them.  Did you hear that?  Not even Tabasco could improve upon these simple beauties. Scroll on down to find the recipes, but I'm going to hit you with some store news next.

Mark your calendars!  We are having another art reception on October 1 from around 5:30-8:00.  That's also First Thursday on the Square, which should coincide nicely.  You can check out David Holcomb's amazing art here while you grab a drink or two and some hors d'oeuvres, then mosey on to check out more art at the Fayetteville Underground.  Parking might be tricky, but I highly recommend you come out anyway.

If you haven't been in to the store in a while, you should come see what all we have new.  We have spice blends!  Ten of them!  Including a truly fantastic Adobo Spice that makes a killer rub and a Montreal Steak Seasoning that will make you weak kneed.  Also there is an Apple Pie Spice just in time for apple pie baking season. (I am lined up to make approximately 5 apple pies in the upcoming month. I'll fill you in on that next time.)

It has been a while, so I'm attaching an updated list of everything we are currently carrying in the store.  You'll notice that many of the usual suspects are still here, but we have swapped out the Lavender Balsamic for Dark Chocolate Balsamic and that the Black Mission Fig Balsamic is back.  Soon we'll rotate out the Cilantro & Roasted Onion Olive Oil for Wild Mushroom & Sage because I am ready for Fall and all its baking and roasting glory. The Extra Virgin Olive Oils are always changing with the season, so here are some new Southern Hemisphere Oils that will make you very happy.

And now, the recipes...

Blood Orange Scones

Adapted from Nigella Lawson

2 c. all-purpose flour 

3 tsp. baking powder (not a typo...3 tsp!)

1 pinch salt

1/3 c. Blood Orange Olive Oil

1 egg

1/3 c. milk

(1/3 c. crystallized ginger or chocolate chips or whatever, optional)

1.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

2.  In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade (or just a big bowl, if you're doing this by hand), dump in the flour, baking powder and salt.  Give it a quick pulse or whisk.  In a measuring cup or bowl, whisk together the egg and olive oil until well blended.  Pour that on top of the flour mixture.  Next add in the milk.  Pulse it all together until it forms into a shaggy ball and then throw in your optional add ins and pulse it again once or twice. Or mix it together with a pastry cutter, if you're old fashioned.  

3.  Put the shaggy ball onto a lightly floured surface and pat it into a 8 inch-ish? circle (of whatever your desired thickness, but remember that it will rise).  Don't over work your dough.  It shouldn't be nice and smooth.  Scones and craggy and flaky and the more you work it, the less of both it will be.  Take a sharp knife and cut it like a pizza, into 8 triangles.  You can brush them with milk or butter, but I didn't and they were just fine.  Place them gently on your prepared baking sheet.

4.  Pop them in the oven for about 15 minutes, turning once, if you have a hot spot in your oven, as I do.  Take them out, let them cool (a little) and enjoy!  I like mine with strawberry jam. 

Butter-Garlic Shrimp and Grits

Adapted from Food Network

Grits:

3 c. water

3/4 c. instant or quick-cooking grits

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese (I suppose you could use cheddar instead) (or smoked gouda!)

1 Tbsp. Butter Infused Olive Oil

Shrimp:

2 Tbsp. Butter Infused Olive Oil

1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 large cloves garlic, minced

Pinch cayenne pepper

2 Tbsp. water

Juice of 1/2 a lemon

2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh parsley

Heaven

1.  Bring 3 cups of water to boil in a medium sauce pan.  Whisk in grits, salt and pepper and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened (about 5 minutes).  Stir in parmesan cheese and Butter Olive Oil.  Turn off heat, but cover to keep warm.

2.  Pour 2 Tbsp. Butter Olive Oil into a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the shrimp, garlic and cayenne to the pan and cook, tossing every now and then, until the shrimp are pink (5 minutes?).  Add 2 Tbsp. water, the lemon juice and parsley and give them another quick toss.  Season with salt and pepper  Turn off the heat. 

3.  Divide the grits into shallow bowls and top with shrimp and sauce. Serve with lemon wedges.

Honey Boozy Drink

Adapted, only slightly from Serious Eats

1.5 oz. gold tequila (vodka might be an acceptable alternative)

1 oz. fresh lime juice (2 limes)

2 oz. fresh grapefruit juice (1 grapefruit)

1 oz.  Serrano Honey Vinegar

1.  In a cocktail shaker, combine all ingredients (taste to make sure you got the ratios right).

2.  Fill shaker with ice and shake until well chilled (20 seconds).  Strain into a small glass and enjoy.

Happy Labor Day Weekend and Woo Pig Sooie and all that! 

Cheers,

Andrea

Back to School

Hi there!

I hope you're doing well and not succumbing to the back to school scramble.  This includes, but is not limited to, fist-fights in the aisles of Wal-Mart over the last Frozen Trapper Keeper, tirelessly trolling Pinterest for creative lunch ideas in the form of Bento Boxes and sandwich artwork, and reinstating the dreaded "bedtime".  Good luck with all of that and, don't worry, I'll be there in a few years. Many people have commented, "I don't know how you find time to cook/work/write/whatever, especially with a toddler around!" And I'll tell you how.  Nap time.  I cook dinner at 1:00 in the afternoon and then re-heat it at 6.  I don't know what I'll do when he gives up naps.  Hopefully that won't happen until he's 22 and off to med school.

When life gets a little crazy, I like to fall back into my comfort zone in the biggest way I know how:  cooking.  Don't get me wrong, I love trying out new recipes and shaking things up a bit (thank you, cooking blogs!), but there is one cookbook that I come back to time and time again.  A real, live, hefty cookbook that has food stains and torn, dog-eared pages and has traveled with me across the country and has a broken-in spine that keeps the book open, no matter which page I'm on.  I got this cookbook at Powell's Bookstore when I first moved to Oregon and it stood out to me immediately, saying, "take me home, you need me!"  It's called Cooking at Home with The Culinary Institute of America.  I'm telling you, the CIA knows their stuff.  It's like a cooking class in book form.  There is not a recipe in this book that I've been disappointed by, and it has tons of technique walk-throughs.  I'll share with you two of my favorites:  Fettuccine with Puttanesca Sauce and Mole Poblano de Pollo.

First the Puttanesca.  "Puttanesca" literally means, "in the whore's style,"  which I like to interpret as "quick, cheap and easy."   It is ridiculously simple, yet fabulously ribald. It is salty and pungent, with the help of anchovies, olives and capers.  Side note: if you are an adult and are still squeamish about using anchovies, you must get over this immediately.  Anchovies are my secret ingredient love affair.  They make just about any Italian dish (panzanella, eggplant parmesan, etc.) phenomenally better.  Rinse them, chop them, hold your nose if you have to, and start adding them to everything.  That's all I'm going to say on the matter.  The tomatoes add a bit of sweetness and the red pepper flakes some heat.  It's amazing. This dish is done in a flash, with no real prep to speak of.  I suppose you could substitute quinoa for the pasta, if you're G-free.  I haven't tried it, but I'm sure it would be just as tasty.  Add a green salad and a hunk of crusty bread, and you have a weeknight dinner.

The Chicken Mole requires a bit more work, but none of it is hard.  I would have used the Baklouti Green Chili Oil in this recipe, except that my toddler would have been very mad at me.  When else is he able to combine his three great loves (chicken, almond butter, and chocolate) in one sitting?  Mole is fun and there is a ton of wiggle room with experimenting.  Can't find poblanos?  Use just about any other pepper.  Don't feel like chopping tomatoes?  Whatever, use canned ones.  Don't have chocolate lying around the house?  Who are you and how can we still be friends?  For the chicken, though, I would recommend using something with skin-on.  It doesn't matter if it's breasts or thighs (I thought we moved on from the Puttensca, tee hee), or even a whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces, just do me a favor and don't use boneless, skinless somethings.  Oh!  And the Dark Chocolate Balsamic is not 100% necessary, but it does give it a little extra something and a 60 ml bottle is all you'll need.

 Speaking of Dark Chocolate Balsamic, that is one of the new things around here, along with a Gravenstein Apple White Balsamic.  They are so very, very nice.  The Dark Chocolate Balsamic is smooth and flavorful.  I like it with the Blood Orange Fused Olive Oil the best.  The Gravenstein Apple White Balsamic is sweet and tangy.  It pairs very well with vodka and soda water, as well as with the Persian Lime Fused Olive Oil.  And what a great back to school gift for teachers! Who doesn't love apples? It may or may not be appropriate to give said teacher vodka to go with the vinegar.  I suppose it depends on your kid.

We have just overhauled our EVOOs.  Remember that 1/2 off sale?  That was to make room for these guys.  First, a mild Hojiblanca from Australia.  This one is cool.  It is green with a capital G.  It has a much milder than usual beginning, but then the grassy green-tomatoey middle and slightly bitter finish that somehow still makes you cough. Then there's the medium Koroneiki from Greece which is much different from our last Koroneiki.  It has major green-apple and banana notes and a green-almond/grassy finish.  Next is the robust Picholine also from Australia (they just crushed at the end of May), which packs a wallop.  This guy is pretty much peppery from the get-go and it extremely flavorful.  I have to say that it's my favorite.  Finally we have the robust "Grand Cru" Coratina from Italy.  This one is unique.  It has an incredibly floral, almost honey scent to it, so you expect it to be mild, but then it hits you with this herbaceous and peppery middle that makes you do a double take. Yeah...so...welcome to my world of olive oil.  

Also, you'll find that we have some fun new things coming to the store.  We just had a lovely cabinet built by the talented Skip Beaton to house 10 different custom spice blends.  Yep, all of you fine people who are addicted to our Black Truffle Sea Salt will now have more little spice packets to grab and go.  They should be here in the next week or so!  Hooray!

And now the recipes.  Thanks for spending time with me in the email world.  Come in to try all our new goodies soon.  Oh!  And happy back to school month!

Fettuccine with Puttanesca Sauce
Serves 4
Adapted slightly from Cooking at Home

1 lb. dried fettuccine
1/4 c. Robust EVOO (I used Picholine)
4 anchovy fillets, rinsed and finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely minced
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 quart (ish) cherry tomatoes, halved if you want to do that
1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley
1/4 c. pitted, chopped Kalamata olives
2 Tbsp. capers, drained
Salt and pepper to taste
Grated Parmesan, optional

1.  Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add the pasta and boil until al dente. Drain and set aside.

2.  Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat.  Add the anchovies, garlic, and red pepper flakes.  Saute, stirring frequently, until the anchovies and garlic are lightly browned, 1-2 minutes.

3.  Add the tomatoes and cook until they are slightly blistered, about 3 minutes.  Toss in the parsley, olives and capers and simmer until thoroughly heated, 2 minutes.  Taste (it may already be salty enough, with the capers and anchovies), and season with salt and pepper.

4.  Pour the sauce over the drained pasta and toss to coat evenly.

Mole Poblano de Pollo
Serves 4-6
Also adapted slightly from Cooking at Home

3 Tbsp. EVOO (Try Chipotle or Baklouti Green Chili Oil in this one)
4 bone-in chicken breast halves or chicken thighs
1 yellow onion, finely diced
1 green bell pepper, finely diced
1 jalapeno or poblano, finely chopped (I used poblano)
1/4 c. chopped almonds*
3 cloves garlic, smashed
2 Tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. grated fresh ginger
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
3 tomatoes, chopped (No reason you couldn't use canned diced tomatoes, drained)
2 Tbsp. Dark Chocolate Balsamic
1 c. chicken broth
3 Tbsp. Almond Butter
2 oz. Mexican Chocolate (or any chocolate), chopped
Salt and Pepper
2 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds

*If you're a "different textures freak me out" type person, just add a bit more almond butter, as the chopped almonds are crunchy and add depth to the otherwise smooth sauce.

1.  Preheat oven to 350.

2.  Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Sear the chicken until browned on all sides.  10 minutes? Remove from pan and set aside.

3.  Add the onion to the hot pan and brown slightly, 10 minutes.

4.  Add the bell pepper, jalapeno or poblano, almonds and garlic to the pan and saute until aromatic, 3-4 minutes.

5.  Add the chili powder, ginger, oregano, and cinnamon and saute for 30 seconds or so.  Add the tomatoes and Dark Chocolate Balsamic.

6.  Pour in 1 c. chicken broth and stir to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the pan.  Whisk in the almond butter, return the chicken to the pan and bring to a boil.  Cover the pan and transfer to the oven.  Braise the chicken until tender, about 1 hour.

7.  Add the chocolate to the sauce, stirring until melted.  Taste and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with sesame seeds and serve with rice or tortillas.

Cheers!
Andrea

A Feast

Hello, friends!

What was that? The weather! Very peculiar, don't you think?  Since it decided to rain non-stop, I decided to cook along with it and made a feast.  In July.  I roasted a chicken, in Arkansas, in July.  I don't regret a thing, and neither will you.  You could butterfly the chicken and grill it using the exact same ingredients, juicing the lemon, instead of stuffing it in the cavity, and you would still be very happy.  I highly recommend this chicken, any way you cook her.  I used our new Herbes de Provence Infused Olive Oil and, let me tell you, I love it.  I love it with the Black Mission Fig Balsamic, with the Lavender Balsamic, with the Sicilian Lemon White Balsamic.  I love it all by itself. (I feel like Sam-I-Am here).  Even my two year old was licking it off of a spoon.  That's love.

Next up are these Caramelized Onions in Black Mission Fig Balsamic.  If you ever need to impress someone, make these.  They are really easy and so delicious.  I challenge anyone who says, "I don't like onions," to try these sweet and sour bundles of joy.  They are not your run of the mill onions.  They are heavenly.

The Dilly Green Bean Salad is fresh, green and tastes like summer.  And it's about the easiest thing in the world to put together.  The only thing that may be easier is the Macerated Berries in Balsamic that goes over vanilla ice cream.  This turned out to be a very remarkable dinner party, indeed! Give all of these recipes a try!

Also, let me know if you would prefer fewer recipes at once, and more emails.  Or if you like things the way they are, that's great, too!  Don't be shy about using our store for private party tastings or events, either.  Would anyone be interested in a "Build Your Own Salad" class? Just let us know! Oh, and check out our new fancy website.

Mark your calendars! Our July Happy Hour is going to be on Tuesday, July 21 from 5-7:30.  Come by for snacks, drinks and fun. I'm thinking we should probably give the Ripe Peach Whisky Drink a try.  It's tasty.

We are about to get in all new Ultra Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oils around here.  Australia had a great season with many Best In Class awards for the oils we are going to carry.  Also, our Baklouti Fused Olive Oil won a Gold Medal at the 2015 Los Angeles International Olive Oil competition! Our distributors really do find the most world-class products on the market. We are so glad to share them with you!  As always, our products contain no artificial flavors, no thickeners, no added sugar, and no dyes. Enjoy, dear friends.
 
Herbes de Provence Roasted Chicken
Adapted from Molly...again.

1 2-3 lb. chicken, rested at room temperature for an hour
1 Tbsp. kosher salt or Fleur de Sel (any big-flaked salt will do), divided
Freshly ground pepper (optional)
1-2 lemons, quartered
1 Tbsp. Herbes de Provence Infused Olive Oil

Preheat oven to 450.

Pat chicken dry, inside and out, with paper towels.  Salt and pepper the inside of the chicken cavity, stuff it with the quartered lemons, and truss up the legs with some twine (if you want to).  Rub down the chicken with the Herbes de Provence Olive Oil and then sprinkle it all over with the remaining salt and pepper.

Place the chicken, breast side up, in a roasting pan and stick her in the oven.  Leave it alone.  Don't peek at it, mess with it, baste it, or anything for 45-60 minutes, until a thermometer reads 165 degrees, when placed in the meatiest part of the thigh.

Remove from the oven, drizzle on a bit more Olive Oil, if you want.  Spoon pan juices over the chicken and let it rest for 15 minutes.  Remove the twine, carve your chicken in whichever method works for you, and serve.

Serves 2-4 people.

Caramelized Onion in Black Mission Fig Balsamic
Adapted from Deb...again.

2 lbs. small, sweet onions or shallots (Candy or Cippoline work great)
4 Tbsp. UP EVOO
3 Tbsp. sweet cream butter (Kerrygold all the way!)
1 c. Black Mission Fig Balsamic
1/2 c. tomato sauce (canned or left over marinara)
1 c. water

Blanche the onions in boiling water for one minute (use the same boiling water the blanche the green beans in the next recipe) and then let them cool for easy peeling.

In a 12-14 inch saute pan over medium heat, bring the oil to the point where it is shimmering.  Add the butter and cook until foam subsides.  Add onions, cover!, and cook for about 10 minutes.

Add the balsamic, tomato sauce and water. Bring to a boil, cover!, and cook for 15 more minutes, stirring occasionally. If you find that the sauce is not thickening properly, uncover the pan and let it cook on low heat for 5-10 more minutes.

Serve with an antipasto plate, along side a roast (chicken or beef), or over a bed of greens.

Dilly Green Bean Salad
Adapted from Food Network 

*I have made this exact same salad with cucumbers instead of green beans.  Obviously, don't blanche the cucumbers, if you decide to go that route.

1 lb. green beans, trimmed
1 c. feta cheese, crumbled
1 c. cherry tomatoes, halved
2 Tbsp. chopped red onion
3 Tbsp.  Wild Anithos Dill Infused Olive Oil
2 Tbsp.  Red Wine Vinegar
Salt and Pepper to taste

Blanche the green beans in a large pot of boiling water and cook until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes.  Drain well, pat dry, and place them in a large bowl.  Combine with feta cheese, red onion and tomatoes.

Pour on the olive oil and red wine vinegar, season with salt and pepper and toss well.  Let marinate for 1 hour before serving.

Serves 4-6.

Macerated Berries with Balsamic Vinegar
Adapted from Ina Garten



*I (used to) make my own Black Pepper Vanilla Ice Cream.  If the spirit moves you, make this ice cream to go with your berries.  You're welcome.

8 c. fresh strawberries or other assorted berries
5 Tbsp. Traditional Balsamic
2 Tbsp. Sugar
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 pints vanilla ice cream, for serving

Combine the berries, balsamic, sugar and black pepper in a large bowl.  Set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes-1 hour.

Place a serving of the berries in a bowl with a scoop of ice cream.  Enjoy!