Quarantine Cooking with A Taste of Olive

April 23, 2020

Three to five weeks into social isolation, depending on where you live, we should all be proud that we care enough to protect not just ourselves, but others, by staying at home and following CDC guidelines when venturing out.  

Even so, being cooped up is not easy. Here’s hoping that all of you managed to connect with family and friends as you celebrated Easter and Passover. Seeing the comfort people experienced in finding creative ways to come together during these holidays made Kimber, Kate, and I begin to wonder if, in the coming weeks, we could help people connect in some small way. Of course, it was our wonderfully supportive customers who gave us an idea. 

Many have reached out to us looking for creative recipes and ideas for using our olive oil and balsamic vinegars. We have lots of favorites, but you have many more. So if you have a family-friendly recipe, some great ideas for those of us living alone, or a vegetarian delight that you would like to share, send it to us and we’ll share it with all of our friends who are trying to stay healthy and serve delicious meals during this stressful time.  

 

A Few of My Favorites

My following contribution is not exactly a recipe, but a sharing of easily adaptable ideas for quick meals.  Anyone who knows me, knows that I love our Spicy Blend Olive Oil.  Its combination of garlic, rosemary, Italian pepperoncini, and Parmigiano-Reggiano make it mildly spicy and flavorful enough to enhance almost any meal.

• I use it to roast cauliflower, stir fry asparagus, and enhance the flavor of scrambled eggs or simple omelets. 
• It is also great on popcorn if you are craving a snack.
• Because I live alone, one-pan-meals are my go-to. Perhaps my favorite is chicken cut into bite-size pieces and sauteed in Spicy Blend Olive Oil. Then, I add black beans along with chopped up avocado and tomato at the end, giving them just enough time to heat up.  A final addition of Hawaiian Lemon Sea Salt to taste, finished off with coarsely grated parmesan, complete the meal.  If you are a vegetarian, just omit the chicken.  
• For sandwich lovers out there, here’s a quick tip for turning an ordinary chicken or roast beef sandwich into something special.

1. Pour a small amount of Spicy Blend Olive Oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat. 
2. Instead of coating the entire pan; spread the oil into roughly the shape of the roll or bread you are using.  I like a ciabatta roll.
3. Sprinkle coarsely grated parmesan, romano, or asiago cheese over the oil and let it melt.
4. Place half of the ciabatta on top of the cheese and move it around to pick up the cheese and olive oil. Use the other half of the roll to pick up any remainders. 
5. Add sliced chicken or beef, pop into the microwave for 30 seconds to warm up the meat and you’re ready to go. 
6. Try adding some of Gracious Gourmet’s Balsamic Four Onion Spread to your sandwich for a sweet and savory contrast.  

We’re looking forward to sharing your recipes and tips and we’ll be sharing more of ours. Thanks to all of you for supporting A Taste of Olive with your online orders. Your support validates our commitment to high quality and distinctive flavors. Stay healthy!

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