Olive Oil Gelato: a Summertime Treat

 Cooking & Eating  Comments Off
May 312011
 

The first day of summer is still a few weeks away, schools are out, swimming pools are open, and it is getting hot. It’s time for gelato. Gelato trucks are popping up in parks and on sidewalks around the world. Among the cool and tasty treats are flavors like caramel, strawberry, lemon, and olive oil?

The gelato trucks won’t be offering the olive oil gelato, but I know where you can get it – at Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich’s New York City restaurant, Otto Enoteca Pizzeria, which is located at One Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. The gelato flavors are the artistry of Meredith Kurtzman. According to the restaurant’s website, Meredith “creates gelato that attempts to fuse the modern technical aspects of gelato production with handmade artistry and an emphasis on seasonality.” What that means to me is if I want to try olive oil gelato I’d better get a move on and head to Manhattan before the olive oil gelato is no more.

If you get a chance to go to Otto’s before I do, let me know how it tastes.

May the sun shine through your branches.

www.olivecrazy.com

Organizing Your Cooking Recipes

 Cooking & Eating, Organizing, Recipes  Comments Off
May 292011
 

Keeping track of your favorite food recipes can be a hassle. Here is my method for managing and sharing my recipes. I use Google Documents to store all my recipes. Once you have created a Google Documents account simply create a new collection call My Documents. Then create a sub-collection call Recipes. In the Recipes folder you can create sub-collections such as Desserts, Entrees, Salads, Soups, etc.

Create your individual recipes as new documents in Google Documents or upload the recipe files from your computer. I print my recipes and put them in super heavy weight plastic sheet protectors then in a three ring notebook. The sheet protectors do a great job of keeping the recipe looking nice.

Sharing recipes is a snap with Google Documents. With your new recipe documents created, select the share feature to share your recipes with family and friends.

Arrested Man Coated in Extra Virgin Olive Oil

 Olives and Olive Oil in General  Comments Off
May 272011
 

There are coats of many colors, cloth coats, and fur coats so why not coats of Extra Virgin Olive Oil?

In the wee hours of the morning a fella from New York City was arrested in Mishawaka, Indiana for lounging on his blanket in a public park sporting little else than a thick coat of Kroger brand Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Accompanying him were a book, some brews, and some smokes.

I bet he wasn’t thinking about his health.

May the sun shine through your branches.

www.olivecrazy.com

Tasting Olive Oil: Let’s Watch How It’s Done

 Cooking & Eating, Tasting  Comments Off
May 262011
 

In the articles Is It Tasty? Attributes and Defects in EVOO and Tips For Holding an At Home EVOO Taste Test I told you about the sensory delights and defects you would be looking for when tasting olive oil and how to conduct an Extra Virgin Olive Oil Taste Test in your own home. Now it’s time to use the two senses you don’t use when taste testing olive oil: sight and sound. I reviewed several fine videos and found three I thought you might like to watch.

The first is Bill Sanders of Crush and Press showing “The Correct Way to Test Olive Oil”. In the second we’ll take a trip to Mouriès in the valley of Baux-de-Provence, France for an “Olive Oil Tasting at the Moulin Saint-Michel”. Finally, Jill Lee for Pottery Barn is at the McEvoy Ranch in Petaluma, California. Jill shows us “How to Taste Test Olive Oil and How to Entertain at Home with Olive Oil”.

I recommend you watch all three. Note the sensory similarities and differences among the oils tested in the three videos. I thought one of the similarities was very interesting since it’s not a common food item and I can’t even remember what it tastes like. See what foods you can serve when you have your first Extra Virgin Olive Oil Taste Test at home. Jill Lee keeps it simple but delicious. Take note in the French video what is said about ripeness and taste.

I hope you enjoy the videos. Learning about olive oil taste testing is interesting and fun.

May the sun shine through your branches.

www.olivecrazy.com

How to Make Butternut Squash Soup

 Butternut Squash Soup, Cooking & Eating, Recipes  Comments Off
May 242011
 

Butternut Squash Soup is a great summertime soup recipe which can be served hot or cold. I prefer this soup served cold such as how Mexican Gazpacho is often served. Here are a few important points when making this terrific soup.

Firstly, cutting a butternut squash can be rather tricky. With the butternut squash resting on a cutting board used a large knife such as a butter knife to cut off the ends. A butternut squash is quite firm so you will need to use a little muscle when cutting it. Secondly, peeling a butternut squash can be labor intensive. Keep at it until you get it all peeled. Try to keep peeling the squash until you see the brilliant orange color just below the surface. Thirdly, cut the butternut squash into small sections. This will take even more muscle than cutting off the ends. Take care when you cut and watch those fingers, you will need them to complete the dish!

I list on the recipe 3-4 cups of chicken broth, but this is a matter of preference. Use less broth if you prefer a thicker soup stock and more if you enjoy a more soupy-like consistency.

1 Butternut Squash
1 Leek
1 small Onion
3-4 can Chicken Broth
⅓ cup Whipping Cream
2 -3 tablespoons Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper

Chop leek and onion and set aside. Peel and chop butternut squash and set aside. Add olive oil to a large pot and add chopped leek and onion. Cook on high 2-3 minutes. Add butternut squash and cook an additional 3 minutes. Add chicken broth. Bring to a boil then lower temperature to a low boil. Cook 20 minutes or until butternut squash is done. Use a stick blender to puree the contents of the pot. Stir in whipping cream, and salt and pepper to taste.

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