The Best Dressed List

Oil and water do not mix,

but oil and vinegar is a match made in heaven!

Store-bought salad dressing?

 I. Can't. Even.

A bottle of Western Dressing lists 18 ingredients, the first being water, and two of the next

three ingredients are high fructose corn syrup and sugar. (Both? Really?) A little vinegar, tomato paste, "spices" and the remaining 12 ingredients are thickeners and preservatives. 

 Not only is making dressing yourself delicious and a healthier way to eat, this type

of dressing makes the ingredients SHINE.

Mixing up your own dressing is as easy as 1-2-3.

Combine 1 part vinegar and 3 parts olive oil.
(Do you see how easy that is to remember?  1 to 3.)
If using a small mixing bowl, blend with a whisk
 for a few seconds to emulsify the two liquids.
If you're using a cruet, put the cover on and shake vigorously.
Voila!

Emulsification is simply the process of blending 
two liquids that don't readily combine.

For me, getting a hold of these gourmet oils and vinegars used to mean a trip to a large city or 
very expensive shipping costs.  

Now, you'll be able to find them here locally, in Ely, at Gracie's Plant Works!! 
What a treat to have a pantry stocked with a variety of oils and vinegars.

WHAT a fabulous hostess gift to take next time you're joining friends for dinner. 
Trust me, nearly everyone appreciates another candle, but, since you are invited to partake in a meal, he/she probably can cook and would love love love an oil/vinegar duo.

The possibilities are endless, 

and here a few salads that I've made to get your juices flowing........

Butter lettuce, garden cucumbers, red onions, and

shaved Parmesan cheese with a dill olive oil/lemon balsamic vinegar

Caprese salad of heirloom tomatoes, fresh basil, mozzarella di bufalo 

dressed with basil olive oil/white balsamic vinegar

  Red leaf lettuce, blueberries, and Feta Cheese

dressed with Olivewood smoked olive oil/blueberry white balsamic vinegar

 Romaine lettuce, apples, onions, and pecan salad

dressed with garlic olive oil/apple white balsamic vinegar

 Deconstructed pear salad with honey drizzle,

greens dressed with lemon olive oil/pear white balsamic vinegar 

Butter lettuce, pears, onions, pecans, and blue cheese

dressed with lime olive oil/peach white balsamic vinegar

Arugula and red leaf lettuce, hearts of palm, onion, macadamia nuts, and mango

dressed with lemon olive oil/mango white balsamic vinegar.

Red leaf lettuce, sugar snap peas, diced (precooked) beets, and hazelnuts

dressed with dill olive oil/lime white balsamic vinegar

 Butter lettuce, butter poached pears, blue cheese and pomegranate arils

dressed with lemon olive oil/pomegranate white balsamic vinegar

 Spinach, tomato, feta cheese, and almond salad

dressed with Italian Herbs olive oil/lemon white balsamic vinegar

 Butter lettuce, julienne turnips, radish salad dusted with poppy seeds

dressed with lime olive oil/peach white balsamic vinegar.

These oils are not only suitable for dressings, I use them on

practically everything I cook....

 Drizzle garlic, Italian herb, oregano, and/or rosemary olive oil

on Brussels sprouts or cauliflower and roast.  Nutty and delicious.

 Coat pasta with Porcini Mushroom olive oil before adding the sauce.

Blend Lime Jalapeno white balsamic vinegar with Chili olive oil

to dress your 'cowboy caviar'

 Drizzle truffle olive oil on mashed potatoes

Drizzle dill olive oil and minced fresh dill on creamy dips for a platter of crudités.

Strawberries with balsamic vinegar are delightful,

made even more so with strawberry white balsamic vinegar.

Or dark chocolate balsamic vinegar (too good to be true, actually).

All of these oils and vinegars can be mixed and matched to suit your 

preference and your palate.  Once you get in the habit of using them, 

you'll never be able to use pre-bottled dressings full of preservatives again. 

Want any or all of these recipes?

Here's a teaser, come in and see me, I'll hook you up.