Fennel and Harissa Salmon

Fennel White Balsamic and Harissa Olive Oil are two of our newest flavors. How wonderful that they are a good match for each other!

Porcini Faux Risotto

Risotto is a wonderful food. And it's less time consuming than you may have been lead to believe. But finding the right kind of rice can be a chore. If you want risotto in a hurry, there are lots of shortcuts to take. The end result isn't something a restaurant would call risotto, but I certainly call it dinner often enough.

I made this recipe with instant rice and it's just fantastic. I brought some to the store for samples this weekend in case you're in the area. See you soon!

Fall Newsletter and Halloween Coupon!

Fall Newsletter We have several new products. Dark Smoked Balsamic Vinegar: This balsamic adds a wonderful flavor to meats as a marinade or as a finishing touch. Add it to your grilled vegetables for a Smokey flavor. White Bell Pepper Balsamic:  With a true bell pepper flavor, you'll love this savory balsamic vinegar. Use as a glaze for salmon or pork. Make a sweet pepper salsa using this White Bell Pepper Balsamic as a dressing. Or top a bruschetta made with ricotta cheese and pine nuts. Pair with our chipotle olive oil to add a hint of smokiness to the flavor along with some additional heat. White Caramelized Onion Balsamic:  A bright onion flavor. Marinate asparagus in it before throwing on the grill or use as a light sauce for roasted turkey. Top a frittata or a taco! For a perfect pair, try Caramelized Onion Balsamic and our Garlic Olive Oil. White Fennel Balsamic:  *Use in recipes calling for Anise, Star Anise, Fennel (bulb or seed), Basil, Chervil, Caraway or Thyme. *Use in Cocktails that call for Sambuca *Use with Italian Sausage recipes to up the fennel quotient. *Make Fennel balsamic caramelized red onions for use on Pizza or Focaccia. *Serve as “drinking licorice” *Spike your iced tea, hot tea, soda water or lemonade. Pair with our Meyer Lemon extra virgin olive oil for a delicious sauce for swordfish. Herbes de Provence Olive Oil: Herbes de Provence is a very popular dressing used in the Provence region of Southern France. This is a unique blend of thyme, basil, lavender, tarragon, rosemary, fennel, savory, and tarragon. The French sure know how to cook and this olive oil is proof of that! With this unique blend of herbs will make any dish bolder in flavor and taste divine. You can not go wrong with this versatile extra virgin olive oil, amazing over roasted chicken, seafood, soups, drizzled over your pizza dough just to name a few! And don’t forget how wonderful it can be used for sautéing your favorite meats, seafood, and vegetables! Harissa Olive Oil: Harissa is a staple of Northern African cuisine that is said to stimulate the appetite and aid in digestion. This blend of sweet and hot peppers, consisting of Garlic, Cilantro, Chili Peppers, Green Peppers, Red Peppers, and Black Pepper, adds unforgettable depth to your cooking. Harissa adds a smoky heat to meats, fish, and vegetables. Use our Harissa EVOO over grilled and roasted meats, or swirl through thick, hearty soups and stews for a delicious kick!

New Hope Scarecrow Contest Come see the incredible ingenious scarecrows and vote for us. https://delawarerivertowns.com/scarecrow-contest/ From October 1st thru October 31st, the Scarecrow Contest will gather votes, track social media check-ins, shares, and activity to come to a bunch of winners. #delawarerivertowns & #scarecrowcontest

Come and work for OliveNGrape!

Indeed Job Listing

Both Locations Hiring!


Retail Sales Position requires candidates to perform the following duties: 

Present and sell in-store products.
Meet and exceed sales expectations
Ensure that merchandise is presented according to established practices and Store owner’s direction; utilize merchandise fixtures properly including presentation, product pricing, and signage.
Authorize and sign for refunds and overrides;
Responsible for end of shift register accounting.
Occasionally open and close the store at scheduled times including weekends.


Job Requirements 

Excellent Customer Service Skills; enjoy working with the public
Possess a dynamic personality
Previous retail experience a plus, but will train a positive person
Great work ethic
Candidate must be hardworking, dedicated, and willing to succeed.
Weekends a MUST


Compensation: $9.00 per hour



Email us with your resume if you're interested! info@olivengrape.com

Celebrate Memorial Day!

Happy Memorial Day weekend!

Grilling season is officially upon us!

Come in and see what flavors we can add to your summer!

Appreciate your Teachers!

The end of the school year is coming up, don't forget to get a little something for your teachers to let them know how much they mean to you. In stores only, stop by and grab a gift!

Vinegar Mint Julep

The Mint vinegar isn't the most popular flavor, but I knew it had potential if I could find the perfect recipe. I think I found it!

In honor of Derby Day recently, I thought Juleps would be a good idea, but I needed something to bump up the Mint Intensity. I've used all kinds of kinds of our vinegar in drinks before, so I knew it would substitute well, but the taste was more to chance. It was perfect. Light and refreshing as a Julep should be with a little sour bite at the end. Have fun!

Some people recommend straining the crushed mint out of the glass before you serve.

Try with the Ginger vinegar for a zippier drink!

Oven Baked Glazed Ribs

This was a recipe of opportunity. I just wanted to pick up something quick, but ribs were on sale. I had to wait a couple hours longer for dinner than I had planned, but I think the results were worth it.

You could do this on a grill if you like, but it's still a bit snowy here so I did these in the oven. I also like to triple or quadruple the dry rub recipe. I just like having it around.

Glazed Ribs

4lbs pork ribs

1 tsp Smoked Salt or Szechuan Pepper salt

1 tsp cayenne pepper

2 tbsp Prime Rub Seasoning

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup BBQ Sauce*

Preheat the oven to 300degrees. Mix together spices and sugar in a bowl until well combined. This is where I make my extras.

Peel off the membrane on the bony side of the ribs if it has it and apply the rub to both sides. Save your extra rub in a jar or bag.

Make a big foil packet for these. Lay them meaty side down inside your packet and crimp the edges and sides together. Back 2 1/2 hours. Meat should be shrinking away from the bones or pretty much falling off them. Remove from oven and let cool a few minutes.

Using kitchen shears, cut the ribs into 2-3 rib portions. Brush with BBQ sauce and place under a broiler for 30 seconds to a minute. Flip and do the same to the other side. Sauce should be bubbly and sticky looking.

*BBQ Sauce: you can use a regular BBQ sauce if you want, but I always mix in a little balsamic just because. For sweet sauces I usually use Fig or Apple. For something more savory, I like Garlic Cilantro or Espresso.

I made my own sauce for this because this was a spur of the moment cooking choice, and besides, it's delicious! I used Mango Balsamic this time, I like the way it goes with the flavors in the Prime Rub.

Balsamic BBQ Sauce

3/4 cup ketchup

1/4 cup Mango Balsamic Vinegar

2 tbsp worcestershire sauce

Remodel

Sorry for being away. Life always gets in the way.

Back with a bang! It's getting to be so nice outside and that's fantastic! We've made a few upgrades in the store in the last month and I think you'd like to see it!

Can you spot the differences?

(psst, we didn't have a brick wall last month!)

Maple Oatmeal

Easy Maple Oatmeal

1 serving plain oatmeal

1 tbsp Maple Balsamic

1 tsp brown sugar

1 tbsp maple syrup

handful of chopped pecans

Combine the balsamic, syrup, and the brown sugar in a small bowl. Add the pecans and let soak for 15 - 20 minutes.

Spoon over oatmeal when you're ready to serve.

I've given the amount for one serving, but I usually make this in batches. It's great to have on hand so breakfast can be ready in a snap.

Sticky Wings

On Monday I posted a bunch of Maple Balsamic ideas. Here's one in action! You can section your wings if you want, but I like to leave them whole. I also like to double the sauce recipe so I can serve some on the side.

Maple Balsamic Sticky Wings

1 lb raw chicken wings
2 tbsp Jerk or Hunter's blend spices

Sauce
1/4 cup Maple Balsamic
3 tbsp Chili Sauce
2 tsp fresh grated ginger
1 bunch green onions/scallions chopped, reserve some for serving

Preheat the oven to 350°.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the chicken on it in a single layer, skin side up. Season with the spice blend and bake for 15 minutes.

Increase the oven temp to 425° and bake another 15-22 minutes. They should be golden brown and crispy looking.

Remove from the oven and set aside for a few minutes until they are cool enough to handle. Stir the sauce ingredients together in a large bowl. You can serve the sauce on the side for dunking or go ahead and brush it all over them. 

Top with the reserved green onions and enjoy!

Maple Balsamic

We're having a sale on the Maple Balsamic, so I thought I'd get a list of things together that you can use it for!

I have this printed on a card at the store if you want to pick one up. Order Maple Balsamic Here. Have fun with it!

Christmas Dinner

A quick rundown of our Christmas dinner! Recipes coming.

Brussels Sprouts with Vanilla Balsamic and Bourbon

Marinated Butternut Squash with Mushrooms and Spinach

Turkey Au Vin

Crispy Roast Potatoes

Garlic Roasted Green Beans

Customer Recipe: Kale Chips

My sister in law had a bunch of kale left over and decided to try making kale chips. She loved them!

Customer Recipe: Kale Chips

Remove the ribs of the kale and spread on a baking sheet.
Drizzle with Italian Herb Olive Oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder and cayenne pepper.
Roast at 375° for 10 to 15 minutes.
YUM!

Later she did the same with some bok choy minus the cayenne. I think they were eaten faster than she could get a camera on them!

Thanks Nicole!

Quick snack.

A snack I made for Thanksgiving, Crackers with Gouda and fig jam that I got from the store. Delicious!

Be sure to save yourself some in the back of the fridge because it makes a great breakfast too!

Have a few things to post this week, have a peaceful weekend and hope your holidays were great!

Doughnuts with Chocolate Espresso Glaze

This is one recipe where I'm not telling you to use Olive Oil. Because we're frying doughnuts. You can....But it's not that important to the flavor and a basic cooking oil will do.

I've made these before. I might even have posted something like this before. But I made these for Sunday breakfast and had such a good time. The leftovers were dessert. 

And yes, doughnuts really are this easy. This is really a very quick process, so start with just a few until you get the hang of it. My favorite tool for flipping doughnuts in oil is a pair of wooden chopsticks. Just don't poke holes in your dough!

Doughnuts with Chocolate Espresso Glaze

1 can Biscuits
Oil for frying

Doughnuts:
Heat about an inch of oil in a large heavy pan. Oil is ready when a drop of water skitters across the top or a tiny bit of dough bubbles and browns when you put it in.

Unpop your biscuits and either cut a hole in the center with a cutter or tear with your fingers and round it out a bit.

Drop into the oil gently and flip when browned. Drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Dunk in glaze and let sit a few minutes until set. Have fun with it!

Glaze
1 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
4 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tbsp milk or water
2 tsp Espresso Balsamic

Glaze:

Sift the sugar and cocoa powder together in a large bowl*. Slowly stir in the balsamic and the milk or water. (milk gives more of a milk chocolate taste) The glaze should be thick, but still pourable. 

*It is important to sift the sugar and cocoa powder to avoid lumps! If you look at the picture carefully, you will see that I did NOT. Still delicious. Not nearly as pretty.

Dark and Extra Stormy

We were tossing around ideas for the Red Apple a few days ago and this happened. A Dark and Stormy is Rum and Ginger Beer, that's not quite what this is. And the balsamic makes the color so much deeper. So...

Extra Stormy

Makes 1

Crushed ice

6oz Ginger Beer

2-3 oz Honey Whiskey

1 tbsp Red Apple Balsamic

Just stir together and serve.

Olive Oil on Ice Cream?

I'll try pretty much anything once. I know all about using Balsamic on ice cream, I have a long history of using it on desserts. I even have a recipe for using Olive Oil IN ice cream, although I haven't gotten around to it yet.

But Olive Oil ON ice cream?

Well, I did say I'd try anything.

We had a customer come in raving about a dessert she'd had at a restaurant and trying to recreate it. Lemon Olive Oil over really good vanilla ice cream. She got the Meyer Lemon Olive Oil, I got a recipe.

I don't blame her, it's really good. The olive oil blends in subtly and you just get pops of fresh flavor as you eat it. Recommended highly!!

Meyer Lemon Olive Oil Ice Cream

1 pint good vanilla ice cream
walnuts
2 tbsp Meyer Lemon Olive Oil

Divide the ice cream into two bowls and let it soften a bit. About 5 minutes.

Top with walnuts and a tablespoon each of the olive oil. It's even better stirred in.

Have fun!

Pork Buns and Mandarin Teriyaki

This is an easy dinner if every there was one. I found these great frozen pork buns in my grocery the other day and had to try them out. I was without a proper sauce though, so I had to make it myself!

Mandarin Orange Teriyaki Sauce

1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
6 tbsp Mandarin Orange Balsamic
1/3 cup Chinese Rice wine
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp fresh grated ginger
     Or 2 tsp garlic ginger paste

Whisk together in a sauce pan and let simmer over medium heat about 10 minutes. Stir frequently. Sauce should have thickened slightly. 

If you want a thicker sauce, whisk in a tsp of cornstarch at the beginning. It doesn't do anything to the flavor, just the texture.

Pour into a bowl and let cool. Keeps for a week in the refrigerator.

Herb Mayo BLT

Making your own mayo is a really interesting experience. It's fun and with the right tools, it's easier than you might think. Without the right tools, it's almost impossible.

I made this mayo from scratch, but I'll include the modification for the easy way at the end. I based it off an Emeril recipe because really, who knows better?

Herb Mayo BLTs
makes 4 sandwiches

8 slices thick cut bacon
8 slices whole grain bread
2 medium tomatoes
a handful of nice lettuce
1/2 cup Fresh Herb Mayo (below)

Spread the bacon evenly over a baking pan and place it in a cold oven. Set the temp to 400° and walk away. After about 15-20 minutes, the bacon should be done. If you want it crispier, let it cook a bit longer.

Slice your tomatoes thickly, you should have at least 2 slices for each sandwich.

Weather to toast or not is up to you. With a nice grainy bread, I don't toast, but the crunch is a nice contrast. And lettuce, iceberg is classic, but who says you have to stay there? I like spring mix. It's always a surprise.

To assemble, spread the mayo on your bread and layer everything evenly. Slice on diagonals and serve.

Fresh Mayo

1 lg egg
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cup Greek Seasoning Olive Oil
2 tsp chopped parsley
1 pinch dried oregano
1 pinch of pepper

In a food processor, combine egg, mustard, lemon and salt and blend until smooth. While it's running, add the oil slowly but steadily until everything comes together smoothly. Taste and adjust salt. 

Turn mayo out into a bowl and fold in the herbs. Refrigerate until using. Better if let to sit an hour or two.

Fresh Mayo, The Easy Way

1/2 cup olive oil mayo
2 tbsp Greek Seasoning Olive Oil
2 tsp fresh chopped parsley
1 pinch dried oregano
1 pinch pepper
Couple drops fresh lemon juice

Whisk everything together and let it sit, refrigerated, for half an hour before using.