Olive Oil 101

I am deeply, madly, truly in love with olive oil. I have flirted with butter and held hands with a spray substance that I actually can believe is not butter, but at the end of the day I am an olive oil girl at heart, so when Central Market recently offered an olive oil class, I jumped on the opportunity.

The class itself consisted of a lecture portion (and by lecture I mean we were lectured over and over to only buy extra virgin olive oil . . . duh!), an olive oil tasting, and then a hands-on cooking experience. The essential wisdom imparted by the class can be distilled to the following:

• Only buy extra virgin olive oil. Never buy light olive oil.
• Olive oil only stays good for about a year and should be stored in a cool, dark place.
• Everyone should have at least two olive oils: One for cooking and one for "finishing"

Finishing oils are what you use to drizzle over fresh pasta, use in dressings, and use as a dipping oil. If you are meant to taste the olive oil in a recipe, you should use a finishing oil. Discovering your perfect "finishing" oil is the fun part, and it turns out that tasting olive oils is a lot like tasting wines. What is the color and clarity? What does it taste like? Grassy? Fruity? Spicy? After tasting about a dozen pre-selected high quality olive oils, a clear winner emerged: Daniele Salvagno's Novello Prime Olive.

I am going to warn you right now: If you don't have a Central Market near you, skip on down to the next photo because what I am about to write will break your heart.

Novello Prime Olive is only available at Central Market, there are only around 1500 bottles of it (mine is hand-numbered 282), and it is around $20 a pop. But if you can clear the first two hurdles and live with the third, this stuff is the nectar of the gods! The flavor is fruity with a hint of spice on the finish (according to my very developed palate. Alright, I'll confess: According to the lady who taught the class who had a very developed palate). It is a gorgeous shade of emerald green (see the photo above) with a faint swirl of something slightly cloudy in it. The cloudy stuff is what makes this olive oil so delectable: This unfiltered olive oil is ribboned with the tiniest bits of olive pulp and skin. Soooooo delicious. In fact, it is so good that you can understand why the owner feels compelled to sign his name in gold on every box. If I made something this good, I'd be signing autographs too.

http://moreplease.centralmarket.com/foodie-faves/central-market-exclusive-olio-novello/

I have used it on pastas and pizzas, but my favorite way to enjoy it is as a dipping oil.

Dipping Oil

Gently stir the following ingredients together and serve with fresh chunks of ciabatta bread:

• 1/4 cup of Olive Oil
• pinch of salt
• couple turns of fresh cracked black pepper
• pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 clove of garlic, minced
• Optional: a few leaves of fresh basil (chopped), grated parmesan cheese, sundried tomatoes, or whatever sounds yummy to you!

No Central Market? Want a quality olive oil for about $5? Ybarra Aromatico was a very close second to the Novello for me. This inexpensive olive oil is widely available at grocery stores and online, and it has quickly become my everyday olive oil. It is good enough to stand on its own and use as a dipping oil (see the recipe above).

What about olive oils for cooking and baking? My two favorites were the Iliada and . . . (surprise!) the Colavita, which can be found on the shelf of every grocery store in the United States. Either of these would be lovely when baking the . . .

Olive Oil Cake

(by Emily Swantner)

• 3 cups of flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups of sugar
• 1 cup of EV Olive Oil
• 2 teaspoons of grated orange zest
• 5 large, cold eggs
• 1 cup of sherry
• 2 teaspoons of demerara sugar (a grainy, raw sugar)
• 1/3 cup slivered almonds

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Grease and flour two loaf pans. Sprinkle the bottom of each pan with the demerara sugar and then top with the slivered almonds.
3. Thoroughly mix the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Set aside
4. Using a mixer, beat the sugar, oil, and orange zest on high speed until well-blended.
5. Add the eggs one at a time to the step 4 mixture while continuing to beat until thick and pale.
6. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture. Beat on low speed until blended.
7. Add 1/2 of sherry. Beat on low speed until blended.
8. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture. Beat on low speed until blended.
9. Add 1/2 of sherry. Beat on low speed until blended.
10. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture. Beat on low speed until blended.
11. Pour the finished batter into the pans, covering the sugar and almond layers.
12. Bake in the oven for 45-60 minutes (or until cake tester comes out clean). Allow to cool for 15 minutes before removing from pans.

Don't Think, Just Buy

I love Lands' End. I still don't understand why the apostrophe comes after the "s" in its name, but I love it none the less. For those of you who don't think Lands' End is cool, you are soooo missing the boat. Sure they still cater to the older set, but they have more modern fits for us fashionable gals, too. And if you haven't checked out their "Canvas" line (think J.Crew-style clothing and accessories) you should do it now!

http://canvas.landsend.com/

Anyway, the above top may look plain in the photo, but it is a FANTASTIC piece and you should order one in every color. I initially bought this tank thinking that it would be something cute to toss on while I attempted to beat this Houston heat . . . the less clothing, the better.

I completely underestimated this top.

With its uber-fine knit and adorably pleated scoop neck, I find myself throwing one of these on once every few days. Because they don't look t-shirt-y, the are totally work appropriate. I use them as the shell layer when I am wearing suits.

The best part? Currently $6.99. Yes, that's right: $6.99!!!!!! Buy one in every color right now while they are still around.

I bought it in coral, navy, and white. Runs true to size.

http://www.landsend.com/pp/SleevelessCottonJerseyPleatedScoopneckTop~208782_59.html?bcc=y&action=order_more&sku_0=::HKN&CM_MERCH=IDX_00002_0000000020_0000000117&origin=index

Book of the Month

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society was first published in 2008. WHY THE HECK DID I WAIT TWO YEARS TO READ IT?!?!?!

Actually, I know exactly why: One afternoon I was strolling around Barnes & Noble with my Passion Fruit Tea Lemonade in hand, when this book jumped out at me from its place on the shelf. I flipped it over, read the back, and immediately placed it back on the shelf before quickly scurrying away, and it was two years before I took a chance and read it based on a friend's recommendation.

The problem was that the description on the book's cover doesn't reveal one iota of the book's wit, charm, and depth. It truly does this fantastic book a disservice. In fact, I hesitate to describe this book simply because I think that there is a very good chance that I am going to do it a disservice. However, I feel that that I should at least give you some idea of what its about, so here it is in the broadest strokes:

A single girl living in post-World War II London tries to figure out her career, friends, love life, and travel plans. The entire story is told through letters (something that turned me off the first time I picked up this book, but it completely and utterly works for this story) which alternate between being hilarious and poignant.

Anyway, if you haven't read it already, you place it on your "must read" list immediately! I actually "read" it by listening to it in audiobook form . . . If you are an audiobook fan, this is a particularly good one, and it might even be better to listen to it than read it.

For more information, visit the book's website:

http://www.randomhouse.com/rhpg/guernsey/

Diary of a Busy Girl

"It's the good girls who keep diaries; the bad girls never have the time."

- Tallulah Bankhead

The last time I kept a diary I was twelve years old and had nothing better to write about than what I bought at the Gap that day and how dreamy that guy in pre-Algebra was (In all fairness, his blue eyes were pretty dreamy . . . I ran into him years later at a holiday party). Over the years I have bought a few journals, but they are notable only for their very pretty covers and completely empty insides. I mean, really, what is the point? And who has the time?!?!?

One recent rainy day, I braved the elements and made the trek over to a newly-opened stationery store on Westheimer during my lunch hour (Ok, ok. It was more like a lunch hour-and-a-half). I had no problem passing on the store's lovely picture frames that matched my living room (oh my goodness . . . WHY didn't I buy them?!?!) or the cards for any and all occasions, but when my eyes locked on a Tiffany blue book on a shelf across the room, I was smitten. Gold flourishes on the cover indicated that that the book was **gasp** a journal, but after half a second of reflection I convinced myself that a journal was exactly what I needed. When I saw that writing was limited to just a few lines per day, I was sold. This was a journal that I could live with.

And you know what? I have, and on a daily basis. I keep it on my coffee table, and I can knock out an entry about the time it takes to get through a commercial.

When you have to distill your day to two or three sentences, it becomes apparent what is truly important to you. Sometimes, I surprise myself with what makes the cut. I get a kick out of the fact that when July 3, 2011 rolls around and I return to the "July 3" page, I will have a chance to relive that memory of spending my 31st birthday at a small-town farmers' market.

Fair warning though: While using this journal, it becomes readily apparent where there is room for improvement. I winced when I realized that I was writing an awful lot about restaurants (fellow dieters, take note!). Hopefully, in the future I will see a few more trips to the museum and a little less Tex-Mex.

Is this journal a necessity? Absolutely not, but that makes it even more enjoyable! It would make a lovely (and long-lasting) gift for both the good and bad girls in your life. There is a pink-covered version for the moms (or moms-to-be) you know.

The "One Line A Day" Journal is $16, and is available in Paper Source stores and online at Amazon.com (where it is currently on sale for $11, http://www.amazon.com/One-Line-Day-Five-Year-Memory/dp/0811870197/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top)

Fish Tacos

For years I bucked the fish taco trend. It's no secret that I am more of a red meat type of gal. At the very least, give me chicken or give me death! Anyway, a couple of years ago I tried a fish taco for the first time, and found it . . . not half bad. Not on the level of an El Tiempo Taco al Carbon, but tasty enough. And then one day inspiration struck, and I saw the fish taco light: I was standing in the checkout line at Kroger (which was taking forever) and perusing the magazines, and there it was . . . Martha Stewart's Everyday Foods. And what was on the cover? So glad that you asked! Fish Tacos looking succulent, colorful, and utterly craveable. Needless to say, the magazine ended up in my grocery cart and then on my kitchen counter where it gathered dust for a couple of months.

And then my mother came to visit me here in Houston.

Frankly, after two delightful meals at Ibiza and Tiny Boxwoods, I was at a loss as to where to take my mom next. Benjy's? Too trendy. Houston's? To chain-y. Lupe Tortilla? Are you kidding? Who would drive us home after the margaritas? And then an idea so brilliant in its simplicity popped into my head: Why not eat at home? Yes! Oh, but what to eat? The answer was right there on my kitchen counter staring right back at me from beneath a thin layer of dust . . .

Fish Tacos.

I capitalized both the F and the T because the tacos we made were so delicious, so simple to prepare, and so perfect for summer that they are deserving of a formal title. There are fish tacos, and then there are Fish Tacos. These are Fish Tacos. Of course with Celeste and Carla in the kitchen, there were plenty of tweaks to the recipe, so, without further ado here it is:

Fish Tacos

• Boneless, skinless tilapia* filets (one filet or 1/4 pound per person)
• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• coarse salt & fresh ground pepper to taste
• one pinch of chili powder per filet
• 1/4 cup sour cream (the light sour cream works well)
• 1/2 lime (for the sour cream sauce)
• fresh tortillas (corn or flour according to preference), 2 per person
• 1 red cabbage
• 1 small white onion
• A truckload of fresh cilantro
• Optional: Peach Salsa (or other fresh salsa)
• Optional: Queso Fresco

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Rinse and pat dry the tilapia filets. Place the filets on a foil-lined baking sheet. Brush each filet with olive oil and then season to taste with the salt, pepper, and chili powder. Flip over the filets and repeat on the other side. Place the baking sheet with tilapia in the oven and switch the oven to a low broil for 5 to 7 minutes. When the fish appears to start browning and is opaque, it is done.

While the fish is cooking, use the juice and zest of 1/2 a lime and mix with the sour cream. For extra kick, add a dash of chili powder and/or tabasco. Mix well.

Remove the tilapia from the oven, and cut each filet in half down the length of the fish. Squeeze a little fresh lime over the top of each filet.

While the fish cools, thinly slice the raw red cabbage, chop the onion and cilantro, and warm the tortillas by your preferred method.

Place 1/2 of a filet in each tortilla. Top with sour cream sauce, cabbage, onions (as you can see from the photo above, I'm not big on onions), and cilantro to taste. You can spice it up with a little peach salsa or queso fresco, but I prefer it simply prepared. Garnish with a lime wedge and extra cilantro.

The whole thing is done from start to finish in about 20 minutes . . . now that is what I call an everyday indulgence!

My mom and I enjoyed these with black beans on the side and New Age White Wine (deserving of its own post), but a white sangria would pair well, too.

*The ancient Egyptians revered the tilapia fish (yes, there are tilapia in the Nile) as a symbol of fertility and regeneration, probably because the mother tilapia fish incubates her eggs in her mouth until they hatch. To the ancient egyptians, the hatching fish looked like they instantly sprung from their mother's mouth. Speaking of Egypt . . . Vote for me in the BudgetTravel.com competition!