How to Enjoy Your Strippaggio Gifts

Everyone knows that oil & vinegar makes salads special – about 2 parts oil to one part vinegar, a little salt and pepper and voila – salad dressing! 

Well – we’ve prepared a few more ideas for using these flavorful oils and vinegars on all sorts of foods.  This is just a few examples of some of our customers favorites, plus a few of our own.  As you grow more comfortable with our oils & vinegars, you’ll discover more ways to make your life more flavorful.

• Basil Extra Virgin Olive Oil - drizzle over cooked pasta, or fried or scrambled eggs.  Great over fresh tomatoes, Caprese Salad, roasted veggies and so much more.  Brighten up your homemade pesto!  Saving perhaps the best for last, it's wonderful for bread dipping.  Also try sprinkling a few drops of Traditional Dark Balsamic as well for a unique taste experience.

• Traditional Dark Balsamic  - a near perfect blend of sweet and tart that enhances almost everything. Perfect for your holiday charcuterie tray.  Drizzle over hard and soft cheeses, meat, fish and roasted veggies.  Try this - drizzle over vanilla ice cream and fresh berries.  Really!

• Garlic Extra Virgin Olive Oil - calling all garlic lovers!  Use this flavored oil for bread dipping, or create mouth-watering sandwich spreads and spicy marinades.  Drizzle over pasta or eggs for added flavor.  Awesome garlic bread without all the chopping and mincing.  Try warmed as a dip for steamed Rtichokes instead of mayo.    Special note - drizzle over pizza!

• Traditional White Balsamic - this all-purpose Balsamic adds a creative element to dressings, vegetables, stir-fry's and even pasta salads.  Create a memorable Cranberry Sauce this holiday season by replacing most of the sugar in your recipe with this Balsamic. Can be used wherever you use Trad. Dark Balsamic, but but not the dark color.

• Lemon Extra Virgin Olive Oil - this delightful oil ads a citrus pop for sautéing asparagus, broccoli or roasted carrots.  Or drizzle it over roasted fish and chicken, use in pasta salads, stir fry or cooked pasta for a classic Mediterranean taste.

• Fig Balsamic — use as a meat marinate and glaze, in salad dressings, over roasted veggies, sandwiches, and Thanksgiving Turkey.  Don’t forget to drizzle a little over your pizza.  Very memorable.  Also great over sliced figs and goat cheese, or Caprese Salad.

• Blood Orange Extra Virgin Olive Oil - perfect drizzled over roasted veggies, and over roasted duck and pork.  Delicious either drizzled over warm brownies or to replace butter when baking brownies.  Pair with White Balsamic for a great vinaigrette.

Here are a few more ideas, grouped by different foods,

• Vegetables come alive! Sprinkle a little oil (Blood Orange, anyone?) over broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, tomatoes and almost anything else. Add your favorite spices and roast as usual. Sprinkle with balsamic vinegar (White Barrel Aged is one of our favorites!) before serving.
• Dipping bread – many of our customers use our oils for dipping every day! Choose our vibrant or sweet single varietals such as Arbequina or try one of the flavored oils such as Basil or Italian Herb.  Add a few drops of Traditional Dark Barrel Aged Vinegar for a memorable taste.  Make sure the bread has a great crust!
• Desserts can be so simple – but the flavor is unexpected! Drizzle a little vinegar over berries, ice cream or pound cake to add a sweet taste bite.  Hard to argue with Peach, Strawberry, Blueberry or Fig and either of the Traditional Balsamics work great.
• Are you a baker? Try substituting olive oil for butter for healthier and tastier cookies, pies and cakes.  And you can add some of our flavored oils for even more options.  One favorite – Blood Orange in Brownies.  ‘Nuf said.
• Pasta – Prepare as usual – boiling water and salt. Drizzle Basil, Garlic, Rosemary, Italian Herb or Lemon over pasta before adding your favorite sauce, or add a flavored oil, fresh herbs and great shredded cheese and you’re ready to eat.  Lemon is a favorite – and some of our heartier appetites add Jalapeno!
• Sandwiches – drizzle flavored oils and vinegars on your favorite sandwich for a new tasting experience. One of our favorites is Fig over turkey and mozzarella.  And maybe a little sliced tomato.  And perhaps a little Basil.
• Popcorn –pop the corn using Rosemary, then drizzle a little more oil after its popped. The flavor is subtle, but everyone loves it.  Some folks recommend Basil and Italian Herb as well.
• Eggs – cook in oil instead of butter for a healthier breakfast or use a flavored oil to bump up the taste. Try a little Garlic to really charge your taste buds.
• Meats and poultry. Brush some oil on before roasting or BBQ’ing, then sprinkle with a little vinegar right before eating.  All the vinegars work well, but Cask10 is just so syrupy sweet!
• Fish – a little oil goes a long way during roasting or sauteing, and a topper of vinegar adds a taste dimension that’s perfect. Persian Lime adds a citrus sparkle!
• Salads – last but never least, change your flavor profile every time you make a salad – mix and match. We love Lemon & Cranberry Pear, Blood Orange & White Barrel Aged, Basil & Lemongrass.  What’s your go to pairing?