It ain't over til you add the finishing vinegar (or oil)

      Hello, I am a vinegar addict.  All my family and friends know it, and I am not even ashamed of it anymore.
      For years and years, I have added vinegar to my plate like other people add salt and pepper. I love the stuff and how it makes my food taste- slightly acidic or slightly sweet, depending on the vinegar.  I used to try to hide that I thought everything was better with vinegar on it, but it is a scent that wafts strongly through the air.  I sat through many puzzled glances by people without my addiction- and who thought I was a little weird!
     So, I was pleasantly surprised when a good friend, fully aware of my habit, gave me finishing vinegars from Philadelphia this Christmas. I sat them on the counter and promptly forgot about them- until my sister gave me another bunch of them, along with oils from New Hampshire.

      These have great yummy flavors: oil infusions such as Tuscan Herb, Garlic, Persian Lime- specialty oils like Butternut Squash Seed, White Truffle, and California Almond. In the vinegar line-Black Mission Fig Balsamic, Traditional 18-year Balsamic, and Cranberry-Pear, for example. Recently, while on a trip to Philadelphia-- we took a visit to the Reading Terminal Market, and I found a shop called The Tubby Olive. It has a dazzling display of oils and vinegars, and I spent quite a happy while tasting vinegar after exotic vinegar!

        Home I came, with even more oils and vinegars, promising myself I would figure out what to do with them. Tonight I decided to use two of them as a finishing drizzle-- the 18 year aged balsamic, and a lovely basil infused olive oil. The finishing vinegars have been reduced and are more of a syrup than a water texture- all the better for embracing pastas, breads, or baked potato chips (like I just did!)

 Here is the finished product- and OMG , it was yummy!

 This starts with a bed of gluten-free Fusilli, over which I layered steamed broccoli, carrots, cauliflower and edamone. Added in crispy bacon bits and a little Alaska Pollock and king crab meat. This was then drizzled with the basil oil, the 18 year balsamic and a little fresh lemon juice.  The final topper was some freshly shredded Parmesan. I started drooling the moment I uncapped that 18 year balsamic, and literally inhaled the rest of the meal. I really tried to savor- but it was so good!
     So, I wondered, what else can I do with these? A quick Internet search later, and here is a small list:   Dipping, Finishing, Marinades, Specialty reductions (like Balsamic reduction over grilled pineapple- try it, really, go try it!), over Scrambled eggs, Vinaigrette's and my next experiment- drizzled over fresh popcorn!
      The Tubby Olive has a website called, of course, thetubbyolive.com.  Try it out and look at some of the recipes that they have created:
                   Avocado, Tomato, mozzarella Salad featuring Basil Olive oil
                   Tzatziki Sauce featuring Champagne Vinegar and Fern Leaf Dill oil
                   Black Currant-Chipotle Wings featuring Chipotle oil and Black Currant Balsamic Vinegar.

    I highly recommend visiting their shop in Philadelphia, they are very happy to help and very knowledgeable about their products. I encourage you all to try your hand at the finishing oils and vinegars, they add an dimension that compliments all things.

And, the next time I am out and about, I will be visiting these two shops also.:
      Cardenas Oil & Vinegar Taproom, South Philly
          and
      Monadnock Oil & Vinegar Co., Peterborough, NH
Great vinegars and oils from these two places also. So get out there and play with your vinegars and oils- your dishes aren't done until they have been finished!
Let me know about the winners!


As always, Live Peacefully. Cook Fearlessly.
Chris