There is no need to have the same “plain jane” meal on a daily basis. With the simple basics of olive oil, vinegar, sea salt and pepper, you can add zest to almost anything you prepare. The subtle taste of any dish is greatly enhanced with sprinkling of a vinaigrette dressing, prepared creatively to compliment a meal.

According to the French, “la sauce vinaigrette” can literally transform a salad bowl into something “extraordinaire.” Vinaigrette doesn’t have to be limited to the salad portion of a meal. You can sprinkle it on grilled fish, roasted chicken, seared steak or even wilted greens.

By using the standard three to one ratio, oil to vinegar, vinaigrette dressing is quite simple to prepare. The quality of the ingredients is important. You will want the best oil and vinegar as well as good quality sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper. By using a whisk and a small bowl, the salt and pepper is first blended into the vinegar and then whisking these ingredients into the oil. There you have it - the basic vinaigrette dressing. Sprinkle it over a bed of salad greens and joy this mellow taste along with the main course meal.

When preparing classic vinaigrette, use red wine vinegar and olive oil. That will be your basis to add a host of other ingredients and create an almost endless array of vinaigrettes.

Preparing honey mustard vinaigrette requires replacing red wine vinegar with white wine vinegar. Whisk in one tablespoon of honey and Dijon mustard. Then add the olive oil. Most definitely a wonderful addition when preparing grilled steak or salmon. Your dinner companions will think you worked hours to achieve a perfect meal.

Using different herbs is also a wonderful, tasty way to prepare a basic vinaigrette dressing. Again replace the red wine vinegar with white balsamic vinegar and mix a few tablespoons of cilantro and basil. Then add the olive oil.

Vinaigrette dressing can be used with a winter squash in which you use…

• 2 acorn squash
• ½ teaspoon black pepper and 1 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons olive oil 
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 ½ tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 to 2 teaspoons finely chopped hot red chili with seeds included 
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

You will need to preheat the oven to 450F. Cut the acorn squash in half lengthwise, scooping out the seeds. Then cut each half into ¾ inch wedges. Place the wedges in a bowl and sprinkle black pepper, ¾ teaspoon salt and 2 tablespoons olive oil on them. Place the acorn wedges in a shallow baking pan and roast the squash, rotating the pan midway through the cooking cycle. When the two squash vegetables are tender, in about 25 to 35 minutes, you will want to drizzle them with a pre-prepared vinaigrette consisting of mashed minced garlic using ¼ teaspoon salt and whisking in lime juice, chili, cilantro and the remainder of the olive oil. Your winter squash has acquired a taste of its own.

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Olive oil tastings have been held similar to wine tastings. People use such words as mild fruity and mellow to refer to the aroma of the olive oil, and zesty, nutty, buttery, sweet, assertive and rich to refer to the taste. The appearance can be described as amber, clear, green, or cloudy. Olive oil can be stored for up to two years if it is kept in a dark and cool place, however does not taste better with age as wine does.

When looking for the best grades consider these tips:

Light olive oil has a different taste compared to the others, but has the same amount of calories and fat.

Pure olive oil is mixed with virgin oil and processed with chemicals and bleaching clay to reach an acidity level over 3 percent.

Virgin olive oil has a stronger taste due to an acidity level of 1 to 3 percent. It is sold in fewer quantities in the United States.

Finally, Extra virgin has an acidity below 1 percent. To achieve this the olives are not refined but cold pressed. The soil type of tree harvesting and growing techniques will affect the acidity and taste. Unfiltered extra virgin has a sharper taste and is best used for salads and cheaper extra virgin is better for cooking with.

The bottom line for flavor and taste; purchase a quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

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Instead of serving traditional cheese and cracker or sliced celery and cubed cheese appetizers for your next party, why not try something with a little more flair? Fresh sliced, toasted Italian bread combined with a great blend of bread dipping herbs and spices makes for a great appetizer. Bread dipping primarily originates all the way from the Mediterranean region in Europe. Because of its simple yet tasty gourmet flavor, bread dipping is immensely popular in Greece and Italy.

A bread dipping appetizer simply begins with a fresh baked baguette. When a special blend of Italian herbs and spices and extra virgin olive oil are added, this simple loaf of bread is transformed into gourmet hors d’oeuvre. Balsamic vinegar may also be introduced into the mixture. All of your guest will undoubtedly love this appetizer.

The secret to creating a phenomenal bread dipping appetizer is using a rehydrated spice mixture, which is achieved by covering the spices with just a small amount of water in a shallow dish and leaving this to stand for about a quarter of an hour. The water is later drained and olive oil is added. Rehydrating draws out the original flavors of the spices. For even more flavor, you may opt to add a variety of condiments, such as grated Parmesan, cracked pepper, and lemon juice.

One other important tip to remember is that your bread dipping dish will only be as good as the olive oil you use for it. Accordingly, be sure to use a quality olive oil, such as extra virgin olive oil with balsamic vinegar. Such gourmet olive oil is great for adding excellent flavor to your dish. Olive oil tastes exceptionally great when paired with fresh-baked sourdough, foccacia, or a baguette.

In addition to choosing a quality oil for your bread dipping appetizer, you should definitely consider using a vinegar to add to the overall taste of your dish. Oil and vinegar work great together. If you’re looking to create a very aesthetically-pleasing appetizer, balsamic vinegar is a great choice, as it will pool together when mixed with olive oil. Bread can be made equally presentable if it is sliced at angles. To create an hors d’oeuvre platter, simply halve these bread slices and serve alongside the dip.

Versatility is one prime characteristic of a good bread dipping seasoning. Seasonings have a variety of applications. They can serve as salad garnishes, pasta dressings, or flavorful cooking additions to roasts, chicken, and steamed vegetables. Seasonings can likewise be used in beef and poultry marinades, especially as they contain rich Italian flavors.

Bread dipping appetizers are ideal for parties, as they do not require much time and energy to prepare. Moreover, these dishes possess amazing flavor and are healthy as well. Bread dipping dishes epitomize Old World cuisine and all it has to offer.
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Many diets are bland and uninteresting, with limited tastes and textures which make them hard to stick to. When you are dieting, you are usually doing so because you overindulged in delicious dishes which you found hard to resist. Dieting, therefore, is perceived as deprivation, punishment even, because you liked the taste of certain dishes too much. The allure of the Mediterranean Diet, therefore, is the variety it offers of fresh, tasty choices.

Whether hoping to shape up and pursue a healthier lifestyle or because of medical guidance, the diet is easy to follow with very basic guidelines:

• Cereals, Bread, Pasta and Potatoes
Half of your caloric intake should come from these foods and it is recommended they form the largest section of your main course. Add vegetables, salad or small amounts of meat, poultry or fish. Eat wholegrain varieties and all the types in this category combined to add fiber.
• Fruits & Vegetables
Think colorfully – red, yellow, orange and leafy green - with five portions daily. to ensure vitamins like beta carotene, A, C, and E and antioxidants which help protect against cardiovascular disease. If you also eat the seeds, nuts and pulps, you’ll provide your body with needed acids and fiber.
• The Main Course
Fish, abundant in the Mediterranean, should also be included in this diet a minimum of three times weekly. The fatty acid in fish oil will help fight different types of disease and ailments. Poultry and lean red meat are also allowed, but avoid fatty meat with higher levels of saturated fat.
• Dairy
As excellent sources of vitamins, minerals, calcium and protein, dairy products – even low-fat - are vital to the Mediterranean diet and are needed to ensure stronger, healthier bones. The higher levels of saturated fat or total fat in items like whole milk, butter, cream, and cheese should be avoided when possible.
• Olive Oil
The specific source of fat in the Mediterranean Diet is olive oil. Use it for baking, frying, stir fries, marinades and salad dressing.
• What You Should Strictly Limit or Avoid
Foods that are too fatty or too sugary should be avoided, as most diets dictate. However, if you simply are overwhelmed by a craving, small amounts of cakes, pastries, fried foods and chocolate may be allowed very sparingly.
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1 - 5lb fryer cut into portion size pieces
one half cup olive oil
one half cup onions chopped fine
one tablespoon parsley, chopped fine
one quarter cup celery, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, peeled, chopped fine
one bay leaf
one half teaspoon rosemary, chopped fine
1 cup dry sauterne, or:
       Substitute Chablis wine for the sauterne for a different flavor.
       Substitute Reisling wine for the sauterne for a different flavor.
one quarter teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
one half cup instant rice
one half cup water

Rinse, then dry all pieces of chicken with paper towels. Heat the olive oil in a skillet with a tightfitting cover. Add the pieces of chicken and brown them well on all sides. Add the onion, parsley, celery, garlic, bay leaf, rosemary and wine. Reduce heat to simmer. Stir well. Sprinkle in the pepper, salt, and instant rice. Make sure that all of the rice is submerged in the liquid. Add the water, cover tightly, and cook at simmer for one hour. The chicken will be done when the thickest portions of the chicken can be pierced with a fork. Serve hot. Makes six servings

Variation:
Add 1 2-pound can of Italian style tomatoes and eliminate the last half cup of water.

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To create the best vinaigrette always ensure that you have the correct oil to vinegar ratio which is two parts oil to one part vinegar. This ratio can be adjusted slightly according to individual taste. For example, you may find that if you are using a balsamic vinegar the overall flavor of the vinaigrette may not be sharp enough, in which case the oil ratio may be reduced a little.

Your vinaigrette can be created by shaking all your ingredients in a glass receptacle with a lid. Oil, vinegar, salt, pepper and some freshly chopped herbs are all you need.

This type of vinaigrette is best used immediately. If you wish to create a vinaigrette that will remain stable for a little longer then it is suggested that you use an agent such as mustard to create an emulsion and prevent the oil and vinegar from separating too quickly. It is worth remembering that vinaigrette does not keep indefinitely and with that in mind it is preferable to make quantities that can be used within a short period of time.

You will need the following ingredients:

2 tbs of aged balsamic vinegar
2 tsps mustard of your choice – if unsure Dijon mustard would be an ideal
4 to 6 tbs of superior quality olive oil
Season with salt and pepper

Method:

The vinegar and mustard should be whisked together at a high speed. During this process the oil should be very gradually added. You will notice that the mixture will become opaque and will take on the appearance of thin cream or mayonnaise. This process can be completed by hand but if preparing at least three or portions of vinaigrette the use of a food processor is recommended. By using this method you will be able to keep the vinaigrette emulsified for up to three days. Be sure to keep any unused portion in the fridge.

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Here are some of the ways you can enjoy olives:

• Olive tapenade. This is very easy to make and yet is quite delicious. Tapenade is a spread which you can use to top dishes with poultry and fish, or as a sandwich spread or dip. Put some pitted olives in a food processor. Add some garlic, olive oil, plus seasonings you like. Blend these together into a paste. These can also be kept in the fridge for future use. 

 • Pasta with olives. You can toss chop some pitted olives, add minced garlic and tomatoes into some pasta. Add some fresh herbs for more flavor.

• If you are making chicken or tuna salad, you can also toss in some chopped olives.

• You can also eat it as it is, or combined with chopped and uncooked vegetables, such as celery or carrots. You can set these out on the dinner table for you to bite into even as you enjoy a Mediterranean meal.

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Sometimes black olives are not allowed to ripen. Instead, the green and unripe olives are processed so until they turns into black. This is done by using processing methods that expose them to the air.

The color of the olives is also changes by different kinds of processing methods. These include curing the olives in salt, water, oil and brine. Olives may also undergo fermentation. As a result, olives turn purple, red, black, yellow or brown.

Change in colors is not the only effect of processing. The texture of the olives’ skin may also be affected. The shiny and smooth surface may turn wrinkled and shriveled because of processing.

Olives come in a number of varieties and names. These offer different flavors, most of them tasty. Olives are also given creative names such as Manzanilla, Kalamata, Nyon, Nicoise, Picholine, Cerignola and Sevillano. These olive varieties also look differently and come in diverse sizes. Olives may taste acidic, sour, bitter or smoky.

Olives can also come whole or pitted. Currently, olives are produced in Morocco, Spain, Turkey, Greece and Italy. Olives provide great health benefits, as they contain a number of substances that promote health. These include polyphenols and flavonoids, which are great anti-inflammatory compounds and protect your heart against diseases, as well as improve your gastrointestinal health.

The different kinds of olives also come in different packaging. In the supermarket or your deli store, you will find olives in tins, glass jars and tinfoil bags. You can also buy olives by the barrel. These are small barrels that are sold by weight. Once you open the package, you must keep it in the refrigerator. Put these in an airtight container, especially if these are immersed in brine.

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Rosemary and thyme can often be found fresh at your local grocers all year round. When used with poultry, they help perk up any dish. Spicy bay can also be added to improve the flavor of a dish.

Basil (best fresh)

When you eat food containing basil, you taste it more in your nose than on your tongue. It is therefore better to add basil at the end of the cooking process, in pasta sauce, for example, or as garnish. Sandwiches, pizza, salad, eggs, veal, or steak all taste excellent when sprinkled with some fresh, chopped basil. Basil can also be mixed into soft butter and then spread on biscuits or bread. Place fresh leftover basil along with olive oil in a food processor and blend until you obtain a paste. Store this paste in the freezer and use it with soups or rice dishes to give them a fresh basil flavor. Basil adds a wonderful flavor to any bread dipping spice mix or blend. Dried basil can be added when just beginning to cook soup or stew dishes. It can also be added to tomato sauce.

Parsley (best fresh)

Fresh parsley can be used in much the same manner as basil. It can be added to tuna, tabbouleh, salads, bruschetta, pesto, gravy, or used with meat or potatoes. Parsley with flat leaves has more flavor than those with curly leaves. Fresh parsley can also be pureed, frozen and stored for use in the future.

Rosemary (fresh or dry)

Dried rosemary is often hard and easily broken, so it should only be used in recipes that involve large amounts of liquid and long periods of cooking. This allows the rosemary to re-hydrate, bringing out its flavor better. If not, you should use fresh rosemary instead. When roasting chicken, you can use either form of rosemary (before baking the chicken tuck the rosemary stems under the skin). Fresh rosemary is also excellent when used with gravy, potatoes, meat marinades, biscuits and Greek cuisines.

Ginger (best fresh)

Fresh ginger possesses a sweet, lemon-like flavor whereas dried ginger often tastes hot and spicy. When cooking with ginger, try to use fresh ginger, grated for use in stir-fried dishes, fish marinades or roasted vegetables. When baking with ginger, however, you can use almost any form of ginger that you like, whether it is fresh, dried, or even candied.

Oregano (best dry)

The taste of dried oregano is much more intense than that of fresh oregano. When making tomato-based sauces or cooking Italian, Greek or Mexican dishes, you should simmer dried oregano in them, crushing the leaves between your fingers as you add them.

Sage (fresh or dry)

Sage is best used in combination with other herbs to add flavor as it is a pungent herb with a strong taste. The taste of fresh sage leaves is slightly milder than in dried leaves. Sage complements tomato-based dishes and sauces well, and can also be used in poultry dishes, gravy, stuffing, veal, fish, winter squash, hearty soups and stews, biscuits and rolls. Certain varieties such as pineapple sage have a milder taste and can be used in meat marinades or in salads.

Tarragon (best fresh)

The licorice flavor of tarragon complements seafood very well, and fresh tarragon leaves can be used to good effect in fish and poultry dishes or with ham glaze. It can also be added to salads or salad dressings to add flavor. Be careful, however, as too much can cause the taste to become overpowering.

Thyme (fresh or dry)

Thyme has an earthy flavor that goes well with sweet vegetables. It can be used in dishes containing bell peppers or squash, or with poultry, stuffing, pizza, eggs, gravy, lamb, or veal. There are many different varieties of thyme, such as lemon thyme, that you can experiment with.

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