The best places to try the authentically rustic food of the region are at the Fermes Auberges or farm inns like the Auberge du St Julien at Buis Les Baronnies, the Auberge du Domaine Guilon at Chamaret with its own winery and Moulin de Chateau near Villeperdrix with its 12th century buildings and 16th century…
Recipes
A Taste of Catalonia
Writing my post on the Vea estates in Catalonia last week brought back memories of some of great dishes the I have enjoyed when visiting that area. Here are just a few of them. Escalavida …and beyond …
A Taste of Sicily
The food in Sicily is rich and varied and I have collected a good many recipes on my travels there. Here is a selection of them. Caprese and Salami kebabs These lovely little hors d’oeuvres come from a selection of recipes on the new website of The Gift of Oil which I reviewed in my…
Simple Summer Food from Jaen
Talking about my visit to Jaen in my recent “Memories” post reminded me of another visit to that part of the olive oil world a year later. One of the producers I visited then was Melgarejo who own a very modern mill near Jaen itself. Here the fifth generation of the family showed off the…
Extra virgin olive oil enhances game recipes
This month I have been experimenting with cooking various kind of game with extra virgin olive oil and I have been very pleased with the results. The olive oil helps to lubricate what can often be quite dry meat and gives an excellent flavour to the dish. Using olive oil in this way also contributes …
SALAD DAYS
I am always looking for new ideas for interesting salads, particularly at this time of the year. Here are five delicious recipes from the internet sites of three of my favourite olive oil producers and two from the American vegetarian blogger Dina Honke and her great blog oliveoilandlemons. All the oils mentioned are available from…
Sydney Times features recipes from The Olive Oil Diet
Six recipes from my book The Olive Oil Diet written with Dr. Simon Poole were featured last month on the Sydney Times website at sydneytimes.net.au Great to see our ideas down under. LENTIL FALAFEL WITH TAHINI SAUCE Lentils do not usually need to be soaked overnight but it is essential for this recipe but once…
EVOO Great for Cakes
Using olive oil in baking is not only a great way of adding more olive oil to your diet it also ensures good results without too much effort! Here are three lovely cake recipes using extra virgin olive oils from France, California and Spain. The first recipe comes from my fellow cookery writer, chef and…
Food with a difference… from an award winning producer
Melgarejo is the name to look out for among leading extra virgin olive oils from Jaen in the Spanish region of Andalucia. This oil has just won one of the top awards in the Mario Solinas Awards organised by the International Olive Council in Madrid. The oil is pressed from the local Picual olive and…
Scatter pearls for a burst of flavour
The latest in foodie novelties are these little spherical gelatinous “pearls” filled with extra virgin olive oil or with balsamic vinegar of Modena. The idea is to sprinkle them over salads and other dishes so that when you bite into them you get a sudden burst of flavour. There is no doubt that they are…