Olive Oil - So Much More than a Cooking Aide

It is June. And with June comes another tasting club event. This month, we dived into the joys and wonders of extra virgin olive oil. Who knew that when it comes down to it, olive oils are like wine and chocolate with various origins, textures tastes. (Okay, in truth we are learning this about every thing that we have as a tasting event!)

The evening had us explore the divine depths of four luxury extra virgin olive oils. And of course, as we've learned with each tasting, there is usually some interesting part of the ritual. Of course for this month, it was that we took a drink of the extra virgin olive oil straight from our little cups ... yeah ... it was strange, but it really did help us see how different they were.

The first treat was a dark, rich oil that had a slight grassy, earthy aroma. The flavor however was a very smooth nutty treat. With a slight peppery finish, this was something you could pour on popcorn and call it heaven. It was no surprise that it hailed from the land of Italy. It was the Lucini olive oil. You can purchase it in a variety of places, but fair warning I noticed that the prices greatly vary (when I was grabbing the image.) I happened to notice that SuperTarget carried it for the very reasonable 8.99 (almost half of what it cost everywhere else.)

The second treat was a lovely Spanish oil called L'estornell. This was a very delicate oil that had a slightly sweet aftertaste, but was almost so subtle that it lacked too much flavor. Again, great for someone who maybe doesn't want a rich extra virgin olive oil or just wants a tiny bit of the luxury. According to the producers web site, this can typically be found at Williams-Sonoma. And I think you're looking at around $20 - 25 for the bottle.

The third oil smelled like herbs with a hint of fruit. You were hit by the strong pepper flavor and as you swallowed it down, the thick liquid made you cough. It was still good, but just so very different than the first. It's no surprise that this one hailed from the Greek Isles. A land known for their care and love of olives. It was definitely a delicious oil for flavoring your bread or cooking with, if you like a stronger taste to your oil. It was the Nassapoulos Family Groves Greek Gourmet Extra Virgin Olive Oil. On their web site, I think you can get a number of different sized bottles for under $10.

The final oil was one for someone who really likes a punch. There was a stronger floral scent to this oil, but the aroma did not prepare you for the unbelievable rich, peppery taste. If you are someone who likes to add a little pepper to your extra virgin olive oil before dipping your bread -- don't with this. It's the perfect blend of pepper and oil already. There's no need to enhance it. The taste is so strong that drinking it straight burned your throat a little like tequila. With bread it was great -- and it would probably be superb for cooking. Of course, this little treat came from the sunny lands of Californa and the McEvoy Ranch. At $20, you definitely may want to try it before you buy it if you are more of a subtle flavor person.

The rest of the food was great, we had mini Caprese salads (which are one of my favorite things!) and delicious little artichoke, olive, tomato pizzas. Next month, we'll venture into the fine world of cured meats. It's like a building antipasti!

Sore Throat Signs

Today I work up with a sore throat. Not razor blades, I'm dying strep sore throat, but a really, really sore throat. So, to play it safe, I thought it best to work from the confines of my home office today. My meetings consisted of mainly being touch bases with my team, so I know they'll understand and forgive me.

This sore throat did get me thinking though. Maybe it was a sign from above that I need to slow down a bit, reflect on things and not be so rush, rush. I'll keep that in mind as a tackle the rest of the week (praying that my throat feels better tomorrow) which is jam-packed full. I think I have extra-curricular events every day through Saturday. Whew!

Father's Day

Today is the day we honor the man who are responsible for us being put on this planet. Of course, Father's Day has even more meaning now because I'm married to one. But I have to say, I am very lucky because he was the one who got up at 8 a.m. this morning and mowed the lawn and told K to let me sleep in. It was almost like he chose to make the day be more about me.

Of course, we ended the day by me going to his favorite Korean restaurant and picking up the greatest food ever -- and then I made a side trip at the Korean grocer and picked up some Kimchi for him. So, he truly has a good understanding of my appreciation for him. (Seriously, anyone who knows me and how I feel about Kimchi, you know that I must love him for me to actually purchase that pungent stuff and allow it to be in my house.)

I called my dad and wished him a Happy Father's Day as well ... of course the thing that kills me with my parents is that I sort of feel like they always expect a gift from me. Because that was what he asked "what did you get me?" It sort of is annoying, and makes me wonder how they can be like that. But both my parents are this way ... and if they don't get a gift, they probably mumble that I'm ungrateful. It's truly annoying. I will never expect K to get me a gift -- I appreciate the little handcrafted treats they make at school. There's nothing more precious that I could love than those.

So, to all the father's out there - "Happy Father's Day!" May your gift be pure, sweet love from your child.

Aww, Thank You, Mama

K did phenomenally this past week in swimming. He truly passed expectations and put his whole face in the water. Of course, he immediately would look to D and I for our approval and we were the proud parents with our thumbs up and big smiles from ear to ear.

But my favorite was when I was getting him dressed after the lesson. I told him that he was a very good swimmer in class today. He looked at me, tilted his head to the side and said, "Aww, thank you, mama!" It was so unexpected, and so unbelievable adorable. In fact, lately, he has been the model of a polite young man at the old age of three. I don't know what's up, or if D and I just tried to instill in him manners so much that now they come natural to him. But I have to admit, I am very impressed by his un-triggered etiquette.

I often see young kids today, and worry that society is forcing them to grow up so fast. I hope that we are able to ensure that K stays a kid for as long as possible. But now, a very polite and sweet boy, for sure.

Desire, Oh the Forbidden

It's true -- when you can't have something -- you want it even more. It's like that carrot dangling in front of you. Within viewing distance, but just enough out of reach that you keep chasing it like a fool, only to never be fully satisfied.

And of course, this would be when I could quote a familiar Rolling Stones song, but Mick, sometimes you really need what you want. And you still can't have it ... was there a verse about that? Alas, alas, alas. I guess we can always look toward the future and the possibility of being able to get what we really want, if we do our time, stay on the straight and narrow and just focus on the here and now. So, my friends, that is what I will try to do. Stay focused on the here and now and know that what I really want, one day, I will be able to have.

Sweet Simplicity of a Cupcake

There is something so purely divine about making cupcakes with a three-year-old. I don't know if it was his exaggerated excitement when I asked him if he wanted to do it, or his precision on helping put in the appropriate ingredients. But, it was the perfect activity for a rainy Saturday.

My sweet man counted the teaspoons of vanilla and the cups of cocoa like it was the most important job he could ever have. His eyes grew big with wonder as I turned the beater on and mixed everything with love.

Then, tackling the frosting of choice, I read that it needed to chill for two hours before frosting! So, fortunately, K went to take his nap and I got the frosting underway. But in perfect fashion, as soon as he woke up, he announced it and came running downstairs with anticipation. Could he frost the cupcakes now? Of course, and I even allowed him the extra treat of getting to put sprinkles on half of them.

The best part, though, was of course, that he got to devour one once it was all decorated. There's something about watching a little kid dig into a cupcake and just enjoying it with nothing but bliss on their face. It is moments like this that help remind me why we are here. Why we go through some of the ordeals we do. Why in the end, it really is all worth it.