MAKING FOCACCIA BREAD for DIPPING
Here is a how-to for a rustic focaccia, one with a nice, springy crumb and golden crust.

focaccia bread dipping

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Bread dipping has been discovered as a tasty trend, and a new change from the tired appetizer, cheese and crackers. This new idea filled with flavored oils, sauces, and breads used in the olive oil dipping dish, will be a tasty treat.

If you would like to serve your guests something besides the traditional celery and carrot sticks, then the delightful new trend of bread dipping using the dipping dish, is for you. For a culinary masterpiece, try adding an olive oil dipping dish and a combination of herb dips. If you want to create an all occasion appetizer with the classy bread dipping dish, then you just need to combine delicious Mediterranean oils, and a different selection of breads. It will not be necessary to go around looking for gourmet grocer. To find a nice olive oil selection, you need only drop by your local grocery store. By being prepared to spend a little bit more for a bottle of extra virgin olive oil, you will find that it has a delightful flavor and is a very high quality oil. It will be a great choice for bread dipping. You will probably find that you may have pure olive oil in your pantry, but pure olive oils, are best for cooking, while the flavor staggers in comparison to extra virgin olive oil.

Do not be fooled when you see the name extra light olive oil, because the calories are the same. The color and the flavor of the oil is lighter and is what is being referred to in this case. This makes a good alternative when you are baking with vegetable or canola oil.

You can instantly serve many oils and sauces you want with the dipping dish. When serving the breads you want, simply put the flavored oils, for example, roasted garlic, lemon juice, and some fresh basil, in the dipping dishes.

Our bread dipping dish set includes, a recipe along with dried herbs that you can re-hydrate and add to your desired olive oil.

bread dipping, oil dipping

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Gourmet vinegar such as an Italian balsamic vinegar, fits nearly everyone’s budget and meets the approval of most people who receive it as a gift. Gourmet vinegars make great holiday gifts for people who love to cook or people who love to eat. The gourmet vinegars come in various flavors such as garlic, Rosemary, Merlot vinegar, Balsamic vinegar, organic spices, Italian spices vinegar, grape seed oil in general spices vinegar all handmade and all gourmet for that special someone.

Gourmet vinegars can be used in many different recipes such as breads, pastas, chilies, fish and chips, salads and as marinades on beef, poultry and fish. Gourmet vinegar is an acquired taste, not everyone appreciates its taste but there are some things vinegar is in that you have no idea it’s in there such as potato salad.

Many people use gourmet vinegars as appetizers with bread and spices, or as an addition to their salad as dressing. But the most popular use for gourmet vinegars is for cooking.

Gourmet vinegars come in beautiful bottles so they can go on display instead of being hidden away in the cabinet some place. They have a mixture of leaves such as basil leaves, fruits such as Apple rings and oranges and lemons and lines all in beautiful bottles that you can see mixing with the vinegar to make a delicious additive to any meal. In addition you can see the spices floating around.

Many people enjoy placing the gourmet vinegars in the windowsill so they can see all the spices and fruits through the sunshine in the decorative bottles and this are why they make great holiday gifts.

A gift giving idea that is becoming more common is that of giving a bottle of fine quality Italian balsamic vinegar instead of a bottle of wine. Balsamic vinegar is a staple in any chef’s pantry, and will be very much appreciated.
gourmet vinegar, balsamic vinegar gift

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Italian bruschetta
Serves four

Although authentic Italian bruschetta is grilled over a wood fire, a stove top grill, ridged cast iron skillet or toaster oven also work well and are more practical for most of us.

Ingredients:
½ loaf crusty bread, like Italian sourdough
4 large garlic cloves which have been peeled and put through a garlic press
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Coarse sea salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Take ¾ inch slices of bread, cut diagonally, and grill until both sides are brown. Remove from grill, spread pressed garlic on each slice and drizzle with olive oil. Arange on a serving platter then sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. Serve immediately with additional olive oil on the side, or with olive oil and balsamic vinegar in a dipping bowl on the side.
Italian bruschetta

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Italian Panzanella

Panzanella is a bread topping designed to use leftover bread. It is often used with red wine vinegar. This recipe uses aceto balsamico gran reserva.

This preparation works well with fresh bread cut in three quarters of an inch in thickness. It is also best to toast fresh bread before using.

Ingredients:
One half loaf of day old Italian bread cut into 1/2″ cubes
two red ripe tomatoes, remove seeds, dice into half-inch pieces
one cucumber, peeled, and chopped into half-inch chunks
three cloves garlic, peeled and pressed through a garlic press
one half cup chopped red onion
one half cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
three sprigs of fresh basil, to use for garnish
one third cup extra-virgin olive oil
one quarter cup Grand Reserva Modena balsamic vinegar
one pinch of sea salt and fresh ground black pepper

Method:
In a medium mixing bowl, add cubed bread, onions, bell pepper, cucumber, and tomatoes. Place garlic cloves, chopped basil, and balsamic vinegar in a blender and process until smooth. Leave the blender running, and slowly drizzle in the extra-virgin olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Toast the bread if you are using fresh bread. Combine the bread and vegetable mixture with the puréed dressing and garnish with sprigs of basil. Serve immediately. Should make about six servings

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Mediterranean-style salad

Ingredients

1 can artichoke hearts (15 ounces)
1 can white beans (15 ounces)
¼ to 1/3 cup of red onion, thinly chopped
1 cup red peppers, roasted and chopped
½ to ¾ cup fresh mint, chopped
Red pepper flakes
Extra Virgin Olive oil
Fresh squeezed Lemon juice
About 1 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Method:
Open and drain each can. Rinse the white beans and artichokes by placing it under running water. Using a cutting board, chop the hearts into quarters. Set aside. Chop the red peppers. Dice the red onion very finely. If you are using fresh mint, take a handful and chop it. Mix all of these into a mixing bowl. Add a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Cut the lemon into half and add the juice of one half into the bowl.Add a pinch of red pepper flakes for some spiciness. Stir all ingredients together. Before serving, add some crumbled feta cheese. You may wish to add some kalamata olives, pitted and sliced.

Mediterranean salad

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Selecting the kind of olive oil you want is similiar to choosing a fine wine. In fact, olive oils are also similar to wine when it comes to the terms used. Different kinds of olive oil also have different color, thickness and richness. There is a range of oils you can choose from – starting from extra virgin to extra light. Like choosing wine, it is important that you select the best oil that will complement your food. For instance, when choosing wine, it is vital that you come with the right pair, such as port paired with a sumptuous desert or an excellent Chardonnay acting as the perfect counterpoint with shellfish.

Your choice of olive oil says something about you and the tastes you have, in the same way that you select a sharp tie or a pretty evening dress. The oil should also dress up the dish and bring out its flavor. The oil can dress up and improve the flavor of the salad or bring out the taste of duck breast. Oils you can choose from include:

Extra virgin oil: This is the best of olive oils. It is also the least processed olive oil and is made by pressing the olives. A genuine extra virgin olive oil is like melted butter in that it covers your mouth with a certain thickness. It also has a peppery taste.

Virgin Olive Oil: This is made with olives that are pressed two times. If you want to do some cooking, this oil is the oil you should use.

Pure Olive Oil: This is the most processed kind of oil. It is made of oil from pressed olives. The oil is also refined and filtered.

Extra light virgin oil: This does not refer to the calories or the amount of fat it has. This is considered light because of its flavor, which is very mild. There is also organic oil, which is also light in color and flavor.

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Olive Oil selection

All gourmet preparation is only as good as the ingredients used. Keep in mind a good bread dipping mix requires quality olive oil.

Olive oils can be classified in much the same way as wine, with various types of body, thickness, richness and color. Selecting the right olive oil is much like selecting the right wine to accompany an evening’s main course – the right wine for the right dish. The olive oil you choose should be representative of you; it should not only complement the food you serve, it should say something about your personality and the type of person you are. Some of the best types of olive oil are listed below.

Extra Virgin: This type of olive oil is the best and most expensive, and has been through the least processing. It is obtained from the first pressing of olives, and is rich and thick, with a peppery tang.

Virgin: Virgin olive oil is obtained from olives that have been pressed twice. This type of olive oil is particularly suited for cooking purposes.

Pure: This form of olive oil is obtained by first pressing olives to obtain the oil, then filtering and refining the oil. Extra light pure olive oils are obtained after extensive processing and retain only a mild flavor. Organic pure olive oils are typically light with less structure and flavor.

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Bruschetta Crostini

Bruschetta is more than Italian bread garnished with chopped tomatoes. The word bruschetta literally means to refer to a bare slice of toasted Italian bread which has been rubbed with garlic and drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil. Crostini usually referrs to small pieces of toast garnished with diced tomatoes, pesto sauce, cheese, and mushrooms, and/or any of numerous other topping possibilities. Depending on the application, crostini and bruschetta are almost interchangeable.

Italian Bruschetta

one loaf French baguette, cut into half-inch slices
one half cup garlic infused olive oil
two cloves garlic peeled and roasted
four red ripe tomatoes diced into small pieces
one half cup extra-virgin olive oil
one half cup chopped basil leaves

alternative additions can be: grated mozzarella cheese, sliced Kalamata olives, sliced mushrooms, or an olive paste or spread.

Preheat the oven to 375°. Arrange bread slices in a single layer over a large baking sheet. Drizzle bread slices with garlic olive oil or rub the slices with roasted garlic cloves. Drizzle well with olive oil. Place baking sheet in the oven and toast bread until slightly brown. Depending upon your oven, turn the bread slices over in about 2 1/2 minutes. Brown both sides, but be careful not to burn the toasted bread slices.

Place the chopped tomatoes with the basil leaves in a medium mixing bowl. Add garlic olive oil and toss until well blended. Use about a spoonful of the tomato mixture on each bruschetta toasted bread slice. After all bread slices have topping applied, return the baking sheet to the oven and heat for about one minute. If you’re using any of the alternative toppings be sure to sprinkle these on top of the bread slices before reheating in the oven. Serve hot. 

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Additional herbs and spices for the Italian Kitchen

Chillies come in many different varieties and they are occasionally used in the preparation of some Italian dishes. Chillies come in many different varieties and strength of heat that will be imparted on the dish they are used in. Italians use them to invigorate and complement dishes such as sauces stews and seafood.

Fennel seeds are reminiscent of liquorice or aniseed and are included in not only some fish and meat dishes but are frequently used in the creation of meatballs and sausage. By lightly toasting the fennel seeds much
of the flavour will be released when used in the preparation of recipes.

Chives are used as much for their flavour as for their appearance. They are easily cultivated and have a mild onion flavour and attractive green fine stemmed appearance. They can be used fresh or dried and are included in pasta sauces, salads, casseroles, soups and stews.

Marjoram is an aromatic herb that is consistently found in Italian recipes and is used frequently in many meat, poultry or vegetable dishes, particularly salad dressing, soups and stews.

Thyme has a strong flavour and aroma. Like sage and rosemary it is often used for stuffing and marinades. It also lends itself well to poultry, meats, seafood and fish.

Bay leaves have a very intense flavour and are generally used in their dried form. Most recipes calling for the use of bay leaves, call for just one to flavour an entire dish. Bay leaves are usually used to season stews,
casseroles, soups and grilled and roasted meats and poultry.

Onions are an essential ingredient in most Italian recipes and can be used in various different forms. For convenience and speed, dried, flaked, powdered or granulated can be used. Soups, sauces, dressings and casseroles all call for the use of onion either fresh or dried.

Nutmeg is a richly flavoured spice that is used in many pasta dishes in Italian cooking particularly ravioli and tortellini. The flavour of Bolognese sauce and stews are also enhanced by using this spice.

more Italian herbs and spices

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