Whenever you go into Bristol Farms, Whole Foods Market, or any of the speciality food stores, you’re bound to see rows of olive oil lined up and ranging in price anywhere from $3 a bottle to $100. I never thought I would be able to taste a difference until the day came I got to sample Frantoia Silician Extra-Virgin Olive Oil. This unfiltered, cold-pressed olive oil has a beautiful golden green hue, a slightly spicy aroma, and an unmistakable taste of early-harvested Sicilian olives that simply can’t be beat. After a simple taste test at the market, I was convinced… I was in love! Now, three years later, my relationship with Frantoia Silician Extra-Virgin Olive Oil hasn’t faded and is still going on strong =P
It’s hard to believe that this oil has the perfect blend of fruitiness, nuttiness and smoothness all packed into a reasonably priced bottle, too!
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CookingHow was at the 2009 Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, which is an annual, two-day event held on the UCLA campus. Needless to say, we were drawn to the Cooking Stage, where various chefs and cookbook authors took the stage with cooking demonstrations.
Back when I was in grade school, the joy of waking up early on Saturday mornings was being able to watch new episodes of my favorite cartoon shows. Surprisingly, not much as changed over the years. Nowadays, I wake up early on Saturday mornings to catch new episodes of my favorite cooking shows on the FoodNetwork.
My introduction to this delicious Argentian sauce occurred around 8th grade when a group of friends and I went in search for an after-school snack at La Esquina Criolla, an Argentian restaurant a few blocks down from my home in Queens, New York. I remember ordering a Chorizo (sausage) sandwich and the cook asking if I wanted it with chimichurri. Since I was wary of the color of the sauce, I asked him to put it on the side. I took a bite of the sandwich without the chimichurri and then put some of the sauce before my next bite. The chimichurri brought the sandwich to a whole other level! Ever since that day I had my first taste, I always made sure to tell the cook to load up my chorizo sandwich with chimichurri. Even after all these years of going out and tasting a varity of chimichurri from different Argentian restuarants, I still prefer the chimichurri from La Esquina Criolla. This recipe duplicates the chimichurri I love to put on my chorizo sandwiches and other meat dishes. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do! 
What better way to wake up on a cold, wintery morning than to a warm cup of English Breakfast tea and a sweet & savory biscotti on the side to deliver all the tastes of the holiday season. A sprinkle of lemon zest brightens up the warm flavors of fresh rosemary and dried autumn fruits, which all come together beautifully in this recipe inspired by Katie Lee Joel’s Wedding Biscotti. If you want to omit the savory component, a sweet variation to try involves dried cherries or figs with almonds. Substitute 1/2 cup of the all-pupose flour for 1/2 cup of almond flour and add in 1/2 cup of dried cherries and 1/4 cup of slivered almonds. Since this recipe is so versatile, consider it the perfect foundation for you to marry your favorite flavors together. The variations are endless!
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