Olive oil, olive juice.Try at least one of each.
Alta Cucina Italia Flavored Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Adriana Coppola grew up in a small town near Naples, Italy. Since moving to John’s Creek, she’s created Alta Cucina Italia, a line of artisan condiments and sauces that remind her of the flavors of home. Among her many offerings, she sells extra virgin Italian olive oil mixed with the flavors of Naples - parsley, red pepper and garlic. We’ve become big fans of infused and seasoned olive oils. When the olive oil and seasonings are high quality, there’s no easier way to a delicious salad dressing. One of these oils and a little vinegar and your salad is dressed. Or pour some into a small dish as a dip for some delicious crusty bread for your favorite bakery, farmers market or your own oven. These oils are great as finishing oils for pasta or fish, or this particular one - Extra Virgin Olive Oil with “erbe aromatiche Napoli” - would be fabulous drizzled over pizza.
$14 per 8.5-ounce bottle. Available at the Saturday morning Sandy Springs and Marietta farmers markets, Calyroad Creamery in Sandy Springs and Wahoo Wine & Provisions in Decatur. altacucinaitalia.com
City Winery Urban Press Extra Virgin Olive Oil
The folks at City Winery at Ponce City Market aren’t just pressing grapes, they’re partnering with Scopus Vineyards in California to offers us the Fall 2016 harvest of “Urban Press.” Scopus Vineyards also provides the grapes for the winery’s Capital South Chardonnay. This is an olive oil with a luscious buttery finish, pressed from Pendolino, Leccino and Frantoio olives. It’s delicious as a finishing oil, but would be perfect to saute chicken cutlets or fish fillets. They’re offering a balsamic vinegar as well. We haven't had time to try the vinegar, but the combination should be great on a fall salad.
Olive oil is $16 per 8.5-ounce bottle. Available at City Winery, 650 North Avenue, Ponce City Market, Atlanta, or online. citywinery.com
Gaea Dirty Martini Juice
Maybe you’re one of those folks whose favorite cocktail is a dirty martini where the olive juice holds equal weight with the extra dry vermouth in the glass. Or perhaps you just love olives and you save the brine from your jars of fancy olives to flavor potato salad or add to marinades. The Greek olive company Gaea has just made your life easier. They’ve bottled olive juice in two varieties - one labeled for use in gin cocktails, the other for vodka cocktails. The juice for vodka is brine plus a bit of both hot and sweet red peppers, so there’s just a little heat. And the version for gin is brine plus coriander which is perfect for the herbal flavors in your favorite gin. Both are delicious. They really are perfect for cocktails (think Bloody Marys if you’re not a martini fan), but feel free to put a little in your next batch of hummus or vinaigrette.
$2.49 per 8.5-ounce bottle. Available at gaeaus.com/spirits_mixers.
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