What do you think of flavored oils and vinegars?

[Jenise]

On the whole, not a fan here. And I've become less so since receiving a lot of gifts from well-meaning friends that are procured from the franchise chain Drizzle and the like. I've tasted in those stores, and ugh.

Otherwise, the process seems valid. No objection to soaking herbs, fruit and flowers in plain Heinz white wine vinegar for the purpose of creating interesting salad ingredients with a hint of something attractively unfamiliar, and I always have some hazelnut or walnut oil on hand from what I believe to be actual pressed nuts which I also like on salads. I also highly value the the detritus from various pickled peppers and stuff packed "in oil" for repurposing--they almost never get thrown out. The tangy/spicy oil from Mama Lil's peppers make the BEST potato salad!

Then recently I received a gift of small bottles of flavored oils from my brother in San Francisco. And the other night I went to make a light salad bed for some crab cakes, and realized I didn't have any fresh lemons on hand. Then I remember the lemon olive oil in the box from Chris and pulled that out. Voila, actually delicious. Different from lemon juice--more the rind, blossom and leaf flavors. I was kind of impressed.

Then other friends who hail from the part of northern California where Ernest and Julio Gallo lived (their father was a Gallo exec--they actually remember him being frequently picked up at home by one or other Gallo in a limo with a full-on bodyguard/driver with a locked and loaded handgun in a shoulder holster)--dropped by, and they recognized these products that are well-known in their old environs and were greatly impressed. The name is something like Sciabasa.

These apparently are the real deal. No artificial flavors and mass-market production methods, but cold-processed using actual fruits etc. It's a little humbling to realize I can seriously like this sort of thing.

I got a bottle of taragon flavoured wine vinegar decades ago, never used it. May still be at the back of a cupboard

I don't think it should be humbling. As you say, most products in this direction are confected and low quality. But the concept of infusing flavors is old and noble and can be done well.

Ditto. Great concept, but what's in the bottle rarely excites me.

I have a bottle of EVOO infused with herbes de provence. I use it along with balsamic vinegar as a vinaigrette salad dressing.

Sichuan hot chile oil, and the residue from making it, are staples in my kitchen. I also have some Sichuan pepper oil--it's an ingredient in some of the Sichuan cold meat dishes.

-Paul W.

[Jenise]

Sichuan hot chile oil, and the residue from making it, are staples in my kitchen. I also have some Sichuan pepper oil--it's an ingredient in some of the Sichuan cold meat dishes.
-Paul W.

Bingo. I too always have a hot chile oil in my pantry. And I love the crisps.

I got a bottle of taragon flavoured wine vinegar decades ago, never used it. May still be at the back of a cupboard

I love tarragon vinegar. Your is probably too old, but I like to make my own by infusing lots of fresh tarragon in a good white wine vinegar. I especially like it on a Boston lettuce and avocado salad, or simplest of all - halve and deseed an avocado, and fill the hole with a tarragon vinaigrette (oil, tarragon vinegar, salt & pepper), then eat it with a spoon.

Bingo. I too always have a hot chile oil in my pantry. And I love the crisps.

Jenise, have you tried any of the Lao Gan Ma ("the Godmother") products? They make a variety of chile oil-based condiments. One of their best is Spicy Chili Crisp. They also produce Chili Oil with Black Bean, Fried Chili in Oil, Oil Chili Condiment with Mushroom, and Chile Bean Curd.

-Paul W.

We always have chili oil.
Like others I am mostly skeptical of flavored oils and vinegars.
We have one go-to recipe that calls for grapefruit infused olive oil, but that is easy enough to do ourselves as needed. Sometimes we get well-intentioned gifts of "gourmet" flavored oils, but usually they are made with inferior oil, and/or are old (those things can sit on shelves for months/years). Pretty terrible.
Flavored vinegars are more likely to be palatable , but I don't seek out. That's for white vinegars- the fig and other flavored balsamic are invariably too sweet for me.
Walnut oil is always in our fridge, I have a favorite lentil recipe that uses.

[Robin Garr]

Walnut oil is always in our fridge, I have a favorite lentil recipe that uses.

Do tell! That sounds wonderful, Dale. Would you mind sharing a recipe?

I've done it so many times I no longer have actual recipe. It was actually from a German guy named Martin on another wine board, supposed to be a base for quail. I do it with quail, but it's a great side for lots of things, and had be served warm or room temp, which is helpful. And it's simple.

Cook green puy lentils (a cup or a little more) with some herbs and bay leaf, drain (remove herbs, bay). Add parsley, diced shallot, Tsp mustard. 7 Tsp walnut oil, 2 Tsp balsamic, 3 Tsp white wine vinegar. Done

[Jenise]

Walnut oil is always in our fridge, I have a favorite lentil recipe that uses.

A great salad? Green leaf lettuce, chopped raw walnuts, sliced green onion and crumbled blue cheese tossed with a dressing made of walnut oil, fresh lemon juice and salt. Fabulous and elegant, good with red wines and a particularly good starter course for steak or roast beef.

[Robin Garr]

Cook green puy lentils (a cup or a little more) with some herbs and bay leaf, drain (remove herbs, bay). Add parsley, diced shallot, Tsp mustard. 7 Tsp walnut oil, 2 Tsp balsamic, 3 Tsp white wine vinegar. Done

That's recipe enough for me, Dale. Thanks!

Tried Tabasco again a few days ago -- that's a chilli flavoured vinegar !!

I don't like most flavored oils but the Mexican lime EVOO from Queen Creek (AZ) Olive Mill is pretty spectacular for similar reasons to why you liked that lemon oil. A bit on a watermelon/arugula/cilantro/avocado salad is yum.
I've tried most of their other flavored oils at their grove/shop and this is by far my fave and only one I buy of their lot.

[Jenise]

Bill, speaking of such things, have you ever used bitters in salad dressings?