Steadfast Summer Grilling
Like the promise of paradise in the afterlife, the reward for enduring a scorching hot summer day in California is the exquisite pleasure of the balmy evening that ensues. When the sun has finally set but daylight still lingers, few activities surpass the sensory experience standing barefoot in the grass with a frosty cocktail in hand, inhaling the warm, tantilizing smoke emanating from the grill.
On such evenings, instead of darting back and forth between kitchen and patio, we prefer concocting creative ways to cook an entire meal on the barbie. There are myriad vegetables to accompany a protein that naturally lend themselves to the grilling medium, but by the dog days of summer, one yearns to introduce an additional degree of variety to the verdure platter. For a punch of flavor and a dose of diversity without layering on the prep work, try brushing sliced vegetables with fused and infused olive oil.
Amphora Nueva is the ultimate go-to source for single varietal fused and infused extra virgin olive oils. Their cadre includes staples like Wild Rosemary, Eureka Lemon, Garlic, and Basil, as well as unique flavors like Tuscan Herb, Persian Lime, Milanese Gremolata, Green Chili, Blood Orange, and Harissa. Piece Meal keeps a cabinet of these oils on hand to play with, as well as their specialty balsamic vinegars showcasing equally exotic infusions. Amphora Nueva has three stores in the San Francisco Bay Area and their products are also available for purchase on their website.