O Meyer Lemon Olive Oil & O Champagne Vinegar = A Great Mix

     Some of the moments my sweetheart and I cherish most is time we spend together over a meal at our table.  Whether laughing with good friends, sharing stories with family members or alone together with a glowing candle between us, it's these times we remember fondly.  One of the nice communal things we like to do is break bread together.  An artisan loaf paired with a side dish of extra virgin olive oil seasoned with herbs and fresh garlic, it's always gobbled up and finished off with great joy.  Served on the table complimented with cheese and wine it can be elevated as a great starter for a meal or as hors d' oeuvres for during cocktail hour.

     The Olive tree is the oldest fruit tree dating back to 3500BC and therefore has a very interesting history and has long been a symbol of wisdom, peace and goodwill.  There are dozens of varieties of olives and a lot of different ways to use them in recipes.  I love all of the different methods of dressing them up and highlighting them in delicious dishes but there's just something classic and fantastic about the oils they produce.

I've been cooking with extra virgin olive oils for years now and have been enjoying them as a dipping oil for breads as well.  I love to try different brands and admit I haven't tried oils that have been flavored in any way.  That's why when there was an opportunity to try a brand that's using a method of crushing citrus with olives, I was excited to be a part of it.  It's neither infused with flavors or flavored with some fakey type of flavoring.

O Olive Oil is a California company which hand harvests mission olives and crushes them within 48 hours, they've been doing this since 1995.  Since producing a high quality product is their goal, O Olive Oil uses only organic citrus when crushing them with their olives one batch at a time.

When I was selected as one of the lucky people to participate in O Olive Oil's and eRecipeCards, Rite of Spring Cooking Contest, I was told I would be sent a natural box selection.  Each box contains an olive oil paired with one of their barrel aged vinegars.  I was excited to find out what would be sent and knew no matter which of the nine sets in that series it was going to be, I'd be able to create something delicious with them.  I received their O Champagne Vinegar paired with their O Meyer Lemon Oil.

It has a beautiful golden color and the taste was a very pleasant surprise.  Smooth on the tongue with a clean taste, it has a lovely lemon flavor that's not overwhelming.  It's so flavorful there isn't a need to add anything to it, no herbs, no salt or pepper...just pour and enjoy!  It's light and encourages you to go back for more, there may even be the thought provoking idea of sipping a bit straight from the bottle, it's that tasty.

I did my tasting with a classic french baguette and finished with an artisan olive, garlic & rosemary loaf.  I had no problems sopping it up and pouring a bit more to enjoy.  : )

 The bottles are tall, sleek and sealed with a cork you just twist and pull out, it's a very classy package.



California's Napa Valley wines are used to make O's line of vinegars.  Sealed and stored in oak barrels, the wines age with no added chemicals or preservatives resulting in a high quality tasting product that takes anywhere from months to years to produce.  Creating vinegars since 1997, O has quite the line to choose from, Pinot Noir, Cabernet, Honey apple, Zinfandel and many more.

The O Lemon Olive Oil mixed with the O Champagne Vinegar is a tasty mix of flavors and makes a delicious combination. 

Be sure to visit them on line to learn more about their history, their methods, the vast variety of different products they offer along with their new tapenades and also some really great recipe ideas.  O Olive Oil  does a great job of packaging their beautiful bottles making them awesome gifts and there is an entire list of combination varieties to choose from.

Both O Olive Oil and eRecipeCards can be found on Facebook where you can "LIKE" them and follow all their latest updates.  eRecipeCards is a great place for people to find thousands of recipes and a place for you to post your recipes.  Posting a recipe can take under a minute and signing up is just as user friendly. 

Please take a minute to visit eRecipeCards and sign up if you're not already, it allows you to show your support by selecting your favorite recipes during the contest (by choosing them to put into your recipe box).  It's also a great way to collect all of the favorite recipes you find and put them in your erecipe box while browsing through their site.  Hope to see you there! : ) You can find me on eRecipeCards if you click here

Thanks for stopping by today and be sure to check back on Friday to see what recipe I create using the O Meyer Lemon Olive Oil & O Champagne Vinegar.  Leave a comment letting me know what you think and tell us if you have a favorite flavor oil & vinegar combination : )

Till Next Time, Ciao & Happy Cookin' 

& wish me luck while you're here too...thanks!