"oliveoil" news and stories

Some cooks reach for Sriracha, the ubiquitous Thai hot sauce, in a pinch. Others swear by soy sauce. And then there are those who refuse to reveal (*cough, cough* butter) what made the dish you just demolished delicious. For our part, we've developed a tiny -- OK, midsized -- crush on an infused chili oil, and we need to talk about it.

Sid Wainer & Son's Domaine de Provence pepper-spiked oil is fantastic. A drizzle of the fiery goodness rescues storebought and homemade guacamole alike with a heady, late-blooming heat on the palate. According to owner Henry Wainer, it's also tasty on bruschetta. We plan to carry it on our person all summer -- potentially awkward in the 90-degree swelter -- using guerilla tactics to douse any crustaceans and pork we spy sizzling on the grills of party hosts. (Brooklyn, consider yourself warned.)

Wainer has been equally passionate about the oil since meeting its producer at a dinner in France 18 years ago. Such culinary serendipity, he declares, "enriches the world." Can't argue with that.

• Lamb shoulder has it all -- affordability, flavor and tons of tasty variations.
• We always hear about diners' complaints, but here's a report about the crazies (um, that'd be us civilians) the restaurant staff has to deal with.
• Gluten-free noodles from Italy's Rustichella d'Abruzzo are here. The verdict: The rice is not so nice, but the corn is totally sweet.
• The Cupcake Kit: An "all-encompassing" kit to make cupcakes a bit more festive.
• Berkeley's Sea Salt offers a revamped bar menu with nibbles including devilled duck eggs and ahi tuna mini-burgers.
• French Laundry gets a new chef de cuisine; Corey Lee heads out on his own and Timothy Hollingsworth takes over.
• Tom Colicchio (head judge of "Top Chef") and sous chef Sisha Ortuzar have cooked up a new book of "'Wichcraft."
• Did you know that there are a myriad of olive oils to suit different needs in the kitchen? A new book might help enlighten you.

For any cheese enthusiast, spring means the return of diverse goat's-milk cheeses.

The goat's milk from the spring produces a unique grassy taste with an exquisite floral aroma with notes of hay. This is due to the fact that the goats are beginning to graze on the fresh spring flora.

Compared to most sheep and cows, goats have the most varied diet. Their milk is also the lowest in fat. With less fat to balance out the pungent flavors, you can really taste the natural piquancy of lush spring fields.

Click for ways to eat this springtime treat after the jump.

When making salad dressings, ever wonder why oil and vinegar mix well in some cases and not in others? Find out how to make the perfect salad dressing with two simple ingredients, and maybe just a few more.

I've sometimes wondered about some of the traditional food pairings that so often find their way on to my plate. For example, why do the Japanese add vinegar to sushi rice? For that matter, why does traditional salad dressing almost always pair an oil with an acid? And, while we're at it, what's with all those recipes, from all around the world, that combine three or four vegetables in a seemingly random mix?

Your answer to these questions might vary, depending on whether you're a historian, sociologist, chef, or scientist. One possible solution, according to many recent studies, is food synergy. Basically, this theory holds that certain combinations of foods make them more healthful, release more vitamins, or otherwise maximize their positive effect upon the body. For example, the vinegar in sushi rice can reduce the glycemic index by up to 35%, limiting the rice's effect upon blood sugar. Similarly, the oil in salad might make it possible for the body to absorb all the dish's antioxidants. Finally, vegetable combinations like succotash, ratatouille, and even good old peas and carrots may work in concert to help release all of the available nutrients.

One researcher notes that the best way to maximize one's nutrient consumption is by ensuring that every meal contains at least three different-colored vegetables and one "good" fat, like avocado, olive oil, or nuts. In other words, salad may just be the perfect meal!