even worse trans-fat oils and shortenings) but she’s also looking
forward to introducing folks to the tastiest salt-substitutes ever:
balsamic vinegars. Her favorite, a white champagne balsamic has a
mild flavor, gentle acidity and an unaccountable salty finish.
Setting a course to ensure quality, host tastings, and teach classes
will be Chef Mike Combs, who knows his olive oil and vinegars like
Odysseus knew how to row a boat and motivate a crew. He loves
the Spanish olive oils for their robust flavor and body, and along
with luscious Spanish oils, his fleet consists of Italian, Chilean,
Greek, and California extra virgin olive oils. The vinegars will
come from the some of the same regions, particularly the region
of Emilia Romagnia, Italy, where Modena — the beating heart of
Italian balsamics — is located. He will also include some red wine
vinegars, prosecco (a sparkling Italian wine) vinegar, and some from
celebrated local producers such as George Paul. Chef Mike says
Chef2 ensures good storage conditions, freshness, and a familiarity
with the oils and vinegars, even bottling the product on site in front
of the customer. This emphasis on preserving flavor takes knowing
your source to a whole new level.
painting by Mark Daniels
fsmomaha.com
The frontier of modern, healthy desserts has, it seems,
gotten yummier.
But check out Patty Trebbien. As a registered dietician, she is
excited about the health benefits of the olive oils and their potential
for use in those desserts (as a replacement for high-fat butter, and
The Voyage Home
Just as it took Odysseus a while (what’s ten years, anyway?) to
get home to his faithful wife and son, it took a while for flavor and
healthfulness to take precedence in our diets. We still care about
how food looks, and how satisfying it