When it comes to fancy schmancy dinners or get-togethers with friends that somehow always seem to center around food, all too often the appetizer and dessert courses are my favorites. Light bites before dinner take the edge off my hunger and frequently steal the show for me! I’m not sure how many times I’ve ended up full on appetizers before it was time for the main course!
A few weeks ago, Oliviers & Co. reached out to me about hosting a giveaway and offered to send me some of their naturally flavored specialty oils, vinegars, condiments and Mediterranean-themed goodies. I knew immediately that I wanted to try their high-quality olive oil (both flavored – like the lemon and olive oil or chili pepper olive oil – and original) and marinated olives, but I couldn’t resist sampling some of their spreads as well.
The process behind the creation of Oliviers & Co. olive oils is quite extensive. Olives must be hand-harvested when still green and olives of different origins are never pressed together, which would result in sub-standard oil. I was a little skeptical but I can honestly say I tasted a difference! Their olive oils were smoother, less acidic and tastier than the olive oil I typically buy at the grocery store.
In the end, I used the goodies I received to create a hodgepodge of appetizers that became dinner for me and Ryan on Tuesday night!
Hey, you won’t ever hear me complain about big ol’ snack plates or hors d’oeuvres for dinner! Oh, and one dessert popped up, too, because you know I can’t neglect my sweet tooth.
Here’s a roundup of what we enjoyed:
- Basil Pesto and Italian Cheese Crostini
Oh my gosh this appetizer was so darn delicious. Ryan had the idea to make little toast “pizzas” with the pesto. They were super easy to make and came together in a flash. After toasting sour dough baguette slices under the broiler, we topped them with a spread of basil and parmesan pesto and a sprinkling of shredded Italian cheeses before placing them back in the oven until the cheese started to melt. Simple, right!?
- Taggisaca Olives Feta and Tomato Salad
This salad is a dish I enjoyed at a college girlfriends’ apartment one time that totally stuck with me. She assured me it was crazy-simple to prepare and since I had some incredibly fragrant marinated Taggisaca black olives begging to be enjoyed, I combined them with fresh tomatoes and feta cheese for a simple salad that Ryan and I ate both on its own. (Watch out for the pits!) The lemon peel and chili used in the olive marinade made the flavors in this salad pop!
- Fig and Melon Goat Cheese Dip with Grissini Breadsticks
Sweet and savory! The best of both worlds. To make this dip, I combined the Oliviers & Co. fig and melon spread with creamy goat cheese and used Grissini (savory Italian breadsticks from Liguria, Italy that are made from both wheat and corn flour and olive oil) for dipping. (The Grissini I used appear to be sold out, but I think the sweet olive oil crackers would be great with this, too!) Yum!
- Olive Oil with Fresh Bread
A classic and with good reason! We dipped fresh bread into the olive & basil oil and the everyday olive oil and were instantly reminded why this simple appetizer is always a favorite. The basil olive oil was my favorite but I also enjoyed the light and slight lemony flavor of the everyday olive oil as well!
- Vanilla Ice Cream with Strawberries with Balsamic Vinegar
The combination of rich, creamy ice cream with a tangy balsamic strawberries made this the perfect way to wrap up the day! Ryan was skeptical about the balsamic flavor with ice cream at first, but commented on the way it complimented the fresh berries and ice cream. (I followed a recipe from Ina Garten for this dish!)
Are you drooling yet!? I hope so because here is your chance to make some delicious appetizers and have some fun in the kitchen with Oliviers & Co.
Giveaway
One PBF reader will win $300 of Oliviers & Co. product (of your choice!). To enter this giveaway, simply click here, join the mailing list, browse the site and leave a comment below telling me what product(s) you’d most like to try! (Anyone who enters the giveaway will also receive 10 percent off their purchase!) I will randomly select a winner on Thursday, September 18. Please note that this giveaway is open to US readers only and you must have a US shipping address and valid email address to win.
Good luck!
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The mango fruity spread sounds soo good!
This site looks great! I’d love to try the BLACK OLIVE & SUNDRIED TOMATO TAPENADE. 🙂
The combination in the bourbon, maple and chipotle bbq sauce sounds amazing!
Would love to try the Olive and Garlic Oil!
The basil pesto and cheese crostini is CALLING MY NAME!
I would love to try the basil olive oil!!
All of the spreads look delicious! I would especially like to try the Red Pepper & Chili Jam!
I could devour literally everything, but I”m most interested in trying their flavored balsamic vinegars, I love putting fruity balsamic on vanilla ice cream. Thanks!
I would love to try the combination olive oil and balsamic: Mandarin Oil & Pomegranate Meli Melo. We have bread and olive oil/balsamic practically every other day, and sometimes mix some spices in with it. SO GOOD!
I want to try the chipotle, maple and bourbon bbq sauce and of course the garlic olive oil. Everything looks amazing though!
Easy choice! The Olive & Lemon Oil : )
Oh my LANTA. I’m part Italian and practically grew up on “Italian butter,” which is just our way of slathering/dipping fresh Italian bread into seasoned olive oils. I would LOVE to try the wild poppy vinegar. I’m a vinegar lover so I think this would be delish! Also- congrats on your new home! I’ve been following you for a couple years and was excited to see you move to Charlotte area- I live in Raleigh and work at a real estate attorneys office so I loved your posts about buying your new home! Enjoy! 🙂
There is nothing I love more than some olive oil & Italian bread! It’s what I was raised on!! The Fig and Melon Goat Cheese Dip with Grissini Breadsticks you made looks amazing and I seriously want to lick my computer screen right now! I’m planning a trip to Italy in 2 years to celebrate mine & my BF”s 10 year anniversary and we both already decided we are going taste-testing different Olive Oil factories 🙂 🙂
They have way too many products I’d love to try, but any of the Pesto’s would be on my list and I’m always curious to try Truffle Oil. There’s a place here that makes a mac & cheese with truffle oil… to.die.for!
I love cooking & making appetizers. Appetizers are probably what I do best! We always have gathers at the lake and Sunday night dinners with a group of our good friends. There are so many different items made by Oliviers & Co. that I would love to try! The cherry, chipotle bbq sauce, as well as the bourbon, maple & chipolte sauce would be awesome for grilling our with our friends for those Sunday night dinners. Chicken or shrimp marinaded in the mango fruity condiment sounds amazing! I’m also a sucker for a good balsamic vinegar. I think I have 6 different bottles in my pantry, so I would love to try the wild pepper balsamic!
The fig and melon spread sounds so intriguing to me! I’d definitely love to try that along with many of the other delicious-sounding products!
I’d love the pesto and the plain olive oil!! Sounds delish! Thanks!
Beet & Red Onion Confit take me away! Sounds so good! I would love to try their Sherry Vinegar & Basil oil.
I also love just about any type of olive so this is right up my alley. Yum!
The red pepper and chili jam is calling my name!
The balsamic with vanilla…I can’t wrap my head around those flavors together!
All of the olive oils and vinegars sound incredible, but also the olive wood kitchenware is stunning!
I would love to try the Basil & Parmesan Pesto! especially on a toasted baguette! YUM!
I would love to try the fig goat cheese you made!
I would splurge on the il fornacino olive oil! My dad and I would have to share it, though.
The Basil Oil & Oregano Meli-Melo looks amazing!!
The Olive & Lemon Oil !
The olive and garlic oil sounds like it would be right up my alley!
A really good olive oil and the wild poppy vinegar looks delish!
I would love to try the bell pepper and ricotta pesto!
truffle oil nom nom nom
I would love to try the tomato pappardelline and the pistachio and almond torrone!!
I would love to try the Il Fornacino olive oil. It would be so cool to taste one of the best olive oils in the world!
They have truffle oil, which I’ve been dying to try and would love to have! The Bell Pepper and Ricotta Pesto sounds great too, I’ve never seen a pesto with that flavor combo, very intriguing.
Your ice cream with strawberries and balsamic vinegar looked amazing! I’d like to replicate that as well 🙂
I would love the basil olive oil for dipping!
I would love to try the Basil & Parmesan Pesto. It sounds so great on some warm bread!
Wow, everything on their website looks so amazing! Although so many things look delicious (pesto, fruit spreads, crackers…) I like olive oil most when it’s for bread dipping or drizzled on a salad. The Tenuta Di Ghizzano Olive Oil seems like it would be a great oil for both of those!
Clementine & Cinnamon Fruit Spread looks yummy! Bet it would be good on a piece of toast or maybe even mixed into some oatmeal
I’d love to try the fig and melon jam.
Oh man, I *LOVE* this place!! It got me hooked on flavored oils and vinegars. I would love to try the mango fruity condiment vinegar!
I’d love to try the basil and parmesan pesto!
I’m drooling! I would like to try the Cherry balsamic vinegar – yum
I am finally enjoying cooking now so this would be great to host my first dinner party in the beginning of October. I would love to make the Basil Pesto and Italian Cheese Crostini. The other products I would order are:
1) Zucchini & Goat Cheese Delice- I LOVE LOVE LOVE Goat Cheese
2)Tomato & Lemon with Almonds
3)Bourbon, Maple & Chipotle Barbecue Sauce- on Wings
Hope you, Ryan and Sadie are settling nicely in your new home!!
I would LOVE to try the basil and parmesan pesto!! Sounds amazing!
I’m a pesto girl, through and through!
I would love the olive & basil oil to have with fresh bread!
I totally want to try the green olive and almond tapenade! That sounds delicious – and my husband would like to try the truffle salt for what it’s worth. lol 🙂 He loves it on popcorn!
the Red Pepper & Chili Jam!
I would LOVE to try the fig spread! I adore figs so in a spread form ummmmm GIMMMMME!
Can I try them all?? I somehow had never bought high-quality oils and vinegars until THIS YEAR, so I would love to try out the interesting varieties that Oliviers & Co offer. I always loved dining at restaurants that served warm bread with O&V, but I never thought to do it myself. I didn’t know what I was missing! I use vinegar for everything, especially on salads and fresh veggie snacks.
BTW, those appetizers look absolutely delish! I must try that basil & parmesan pesto!
I live in rural Texas where my closest shopping opportunity is Wal Mart. So you can guess I am loving ALL the products, I’m not really sure which would be my favorite, but I would love a wonderful balsamic vinegar and olive oil!!
I like to eat little nibbly foods for dinner too. I’d love to try any of the gift sets, especially the marinade set.