Food Friday! Glorious Recipes From the Web

As food bloggers and culinary writers continue to grow exponentially in their numbers, the number of incredibly creative and delicious foods and recipes that hit the web on a daily basis also grows. Below, we’ve noted some of this weeks top picks from some of our favorite blogs and food websites. For us, they make it feel just a bit more like Spring has spring!

Ah yes, and they also just happen to feature some ingredients that we’re quite fond of – such as Olive Oil or Balsamic Vinegar!

‘Ino’s Tuna with Black Olive Pesto Panini

For Pesto’s, we recommend a nice, hearty Extra Virgin Olive Oil such as a Spanish Olive Oil. Cibaria’s Signature Olive Oil featuring Spanish EVOO’s such as Hojiblanca, Picual, and Arbequina varietals would work incredibly well in this dish.

What It Takes:

Lemony Olive Oil Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips

Food Writer, Mellisa Clark has created a heavenly delight with this delicious Olive Oil Bread that features almost everyone’s weakness…chocolate chips. This recipe is featured in her book, that is due out later this year. For baking light, sweet, breads such as this one, we recommend a smooth Tunisian Extra Virgin Olive Oil, or even the famed Fior D’Italia Extra Virgin Olive Oil Tin. (Everyone should have one of these on standby in their kitchen, and we’re not just saying that because it’s our brand!)

What It Takes:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup coarsely chopped bittersweet chocolate
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 1/2 cups mashed, VERY ripe bananas (3 to 4 bananas)
• 1/4 cup sour cream or plain, whole milk yogurt
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Olive Oil Gifts and Gift Sets for Christmas!

It’s Christmas time again! That means shopping, fun, and FOOD! We can assist in all three of these with our delicious line of mouth-watering Gourmet Olive Oil Gift Sets.  These beautifully packaged Olive Oil, Balsamic Vinegar and Specialty Oil gift sets feature amazing combinations of some of our finest oils and vinegars from around the world. Give your family, friends and colleagues the most delicious gift they’ve ever received! A classy way to say “Merry Christmas”!

One of our most popular Olive Oil Gift Sets includes our famed Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil and our delectable 25 Star Balsamic Vinegar of Modena! This is one that everyone will absolutely adore – from the most seasoned chef or foodie, to the rushed mother/cook!

For a little more added adventure – Cibaria has created a gift pack that features yet another one of our world-famous oils. Our Moroccan Olive Oil, Signature Olive Oil, and 25 Star Balsamic Vinegar Gift sets is a great way to give them a bit more variety in their oils, while choosing a high-end product that they are sure to appreciate.

After a lot of research in the field (We never miss an opportunity to eat!), We’ve arrived at the conclusion that there’s a correlation between good food and good ingredients! Hence, the choices we’ve made here. Exotic Moroccan Extra Virgin Olive Oil, our unique Cibaria Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and a perfectly Aged 25 Star Balsamic Vinegar of Modena that stops the show every time! With this trio the difference is remarkable. Our choice for when only the best will do.

We’ve paired two of our world-famous balsamic vinegars into one beautiful box to form a dynamic duo of delicious Italian Balsamic flavor! This is truly a Balsamic lovers dream, and it will make you a balsamic vinegar lover if you already aren’t one!  From the vineyards of Italy’s renowned Modena region, this pair is a must have for Balsamic enthusiast everywhere. An Italian treasure that is a welcome addition to any dinner table, and you will be too after this gift.

Whether you’re looking to impress your friends by giving amazing selections of world-class oils, or simply looking to introduce your loved ones to the wide variety of luxury olive oils and vinegars that exist, we’ve got you covered. If you are in need of a gift set that isn’t listed on our site, please contact us and place your request! We’d love to accommodate you!

Holiday Gift Ideas for Foodies, Chefs, and Cooks!

Gift giving is what makes the Holiday and Christmas season warm and love-filled, when shared with colleagues, friends, and family.  If you’ve asked yourself “What gifts should I buy for a chef, cook, or foodie” then this is for YOU! We’ve got some amazing recommendations that even the most discerning food lover will absolutely love and appreciate! First of all, how does one decide what gift to buy for someone? Especially someone who loves food and is passionate about the culinary world and all that it has to offer?

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The first and most important thing to remember is to keep their favorite tastes in mind and attribute an overall theme to their “likes”.  Does this person prefer the finer things in life? Are their tasted more refined? Classical? How about their cooking style? If they have a blog or an online recipe collection – take a look and find common ground among all of their food favorites. From there, you’ll know what their inadvertent food favorites are, thus making it much easier to appeal to their tastes when buying them holiday / Christmas gifts.

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While not everyone has refined cooking tastes, you’ll find that people’s tastes differ quite dramatically. Some strive for fast/easy dishes, while others lean more towards rich, family-friendly foods that are reminiscent of America’s Southern regions. Others found their passion for cooking while learning to live a healthier lifestyle. Others simply admire from afar, but haven’t taken the full-on plunge into a “foodie lifestyle”. In this case, ask about their favorite cooking shows, who they admire, and what dishes that person made which appealed to them.

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Once you’ve gathered this information, Holiday gift giving becomes a fun and exciting adventure into the world of culinary tools, oils, condiments, sauces, utensils, and appliances!

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Presenting our 2010 Holiday Gift Ideas for Foodies, Chefs, and Cooks!

The Breville Panini Press

Whether you’re a seasoned chef, or a passionate Foodie, this Holiday / Christmas Gift idea screams creativity and exploration. Since Panini’s are one of those foods that can be done in SO many ways, this amazing tool really warms the plate, and the heart! PS: This nifty device also was chosen as one of Ms. Oprah Winfrey’s Favorite Things for 2010! – Listed on Williams-Sonoma

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Italian Olive Oil and 25 Star Balsamic Vinegar of Modena (Aged) Gift Set

Whether your foodie friend craves the finer things in life, or just likes good food and quality ingredients, this Gourmet Gift Set from Cibaria Fine Oils will NOT disappoint! Featuring an AMAZING Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil and an Aged 25 Star Balsamic Vinegar of Modena, Italy – You really can’t go wrong with this gift.  This balsamic isn’t just any ol’ balsamic – it’s rich, dark, and a bit thicker than most balsamics (think of a reduction!) and it’s perfect blend of sweet / tart tastes go amazing with your favorite bread, pasta, or as a marinade. (or even on ice cream!) There really is no wrong way to enjoy this one! Listed at Cibaria Fine Oils – Gourmet Olive Oil and Balsamic Gift Set

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Dean and Deluca’s Glorious Cheese Gift

A nice, gift that pretty much anyone would appreciate – cheese! How can you go wrong with cheese? The general masses haven’t had cheeses this good, so even your non-foodie friends would appreciate this cheese set that features cheeses they have only dreamed of!

Dean and Deluca packaged their “favorite” (which we agree on) Brillat with some colavolpe stuffed figs with almonds, a jar of all-natural Italian Lime Honey, and a jar of all-natural Robert Lambert champagne Jelly. They suggest serving the cheese and figs on crackers, with a dollop of honey or jam (or both) to enjoy this delicious and unique treat.

Listed on Dean and Deluca

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Zevro’s Magnetic Spice Rack

This sleek and futuristic gadget does a lot more than just look great on your kitchen counter, it provides an easy and accessible way to keep your favorite fresh spices organized and good-tasting. Being magnetic, it makes it easy to grab and put away your spices as you cook, instead of leaving them all sprawled across the kitchen counter tops.

Listed on Zevro

Wusthof Gourmet 18-Piece Knife Set with Block

Because no chef or cook’s kitchen is complete without a top-quality knife set! This gourmet gift idea is brought to you straight from Germany – where the cars are fast,  the beer is essential, and the food is even better! These gourmet knives feature laser-cut, high carbon steel blades with stain resistant alloy. They are also traditionally cut, for a nice, even look in any kitchen. They come packed in their slotted oak block, ready for you to use in your culinary adventures!

Listed at Amazon

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Jura Capresso Impressa S9 One Touch

This beautiful piece of gadgetry boasts a plethora of functions, all easy to use, and very reliable. While worth it’s $2000+ price tag, this machine exudes gourmet class when it comes to espresso and coffee.

Make a cappuccino, cafe’ mocha, latte, or a latte’ macchiato, all with the touch of just one button. Features our programmable buttons that let you personalize your coffee size, strength, and temperature.

What an impressive Christmas gift! We’re definitely standing behind this one, as the quality of our morning coffee usually deciphers the rest of our day! For those looking for something a little less flashy and/or pricey, the next best place to view gourmet espresso machines would definitely be Amazon.com.

Listed at Sur La Table

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What are some of YOUR favorite Holiday Foodie and Chef gift ideas for the 2010 season? We’d love to hear about them!