mulberryshoots

It’s not often that a new taste treat enters our habit of eating simply most of the time. Last year, it was truffle salt, an inexpensive condiment from the San Francisco company that has a fragrant umami taste and is divine on soft-boiled eggs for breakfast. It’s also delicious on many dishes and roasts!

For my birthday a couple of weeks ago, my daughters gave me two graceful dark bottles of oil and vinegar from the Cape Ann Olive Oil Company, located in Cape Ann New England – (often confused with Cape Cod, but surrounded by the towns of Gloucester and Rockport.)

One was a bottle of walnut oil and the other was a bottle of fig balsamic vinegar. I placed them carefully on my stove top with my own olive oil and looked forward to trying them out. January has gotten away from me but tonight, I decided to try it out on a butter lettuce, avocado and navel orange salad. I used 1 tablespoon of fig vinegar, 3 tablespoons of walnut oil, a clove of crushed garlic, a tip of a spoon of sweetener and a half teaspoon of Poupon Dijon country mustard. I whisked it together as usual, amalgamating the dark syrupy vinegar and the walnut oil.

Tasted it.

Well, you have to get some and try it on your own because I can’t describe in words how wonderfully delicious it is. It’s slightly sweet with a deep flavor of ripe figs. It’s smooth with the subtle taste of walnuts along with the crackle of mustard and garlic in it. Heaven!

I looked online and found the Cape Ann Olive Oil Company to reassure myself that I would be able to replenish my supply – and also to let you know where you may order some to try yourselves!