Tablemates

The Sonny and Cher of any good kitchen. Iconic. Not having these would be like the Holidays without Mariah. But don’t cheap out with your Olive Oil or Balsamic — the good stuff takes time to make. And it’s worth the wait (and price).

Heritage Olive Oil
Olive Oil is the backbone of everything we cook during the Holidays. And Philip Asquith — a fourth-generation olive farmer — grows them exclusively for us. His Olive Oil is the stuff of legend. The trees are over 150 years old and can’t be harvested with machines because the fruit will bruise. This makes the harvest slower but intentional, and the Olive Oil has a lot of complexity and nuance. During harvest, the Olives are picked by hand and pressed immediately. The result is this fresh, vibrant, green, and peppery oil. However, this current harvest is very special. We had abundant Winter rain, mild Spring winds, and warm Summer sunshine. This unique weather pattern produced a lush crop of Olives resulting in an extremely powerful Olive Oil, antioxidant-rich and packed with polyphenols.

Balsamic Vinegar
We fell in love with this special Balsamic for its rich, silky texture and deep, sweet flavor profile. It’s the sort of flavor you can only get from aged Balsamic, made in oak barrels over long Winters. The Trebbiano and Lambrusco grapes are grown organically and hand-selected by Balsamic maker Nicolo Verrini. His passion for Balsamic was passed down by his grandfather, who started making Balsamic Vinegar back in the 60’s. Nicolo is a firm believer that the best Balsamic begins with the best grapes, and his goal is to preserve the beauty that Mother Nature provides. I use it on EVERYTHING — cheese, salads, and sometimes on a spoon in the middle of the night when nobody is watching!