From the Pantry: Frantoia Olive Oil, Dolfin Chocolate

Olive oil and chocolate; an unlikely combination, perhaps, but hear me out. You don't have to consume them together.

In my last post I mentioned that World Harvest carries my favorite olive oil (that I can get in town; if you want to really splurge—because not only is the oil priced like gold, you have to pay for shipping, too—try Sciabica fresh-pressed California olive oil; I recommend the Sevillano variety). Not that I've sampled every oil available at every store in C-U, mind you, but I've tried quite a few, and for price and flavor, this is my favorite.Cold extracted from Sicilian olives, the oil is a dark, vibrant green with a distinctly olive-y aroma and an almost unfiltered appearance. The 1-liter bottle sells for $26.99, and there's a smaller bottle (still a good size, but I'm not sure of the exact volume) that's priced at $13.99. There's a hint of spiciness about this oil and it's kind of fruity, too. It makes a wonderful vinaigrette and it's also great simply drizzled over fresh tomatoes or whatever else you might like to top with it.

And I must tell you that when I was last at World Harvest, I picked up a bar of Dolfin Belgian (milk) chocolate with "hot masala" flavoring.I was very curious about what it would taste like. I'm not sure how those Belgians define hot; I found the chocolate to be smooth and creamy, but not spicy-hot at all. Though it has ginger, black pepper, clove, cardamom, and cinnamon in it, the spices were subtle, giving just a feeling of warmth on the tongue as I ate it. Very nice, actually. You might like to give it a try ($4.49 for the 70g/2.47 ounce bar—I know, another splurge, but you're worth it). Dolfin also makes a bar flavored with Earl Grey tea; I plan to try that one next.