Each year we team with Los Angeles restaurants and chefs to sponsor Taste of the Nation Los Angles. The fund-raising event, on Sunday, is part of a nationwide effort to end childhood hunger. It brings together dozens of top local chefs to raise money for the cause.
"The community is what really helps to build a restaurant and make it succeed," Christopher Eddy, chef de cuisine at Campanile in LA, says. "So it's important for successful restaurants to support and give back to their communities in return."
Campanile is one of the restaurants we're sponsoring, as well as chef Suzanne Goin and three of her L.A. eateries: Tavern, Lucques and the wine bar and restaurant A.O.C. And we're sponsoring The Bazzaar by José Andrés at the SLS Hotel.
At Taste of the Nation Los Angeles, these chefs will be serving dishes made with our extra virgin olive oil, such as cold olive "soup" with finger lime caviar from José Andrés.
We also want to share with you two recipes the chefs have created using our oil.
Rillette is a French charcuterie typically made from pork, duck, rabbit or other meat. "I was working on a small plates menu for Campanile involving more charcuterie and pâté-style dishes," Chef Christopher Eddy explains. "We are getting some great salmon out of Skuna Bay an have a great olive oil so it seemed like a natural fit." He adds that the olive oil's flavor "compliments the natural sweetness of the salmon and it gives it a smoother lighter texture than using the traditional butter." (Click here for the recipe.)
Who needs butter in pancakes when you can instead use a good extra virgin olive oil! In fact, we've abandoned the use of butter in the pancakes we make at home from scratch. These pancakes, in the photo at the top of the blog, come from José Andrés. They also include buttermilk and honey and are made from scratch. Next time you want to make flapjacks, why not try this version created by a famed chef. We certainly plan to do so. (Click here for the recipe.)
Bon appétit,
Your friends at California Olive Ranch