10 Monterey’s Tasty Olive Bar Pairings That’ll Make Your Next Meal a Hit
A great olive oil or vinegar can turn a boring meal into a gourmet one, and Monterey’s Tasty Olive Bar gives us a wide and unique selection to choose from. If you’re looking to impress guests at your next house party — if you don’t want to try some out on our Old Monterey Food Tour, of course — consider some of the following extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) and vinegar pairings to make your meal pop.
Herbes de Provence EVOO + Sicilian Lemon White Balsamic
Grilling up some chicken? Monterey’s Tasty Olive Bar takes the traditional French Herbes de Provence and transforms them into an olive oil that’s perfect for cooking your chicken or poultry. A taste of the Sicilian Lemon White Balsamic over the greens will fill even a simple dish with mounds of unbeatable flavor.
Tuscan Herb EVOO + Sicilian Lemon White Balsamic
The Monterey’s Tasty Olive Bar website lists this as their most versatile pairing, and it’s sure to be a hit with steak lovers. If you mix the Infused Tuscan Herb EVOO with the Sicilian Lemon White Balsamic in a bag with the steak and let it marinate overnight, you’ll get a steak that’s packed with Italian-style tastes.
Blood Orange EVOO + Dark Chocolate Balsamic
If you’re baking something — especially a chocolate cake or brownies — try substituting the vegetable oil with the blood orange EVOO to give a chocolate and orange flavor. You can even drizzle the dark chocolate balsamic on the top to round out the pairing and give it an extra kick.
Basil EVOO + Strawberry Dark Aged Balsamic
Salad lovers are sure to salivate over this pairing, with the herbaceous and bold flavor of the Basil EVOO blended with the sweet Strawberry Dark Aged Balsamic. A few beefsteak tomatoes, some feta cheese, and a bed of mixed greens make for a mouth-watering salad your tastebuds will crave long after the last bite.
Baklouti Green Chili EVOO + Peach White Balsamic
Looking to get your fill of Omega-3 fatty acids? If you’re cooking up some fish, try out the sweet and spicy Baklouti Green Chili EVOO and Peach White Balsamic pairing. This pairing goes great with any fish, and if you just allow a little prep time to let your fish of choice marinate, you may find yourself cooking this one over and again.
Koroneiki EVOO + Traditional Dark Aged Balsamic Vinegar
Pasta lovers — this one’s for you! This pairing speaks to the purist who loves the basics when it comes to oil and vinegar. The fruit-forward and aromatic Koroneiki EVOO paired with the 18-years-aged balsamic makes a flavor pairing that’s hard to resist. Pair these two with chicken, fish, or steak, and you’ll have an out-of-this-world meal that’s quick, simple, and totally worth it in the end.
From the Old Monterey Food Tour
Although the above pairings come by recommendation of Monterey’s Tasty Olive Bar themselves, these only begin to scratch the surface. You can check out their full list of recommended pairings here, but these are a few that we love to sample on our Old Monterey Food Tour .
Eureka Lemon EVOO + Lavender Balsamic
This EVOO infused with Eureka Lemons is light, refreshing, and adds an impeccable citrusy taste to anything you put with it. We’ve found it pairs exceptionally well with the Lavender Balsamic, which is an herbaceous and semi-sweet balsamic. This pairing goes well with fruits in particular, but could also work well with grilled chicken or as a mixed vinaigrette on a salad.
Rosemary EVOO + Pineapple White Balsamic
If you’re cooking up any type of poultry, or serving any type of salad, consider using the Rosemary EVOO and the Pineapple White Balsamic. The EVOO captures the essence of everything rosemary, and the aroma is almost a meal in itself. Add it to the semi-sweet, semi-zesty pineapple balsamic vinegar that’s aged in wood barrels, and you’ll have balanced, rounded-out flavors that can make the most simple of meals taste complex and hearty.
Basil EVOO + Strawberry Balsamic
These are two of our favorite flavors, and the combination of them is spectacular. The Basil EVOO is organic and adds flavors of Mediterranean cuisine to anything it’s mixed with. When it’s paired with the Strawberry Balsamic, which is both sour and tart, we’ve found that the bold flavors mix well, especially when used as a vinaigrette on a salad, or just drizzled over the vegetables of your choice.
Tuscan Herb EVOO + Sicilian Lemon White Balsamic
When the organic infusion of blended herbs, sun-dried tomatoes, and garlic in the Tuscan Herb Olive Oil meets the sweet and tart balance of the Sicilian Lemon White Balsamic, magic happens. Take any meal that sounds bland and add these two ingredients, and the guests you serve will think you’ve ordered take-out!
