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Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Secrets Revealed: Cooking with Essential Oils






Sometime ago I was approached by a couple of hungry entrepreneurs who asked if I would test out their new product line: essential cooking oils by Quintessenzia . I was to use them in my kitchen and give them feedback on all thoughts and outcomes of my tinkering.

I was curious and so I started to add a drop here, a few drops there to the dishes I was preparing . They were a peculiar bunch, these strange oils- too much, too many, had my
taste buds completely confused BUT just the right amount: absolutely amazing. It took time to get to know them, just like any worthwhile relationship, I guess.

This is where I find it hard to express through words just how essential oils effect food. I've been told that I sound like a new age weirdo when I free associate on what they do to the sense of taste. Sorry but it's true, cooking with these oils is like cooking in the fourth dimension. They ever so subtly (or not) elevate the flavor of a dish in such a way that seems to elevate the entire eating experience on a whole. See? I'm doing it again...

The funny thing is, once you get acquainted with these oils, they are so easy to use. They have saved the
blah sauce, the so-so salad dressing, the neither here nor there soup- many, many times in my kitchen and all in a matter of moments.

You have to try them yourself. There is really no other way to communicate how great they are in words so I'll stop attempting to.

Here are a couple ways to check them out:

For the next two Little Dish evenings at Feast (Friday, March 19
th and Friday the 26th) I will feature at least one essential oil in all little dishes on the menu.

Also...

I will be teaching the cooking course "Cooking with Essential Oils - Elevating Food with Aroma" at the one and only
Goldhahn and Sampson in Prenzlauerberg. Goldhahn and Sampson is, by far, the best food and condiment store/cookbook store/fine wines and spirits store/cooking school- in all of Berlin. Come and actually cook with these oils, with me, up close and personal!
Sign up now and get a free tasting menu at one of the special Essential Oil Little Dish evenings. That's right, free!

http://goldhahnundsampson.de/shop/products/de/Kochkurse/Cooking-with-essential-oils--Thursday-April-1-2010-at-19-h.html?XTCsid=7d9bc67ac2f08136c826b5549c1ecf55

The company that produces these oils is
Quintessenzia. They have searched the world over to find thee best organic producers of these oils and then bring them back here, to Berlin, where they are mixed together with an organic soy oil and then finally bottled.

To buy online and for more info:
http://www.quintessenzia.com/


4 comments:

  1. ... still can seem to manage the paragraph function when cutting and pasting things in.

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  2. Wow Suzy! This is amazing and you again are the first one doing something special in going where few have gone before.
    I have a collection of essential oils but I'm sure they are not edible - although I have been tempted to perfume a dessert with the oil of a rare Night Blooming Jasmine.
    XO

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  3. I would be cautious with Jasmine as it is produced by extraction with solvents, unlike cooking essential oils which are steam destillation or cold pressed peels (citrus fruit).

    Except for that I could munch and gulp down Jasmine, it is the Queen of all aromas :)

    a

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  4. Susan- you would LOVE these oils! You more than anyone I know... must get you a sample soon!

    ReplyDelete