By Wini Moranville
It’s that time of year when I look at my potential salad ingredients and say, Not again!” I’m so over apples and pears; I can’t look at any more dried cherries. Root vegetables? Grape tomatoes? Uncle!
That’s why I recently stopped into Vom Fass, the specialty vinegar, olive oil and spirits shop, to ask owner Melissa Bartholomew for some help. Since the store opened in 2012, Bartholomew has taught me to never underestimate the power of flavor-charged vinegars and oils to inspire new recipe ideas.
Sampling through the casks is like taking a mini culinary vacation, as flavors from around the globe infuse the products. Bartholomew does this tasty trick where she puts a drop of vinegar and a couple drops of olive oil together on a disposable spoon, allowing you to imagine how they’ll taste together in recipes.
Here are some fabulous oil-vinegar combos I tasted recently, plus the late-winter/early-spring salad recipes they inspired me to create once home:
• Pomegranate Vinegar With Tangerine Olive Oil: Serve this perky combo with greens, tangerines or blood oranges, feta cheese and red onion.
• Mango Vinegar With Basil Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Enjoy with greens, mango slices, avocados, thinly sliced celery and sliced green onions.
• Black Currant Vinegar and Lemon Olive Oil: Toss with arugula; top with a few slices of French bread toast topped with melted brie. Sprinkle toasted pine nuts over all.
Vom Fass is at 833 42nd St.; 244-5020. More info here.
