Since I have never been a ‘cannonball into the deep end’ kind of girl but rather a ‘one tippy toe at a time’ one, I decided to start simple- infused olive oils. Two recipes down, two ingredients each, easy! Sure, but finding a container to infuse in… not so much.
As I gathered my options- an old sauce jar from the recycle bin, a tall skinny vase from the back of my cabinets and finally (god forbid!) my chili stained Tupperware, an overwhelming feeling of shame bubbled up from deep inside me. Can you imagine Giada De Laurentiis with her sun soaked kitchen, frosted glass canisters and gleaming stainless steel appliances steeping oils on her windowsills in old root beer bottles? Unthinkable!
Bed Bath and Beyond to the rescue!
For the wannabe foodie in me, the kitchen supply section of Bed Bath and Beyond is stocked with endless possibility. As I meander the aisles, it occurs to me- this is why I can’t cook! I’ve never owned an ergonomically designed potato peeler! Or a proper lemon zester! And how could I have gone almost three decades without ever having seen a fruit muddler? Should I have been muddling my fruit all these years? This is terribly embarrassing and I make up for it by over filling my shopping basket. I mean every good cook needs to own a pair of onion goggles, right?
So late last night I arrive home, credit card still warm (but thank god for twenty percent off coupons!) and unload my loot. Among my purchases are two tall, sleek, glass oil bottles with pourers that I immediately perch on my tiny kitchen windowsill. I feel Italian already!
The recipes are as simple as I had hoped. Heating olive oil and adding the infused element- in this case red pepper flakes in one, rosemary springs in the other. I let cool and transfer the concoctions to my new bottles.
By the time I step back and admire my infused oils in their new bottles, it’s much later in the evening than I expected. I’ve already fed my hunger pangs with pepper jack cheese and Special K crackers and am thoroughly exhausted from the BB&B excitement so I call it a night.
This morning I ambled sleepily into my kitchen and beamed with pride as the rising sun streamed through my very first Everyday Italian accomplishment. Let’s hope it tastes as good as it looks.
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