Oils & Vinegars

Possibly the most iconic Italian contributions to pantries all over the world are extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. How did we ever live without them? With just two little bottles, you’ve got a world of flavor at your fingertips to level up everything you cook.

But it doesn’t stop at just two bottles. There’s a wide range of flavor profiles and uses for different kinds of olive oil, from smooth, blended oils for everyday cooking to unique single-varietal oils that make a dazzling finishing touch for special meals. Olive oils can express their terroir in the same way wines do—in general, the farther south in Italy you travel, the more intensely flavored the olive oil tends to be. From pale, buttery yellow oils from Liguria to spiky, deep green oils from Sicily, there’s a world of flavor to discover. Drizzle a little over cheeses, soups, and even simply toasted bread for a sophisticated touch.

Then there’s real balsamic vinegar from Modena, so special that its production is strictly regulated by the Italian government. That means no funky additives or other cost-cutting methods are allowed. What you get is pure grape goodness, fermented and aged the way it’s been done for centuries. The vinegar is held in oak barrels for at least 12 years, which transforms the fresh, sour starter into a complex liquid that’s packed with probiotics and beneficial enzymes (to this day, many Italians swear by a spoonful of balsamic every day as a health tonic). It slowly evaporates, reducing to a thick, syrupy consistency, and the wood of the barrels imparts its own natural flavors like vanilla and honey. The older the balsamic, the denser and more flavorful it will be.