The Olive Grove
This post is in partnership with Seasons Olive Oil & Vinegar, and some links below are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no cost to you. All opinions (and cooking shortcomings) are my own.
The Idea —
Everyone close to me knows I’m not a good cook. Which might be surprising, considering I’m always inviting friends over. But I’m telling you, I cracked the code with this one. Our theme for August’s girls’ night was The Olive Grove, and every single dish was made with an infused olive oil or vinegar from Seasons Olive Oil & Vinegar.
The Decor —
Before the food, the table! I kept the palette neutral and let the greenery do the work: a neutral tablecloth as the base (this ruffle one is my favorite!) and chunky candles. I used my beloved table arch for a statement: I draped cheesecloth on top of that with some faux olive brances and hung some DIY clay garland. Speaking of, this terra cotta air dry clay was the best $11 I could have spent for this party. I made the garland, candle vessels, name plates and number tags for blind taste testing. Check the video to see them all :)
What We Ate —
-Sunset Shrub-
Bottle used: Mango Fruit Vinegar
Per drink:
• 2 oz tequila
• 2 oz pineapple juice
• 1/2 oz mango fruit vinegar
• Top with soda water
Shake the tequila, pineapple juice, and vinegar with ice. Strain over fresh ice and top with soda water. Garnish with edible flowers.
-Olive Grove Dipping Oil-
Bottle used: Tuscan Herb Infused Olive Oil
• 1/2 cup Tuscan herb olive oil
• 2 tomatoes, shredded or finely chopped
• 1 shallot, chopped
• Handful of kalamata olives, chopped
• Handful of crumbled feta
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon parsley
• Salt and pepper
• Balsamic glaze for topping
• Warm sourdough bread for serving
Mix everything except the balsamic glaze in a shallow bowl, then drizzle the glaze over the top. Serve with warm sourdough for dipping
-Greek Goddess Dip-
Bottle used: Pesto Infused Olive Oil
• 2 cups full fat Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cucumber, chopped
• 1/2 cup kalamata olives, chopped
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 2 to 3 tablespoons pesto olive oil
• Salt and pepper
Spread the yogurt in a shallow bowl. Top with the cucumber, olives, and tomatoes. Drizzle generously with the pesto olive oil and season. Serve with pita, crackers, or veggies. Save some for the Tuscan Chicken Bites because it’s so good for dipping them in.
-Caprese Salad-
Bottle used: Basil Infused Olive Oil
• Fresh mozzarella, sliced
• Ripe tomatoes, sliced
• Fresh basil leaves
• Basil olive oil
• Flaky salt and cracked pepper
Layer sliced mozzarella and tomatoes, tuck in the basil leaves, and drizzle with the basil olive oil.
-Watermelon & Feta Cups-
Bottle used: Watermelon Mint Fruit Vinegar
Makes 12 cups:
• 6 cups seedless watermelon, cubed
• 8 oz feta, cubed or crumbled in big chunks
• Fresh mint leaves
• Watermelon mint vinegar
• Flaky salt
Drain the cubed watermelon in a colander for 15 minutes first so the cups don’t get watery. Fill each glass about two thirds with watermelon, top with feta, and tuck mint leaves in so they peek out. Sprinkle with flaky salt just before serving.
For the mini bottle moment, fill small glass bottles about a third of the way with the vinegar and rest one across the rim of each glass. I used these bottles and the remainder were used for people to take favorite oils/vinegars home.
-BLT Pasta Salad-
Bottles used: Bacon Infused Olive Oil and Roasted Garlic White Balsamic Vinegar
• 1 lb short pasta, cooked and cooled
• 1/2 cup mayo
• 2 tablespoons bacon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons roasted garlic vinegar
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 4 green onions, sliced
• 6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1 cup chopped cheddar
• Salt and pepper
Whisk the mayo, bacon oil, and garlic vinegar into a dressing. Toss with everything else and chill at least an hour.
-Tuscan Chicken Bites-
Bottles used: Calabrian Infused Olive Oil, Italian Fig Dark Balsamic Vinegar, and Tuscan Herb Seasoning
For 2.5 lbs chicken breast:
• 5 tablespoons Calabrian olive oil
• 3 1/2 tablespoons Italian fig balsamic vinegar
• 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons Tuscan herb seasoning
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 2 teaspoons honey
Cut the chicken into 1 inch chunks. Whisk the marinade in a gallon zip bag, add the chicken, press out the air, and massage to coat. Refrigerate 30 minutes to 4 hours (not overnight, the vinegar starts breaking down the texture).
Thread onto skewers with a little space between pieces. If using wooden skewers, soak them 30 minutes first. Roast at 425 for 15 to 18 minutes, flipping once, until they hit 165 inside. Serve with the Greek Goddess Dip. It doubles as the sauce.
-Meyer Lemon Cupcakes-
Bottle used: Meyer Lemon White Balsamic Vinegar
Makes 12:
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 4 tablespoons Meyer lemon vinegar, divided, plus more for the glaze
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup mild olive oil
• 2 eggs, room temp
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Zest of 2 lemons
• 1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries
• 1 tablespoon sugar (for the berries)
• 1 cup powdered sugar (for the glaze)
Stir 1 tablespoon of the vinegar into the milk and let it sit 5 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, toss the raspberries with the remaining 3 tablespoons of vinegar and 1 tablespoon of sugar and let them sit at room temp.
Heat the oven to 350 and line a 12 cup muffin tin. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, whisk the oil, eggs, vanilla, zest, and vinegar milk, then stir into the dry ingredients just until combined. Fill the liners about two thirds and bake 18 to 22 minutes.
Cool completely, then whisk the powdered sugar with Meyer lemon vinegar a teaspoon at a time (about 4 to 5 teaspoons) until thick but pourable. Glaze the cupcakes, then top each with 2 or 3 soaked raspberries and a little spoonful of the syrup right before serving.
-AND FINALLY, FOCACCIA!-
Seasons sells the perfect blend. Find it here!
Tasting —
After dinner we lined up a handful of bottles, covered the labels, and did a blind tasting. Don’t forget bread for in between tastes! Everyone ranked their favorites, and at the end of the night each guest got to take home their favorite flavors. I provided little glass bottles (these are the ones I used) so everyone could fill up and bring home whatever they loved most. It was the easiest party favor I’ve ever done, and honestly the most fun part of the night! You can use the vinegar tasting scorecard I created by clicking here.
