A Cool New Summer Salad

A few days ago, Janet and I went to the Tap & Taste store that is exclusively devoted to the sale of gourmet olives, olive oils and vinegars. They had so many interesting flavors and varieties, most of which I had never even heard of, let alone tasted. They actually allow you to taste the oils and vinegars before buying too. I fell in love instantly. Of course I bought some new goodies, and of course I can’t wait to create some really delicious recipes from them as well. The fun has already started, but so far, I have only used one of my new vinegars, although to be fair, one I have already tried and LOVE the Mission Fig Balsamic Vinegar.

Tap & Taste is a small, family owned and operated store that not only offers a wide variety of unique flavors of all their products, but they also offer them in three different sizes. [Their] store was born out of the desire to bring the highest quality and freshest olive oils and vinegars to [their] customers at an affordable price.

[Their] superb lineup of oils features some of the finest selections of Ultra-Premium Certified Extra Virgin Olive Oil in North America. Ultra-Premium Certified is the highest quality standard for extra virgin olive oil in the world. [They] provide the harvest date, country of origin, and chemistry on every extra virgin olive oil [they] offer. [They] follow the olive oil crush from the northern to the southern hemisphere to bring you the freshest olive oil possible.

[Their] crazy delicious aged balsamic vinegar’s from Modena, Italy will tempt even the best chef’s palate and will have the everyday cook discovering new flavors leading the way to a healthier lifestyle. Tap & Taste’s tasting room offers a try before you buy experience. You are invited and encouraged to enjoy close to 60 of the world’s finest, freshest, and healthiest olive oils and aged balsamic vinegars. [Their] oils and vinegars are bottled fresh and with lots of care just for you. You can find Tap & Taste at 14644 Orchard Parkway, Suite 1300, Westminster, CO. You can reach them either online at store@tapntasteoliveoilco.com or by phone at 303-920-9700.

This was my first trip to the store, but I definitely know I will be back again and again. This time I bought the Mission Fig Balsamic Vinegar, the Cara-Cara Orange Balsamic Vinegar and the Sicilian Lemon Balsamic Vinegar. I was going to buy the smaller sample sizes, but I was easily convinced to buy the medium size instead, knowing full well I can easily put them all to good use. They all taste so good, even just by themselves. They are so bold and flavorful that you only need a little bit. A little dab will do you just fine.

As I said above, I have tried the Mission Fig Balsamic Vinegar, and I love it, but the other two are brand new to me. I used the Sicilian Lemon Balsamic Vinegar in a new cool and refreshing summer salad I just made. The salad too, has already become a new summer favorite.

Green Bean and Heirloom Tomato Summer Salad

1 lb cooked green beans, cut into 1 inch pieces

2 heirloom tomatoes, medium dice

1/4 red onion, sliced very thin

1/4 cup basil, chiffonade

1 TBSP garlic

1/3 cup olive oil

3 TBSP basil infused olive oil, optional

1/3 cup Sicilian Lemon Balsamic Vinegar

2 TBSP lemon juice

1-1 1/2 cups mushrooms, quartered

salt & pepper to taste

Cook the green beans in boiling water for about 6 minutes, then blanche in ice cold water. Once they are cooled, cut them into pieces that are about 1 inch in size.

Toss all the ingredients together and let chill for about 1/2 hour before serving. And voila, a new and delicious taste sensation that is just perfect for these hot summer days. 🙂

Stay cool, stay safe and stay well Everyone. ‘Til next time.

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