Olive Oil, Spices and Wine, Oh My: Event 2

by Brooke on September 9, 2013

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This past week, I hosted another “Olive Oil, Spices, and Wine…Oh My” networking foodie event with Alex Hamel.  Our event stops included:  Old Town Oil, The Spice House, and O’Brien’s Restaurant & Bar.  At Old Town Oil, guests got to network and enjoy a Mediterranean spread before the presentation began.

food table

The staff at Old Town Oil gave our foodie group a wonderful presentation on different types of olive oil and balsamic vinegars.

 talk1

We also learned about some unique olive oil and vinegar pairings and later had a chance to taste them.  My favorite new pairing was a walnut olive oil and apple spice vinegar.

talk 3

Here are two foodies tasting balsamic vinegars.   The older the balsamic vinegar the sweeter it tastes 😉

guests

Our next stop on the tour was The Spice House.  Owners, Tom and Patty Erd, gave a wonderful presentation on old tales of the spice merchant world.  We learned about why the merchants used to increase the price of white pepper, how cinnamon grows, and important spice discoveries.

spicetalk

We got to sample Ceylon cinnamon from Sri Lanka and Saigon cinnamon, which is also known as Vietnamese cinnamon.  I also tasted sansho pepper, which despite it’s name is actually a spice.  The spice when put directly on your tongue causes an electrifying tingle.  It was weird and intense sensation.

Sansho Pepper

The last stop on the tour was at O’Brien’s Restaurant & Bar for some treats, drinks, and more networking!

 

Thank you to all those that attended the “Olive Oil, Spices, and Wine…Oh My!” tour! 

{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }

Darci September 23, 2013 at 2:13 pm

I was in Chicago last week for vacation, and did a food tour that stopped at Old Town Oil and The Spice House. I had a really great time!

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