Ever read an airline magazine and come across those ads that list steakhouses in the U.S. that are highly rated?
I always wonder how they are chosen. Were they rated nationally? Or, did they simply pay for the spot? Nevertheless, I get tickled anytime I see a restaurant where I have actually dined. Makes me feel so in-the-know.
Or… in one case, I saw a restaurant listed that is within driving distance of Northwest Arkansas: Polo Grill in Tulsa which was located in my favorite Tulsa shopping spot for all things cool: Utica Square.
So, off to Tulsa we went.
It had all the markings of what I like: hidden, intimate lighting, cozy nooks and crannies, character galore, rack of lamb, and something a little different that made it stand out…
Instead of the usual pre-salad plate of bread, they brought a bowl of olives to the table.
Olives.
Not just any old olives in a bowl. These were olives artistically perched in a bath of olive oil.
So fancy yet so incredible simple.
And something we, too, can easily incorporate into our repertoire!
Next time you have a dinner party or setting up an intimate moment with a glass of cognac or cabernet, add a small bowl of olives (they don’t have to be expensive, either) and pour extra virgin olive oil over them.
I guarantee you it will add an element of specialness.
Experiment with different types of olives. I tried this once with a French olive that was quite tart by itself (example in photo, above). When I bathed it in the olive oil and let it linger, wow, the flavors were incredibly enhanced and savoring each olive was a joy. Oui!
I hope you try this out and let me know what you think. Or, what you discovered was your favorite olive to use with this method. Oooo, what about adding fresh herbs? Oh my, that could be wonderful!
