OT - one of the ONLY reasons I like being near Chicago

Old Ironsights · Post by **Old Ironsights** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 10:31 pm

I have a confession to make...

I'm sitting here, writing assortid screeds and eating Bread and Vinegar.

OK, I'm a "foodie"... well, I'm a Foodie when it comes to spices, oils ans sauces anyway. Other than that, it's Meat and Ethnic Standbys.

Anyway, a few weeks ago the wife & I were wandering around "old town" Chicago and came across a spice shop and a storefront that sold nothing byt Olive Oil & Balsamic Vinegar.

I honestly didn't think there could be enough traffic for an O&V store, but there it was.

So we went in and sampled, well, Olive Oil & Balsamic Vinegar.

You have no Idea how good Olive Oil & Balsamic can taste, individually or alone, until you taste some of this stuff.

We walked out with a bottle of, get this, 18 year old Balsamic. This stuff is amazing. You can actually put it on ice cream.

Anyway, I had to share, because my maranaides just jumped a couple of notches from "pretty good" to "wow!".

Take a look: http://oldtownoil.com/
http://oldtownoil.com/mm5/merchant.mvc? ... e=Vinegars

Back to my Bread & Vinegar (The Blood Orange Olive Oil is beyond imagining too...)

Post by **Ysabel Kid** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 10:33 pm

Very true - get near the "big town" and you get tons of choices the rest of us just don't have access to.

Still, I'd rather have my guns!

Old Ironsights · Post by **Old Ironsights** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 10:39 pm

Ysabel Kid wrote:Very true - get near the "big town" and you get tons of choices the rest of us just don't have access to.

Still, I'd rather have my guns!

Agreed. That's why I live in Indiana.

But that's also why there's an Internet. At least I can order stuff.

But for me, vacationing (with the wife/non-shooting vacation) means funky food shops - that I can sample at and hopefully order from once in a blue moon.

Rusty · Post by **Rusty** » Tue Apr 15, 2008 5:46 am

OI,
There is a local company based right here in Tampa, near me that has some of the best products I've ever tasted. The company is Vigo. If you ever eat their olive oil with bread you'd never ask for butter again.

They are also the county's largest importer of Greek peppers. they sell most of them to Domino's. Under the Allessi brand name they also have one of the best sea salts you'll ever taste.

I used to pick up over there about once a month for our warehouse and while there I'd always see little old ladies coming up to the loading dock to buy a case of this or a case of that. they're one of the few places I know that will sell to individuals like that.

They are really great people.

WCF3030 · Post by **WCF3030** » Tue Apr 15, 2008 6:38 am

Edit: Never mind I just saw the link.

OI,

Name and location of the shop please.
My sister lives in Chicago, I'll have her pick some up.

AndyM · Post by **AndyM** » Tue Apr 15, 2008 6:55 am

I thought after reading the title it would be the Bears or Cubs. I always wanted to see a game at Wrigley.

Rimfire McNutjob · Post by **Rimfire McNutjob** » Tue Apr 15, 2008 9:09 am

Oh man, I love REAL balsamic. It's hard to find the real stuff though ... so much of it is artificial these days. There's really no comparison though. My favorite is good balsamic and fresh cracked pepper over strawberries.

Old Ironsights · Post by **Old Ironsights** » Tue Apr 15, 2008 9:34 am

Rimfire McNutjob wrote:Oh man, I love REAL balsamic. It's hard to find the real stuff though ... so much of it is artificial these days. There's really no comparison though. My favorite is good balsamic and fresh cracked pepper over strawberries.

Well, you can order it now!

Try the 18y/o. It would be perfect for strawberries.

bogus bill · Post by **bogus bill** » Tue Apr 15, 2008 3:43 pm

I always those shops were fronts for the maffia!

Old Ironsights · Post by **Old Ironsights** » Tue Apr 15, 2008 4:05 pm

bogus bill wrote:I always those shops were fronts for the maffia!

Naah. The Outfit's main offices are in Daley Plaza... 5th floor IIRC, with Ward offices locatable in the Phonebook under the heading "Alderman".

jd45 · Post by **jd45** » Tue Apr 15, 2008 4:21 pm

OI, that good quality Balsamic is SO good, you can sip it right out the bottle. But dipping a piece of Italian or French bread in a combination of Extra-Virgin Olive Oil & good balsamic vinegar is, without doubt, out of this world!!! I'm in the Chi area, too, but haven't been to Old Town since the early '70's. Guess I'll have to stop by for a visit! jd45

Old Ironsights · Post by **Old Ironsights** » Tue Apr 15, 2008 4:34 pm

jd45 wrote:OI, that good quality Balsamic is SO good, you can sip it right out the bottle.

Ok, where'd you put the spy camera...?

But dipping a piece of Italian or French bread in a combination of Extra-Virgin Olive Oil & good balsamic vinegar is, without doubt, out of this world!!! I'm in the Chi area, too, but haven't been to Old Town since the early '70's. Guess I'll have to stop by for a visit! jd45

What shocked me was the difference in acidity between a 12y/o and the 18y/o.

The 12 is better with bread and a "grassy" oil, but the 18 is better with a mild to citrusy oil like the Lemon or Blood Orange and used almost like a glaze...

Dang. Here I go, sounding like Wolfgang Puck...

jd45 · Post by **jd45** » Tue Apr 15, 2008 4:48 pm

OI, I SWEAR I wasn't peekin! As far as the other, as they say, It's ALL good, don'tcha know! jd45

Lastmohecken · Post by **Lastmohecken** » Tue Apr 15, 2008 5:55 pm

I have some inlaws that live in Chicago, I can't hardly stand to go up there anymore. The traffic is terrible. There are some neat things to see, but made sure I didn't forget anything the last time I was up there.

I remember my father in law saying he would rather be in jail down here then live in Chicago, and that is about the only thing we could ever agree on.