Homemade flavored olive oil is a cheap and thoughtful gift.
Making your own herb-infused olive oil is an inexpensive way to please friends at Christmas and birthdays. Although you can buy flavored olive oil in many stores, it is often expensive and cannot be personalized. Making your own flavored olive oil is simple and the results are impressive. Flavored olive oils are suitable for cooking meat, fish and vegetables, but they also look attractive on your kitchen shelf. Get creative with flavors for a truly personal homemade gift.
Bottles
Choosing the right bottle to present your flavored olive oil in is important. The bottle you choose must be airtight so a bottle with a rubberized cork is a good option. Glass bottles tend to work better than metallic ones because they are easy to clean but also show off the beautiful herbs in the olive oil. Glass bottles come in a range of styles and colors including bottles with handles, twisted glass or earthy colors such as green. If the bottle has a tapered neck for pouring, even better as you want the olive oil to be as easy to use and as mess-free as possible.
Flavor
You may use fresh or dried herbs in your olive oil. Fresh herbs look beautiful in a clear bottle. However, before you use them, pop them in the oven on the lowest setting for a few minutes to get rid any excess water. If you use fresh herbs, the oil should be kept in the fridge to prevent bacteria from growing. Choose the combination of herbs you want to add. Mix herbs with aromatics such as thyme or rosemary with garlic or lemon peel. Think about what flavors you use when cooking chicken or roasting vegetables and incorporate these into your oil.
Decoration
Since you are giving your flavored olive oil as a gift, you want it to look as well presented as possible. Using long and interesting-looking herbs will add to the overall look. However, there are lots of ways to elegantly finish off your olive oil. Add a ribbon around the top and a rustic luggage tag with a handwritten cooking tip such as "Use with roast chicken or fresh salmon" for a professional finished look.
Tags: flavored olive, your flavored, your flavored olive, Glass bottles, Making your, your olive