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It’s too bad there’s not a scratch-n’-sniff card attached to this article. Walking into The Oilerie is like launching a lovely assault on your olfactory nerves; the smell of olives, mixed with the scent of aged balsamic vinegars, is simply enticing. If you closed your eyes, you might think that you’d just strolled into a little gourmet shop in Italy.
The Oilerie is a small franchise of just five stores that stretches from coast to coast. The five Oileries sell an “exclusive” collection of oils and vinegars that are “literally hand-selected from (their) own producer in Italy” — and each encourages you to taste them before buying.
The Hilton Head version, which is owned by Linda Gilson, is the company’s newest. The shop, located in the Village at Wexford, opened in July; it has already sold more than 4,300 bottles of 25-year aged balsamic vinegar.
Linda and her husband, Tom, had originally semi-retired to the tip of the Door County peninsula in northeast. Wisconsin. “Gills Rock, to be exact. Go any further and you’re in Lake Michigan!” Linda said.
One afternoon Linda found herself answering a blind ad for a “busy retail shop” looking for a full-time manager. “And I landed the job at Oilerie Fish Creek — a wonderland for cooks and non-cooks alike,” she said. Less than a year later she and Tom were fishing for an Oilerie of their own, and found a spot on the island.
But the Oilerie doesn’t specialize in just any old balsamic.
Before we go any further, it’s important to realize that a basic, run-of-the-mill balsamic from the grocery store has probably been aged for 5 or 10 years. That’s fine. But balsamic aficionados know that in order for vinegar to be a true balsamic it has to be aged for at least 12 years — and there can be no shortcuts, such as adding coloring or thickeners. The Oilerie’s wares are aged for a full 25 years —meaning that its producer in Modena, Italy, must exert considerable patience before twisting the tap on the cask.
But once they do, there’s that taste: The aged balsamic is a wonderful, intense, unmatchable balance of sweet and tart.
The Oilerie carries only all-natural EVOOs, such as Italian (mild), Fior Fiore (medium) and Primaiolo (robust). The unique flavors in these traditional oils come solely from the olives used to produce them — nothing else is added. That said, if flavored olive oil is more your thing, prepare your taste buds for such Oilerie best-sellers as lemon, garlic and basil. The shop also offers spicy Italian, sun-dried tomato, vanilla and cinnamon choices.
And again, all of the Oilerie’s products are there for the tasting, ready to bottled by hand. The way it used to be done.
RECIPE IDEAS
• Mix a balsamic vinegar with a flavored oil for a simple dipping sauce for fresh ciabatta bread.
• Grilled veal chops with balsamic vinegar glaze, topped with arugula, freshly diced tomatoes and mozzarella cheese. While this sounds like a mouthful it was actually easy to make. Brush each side of a veal chop with balsamic vinegar and grill over medium heat to your preferred temperature. Top the veal chops with arugula, tomatoes and mozzarella. Drizzle additional Fior Fiore olive oil over the top and add a splash of balsamic! (Note: This recipe works with chicken or pork.)
• The aged balsamic is definitely an excellent fit with sliced strawberries. It may sound a bit passé, but this vinegar is like a syrup — add a bit of vanilla ice cream and you have one delicious dessert.
PRICES
• 25-year Aged Balsamic Vinegar: $19.50 (12.7 oz.)
• Fior Fiore Extra Virgin Olive Oil: $15 (12.7 oz.)
