These are a Few of my Favorite Things

You are forgiven if you think you have stumbled onto the set of the Sound of Music.

Every cook has a few ingredients in their kitchen they would not do without. While I admit that if I was on a desert island , these probably wouldn't feature, but never the less I do enjoy using them.

My first favorite thing - and these are in no special order is OLIVE OIL.

You get so many kinds, Extra Virgin, Virgin, Cold Pressed, cheap imports, expensive imports the list is endless.
South Africa's Olive Oil industry is still very new, in comparison to Europe, but the quality of the produce is outstanding. Now before you think it is just some patriotic "hubble-bubble", there is proof to this.
Morgenster’s most recent award for its Oil came in just before the close of 2006 in the form of the Extra Virgin Olive Oil being selected as one of the Top 15 Olive Oils in the world (out of 3000 tasted!) and the award for the Best Blended Olive Oil in the world. And Willow Creek in the Nuy Valley won a coveted Grand Mention Diploma at the Leone d'Oro dei Mastri Oleari olive oil awards in Perugia, Italy in 2005, putting the oil on a par with the best in the world.

My favorite oil is Toorwater. This is liquid gold. It has a fresh peppery taste. Completely natural and unrefined. Whether you are cooking with it or pouring it over a salad, it never fails to impress.
The best recipe I have is so simple.
Take a chicken breast and flatten it. It must be flat because the cooking time must be short.
Heat a pan and when it is hot add a good glug of Toorwater Olive Oil.
Put the chicken breast in and let is start to turn golden brown.
Turn over and squeeze the juice of ½ a fresh lemon in the pan.
Turn off the heat and leave for 3 mins.
To serve, just drizzle with more olive oil and a little lemon.

The second thing I love to use is Sunny Hunny. This is the kind of honey that makes Pooh Bear weak at the knees.
It is a fynbos honey, harvested in the Southern Cape.
Can you beat hot fresh white bread with lashings of butter and honey or glazed carrots with honey and caraway seeds? I think not!!!

While the first two favorites are local, my third is Spanish.
Hot Smoked Paprika. The intense colour and flavour is wonderful.
Before I found this product, I didn't know what paprika was supposed to taste like. You just can't substitute the cheap stuff. Rub a whole chicken with olive oil, paprika and salt, put a ½ a lemon in the cavity and roast. Yummy Yummy.

And these are a few of my favorite things. I am sure if you could get your hands on these you would agree.

Have a wonderful day. Make lots of tasty food and please share them with us. I would love to try some of your favorite things.