SOURCE: Ingredients
Local flavors
Every meal we make can take flight with a hit of next-level local flavor. From a ‘Burgh rich with food creativity, we suggest four key ingredients to keep on hand this season. Why? To paraphrase a famous chef: BAM!
Sunshine in a Bottle
The Liokareas family’s Late Harvest Lemon Olive Oil and Estate Grown Orange Olive Oil are cold-fused extra-virgin olive oils made by pressing fruit with Kalamata and Koroneiki olives. The cold, slow, all-natural process ensures peak quality and a flavor profile that balances the aroma and tang of citrus with the grassy, peppery notes of fresh, top-quality olives. liokareas.com. Photography by David Bryce
Sweet and Complex
Starting with sap sourced from the owner’s cabin property in upstate New York, McLaughlin Distillery’s Pure Maple Syrup has a mild sweetness and delicate maple flavor that deepens with four months of aging inside used bourbon barrels. The casks infuse the syrup with complex and subtle notes vanilla, honey and caramel, making this all-natural jug of sweetness a breakfast must-have. mclaughlindistillery.com
Made with heart
Scratch & Co.’s MADE brand has heart. In addition to being environmentally friendly and sourced from local growers, the product helps communities in need with 3% of profits benefiting worthy local causes. Grocers and restaurants are catching on, using the brand’s pickled red onions to top sandwiches and tacos, and stocking their shops with the popular red sauerkraut, pickled red or gold beets, apple butter, and much more. scratchandcopgh.com/made-scratch-co-retail-foods
Transcendent Salami
Yes, we said transcendent. Justin Severino’s Steel-City-made charcuterie justifies the term by using ancient methods to make traditional meats with modern flavors. One slice of za’atar-crusted lamb salami, or a hot chunk of Iberian-pepper-infused meat, and you will be a devoted disciple of the line. saltyporkbits.com. Photography by David Bryce