Regina Extra Virgin Taggiasca Olive Oil

What it is:  Regina Taggiasca Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

Details:  357-ml bottle, $23.00.

Who makes it:  Dickson Napa Ranch, the first and finest growers of the famed Taggiasca varietal, in Napa Valley, California.

Why I love it:  This was the first Taggiasca varietal oil produced in the U.S., and this producer's oil is my favorite. In late November, when the olives are a mix of green, purple and black, they’re harvested by hand and rushed to the mill.  The oil is stored in stainless steel vats with controlled temperature and light to preserve its freshness, resulting in a super low-acid, delicate and fruity oil, which is full of character but without any aggressiveness. We’re not the only ones who love it -- we’ve noticed lots of our favorite Bay Area restaurants are using Regina, too, notably at Oliveto, Tra Vigne, and Coi.

How I’ll use this in my kitchen:  Good olive oil is like the life-blood of my kitchen, so I use Regina Taggiasca as much as I can. Because its character is more mellow than cough-inducing, it’s extremely versatile. I dress simple salads with it, of course, especially late-summer tomatoes. I pour it onto bean soups, use it to dress pasta cacio e pepe, moisten a succulent piece of grilled salmon, roast garlic in it and then use the garlic oil.  This is the oil that I turn to for traditional Ligurian Foccacia as well as Warm Farro Salad with anchovies, golden raisins and saffron.  And that’s just today! Tomorrow will bring another round of delicious things to do with this beautiful oil.

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