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FATS

• Extra-virgin olive oil: As classic as it gets;

I probably use olive oil every single day in

cooking. Its slightly savory umami flavor

pairs with almost any protein or vegetable,

and it is full of heart-healthy fats. When

it comes to olive oil, make sure you are

purchasing “extra-virgin first cold-pressed”

oil, and look for a bottle that is dark/opaque

(to protect it from destabilizing sunlight

heat). This ensures you are getting the

freshest, highest quality olive oil, which

easily goes rancid.

• Extra-virgin organic coconut oil*

• Grass-fed butter: What is left to be said

about butter? It makes everything taste

better, richer, more satisfying, and more

complex. I use it in moderation, as I do

all ingredients, but there are certain

instances in which nothing beats butter—

like slathered on a freshly baked muffin

or tossed in pasta with a pinch of sea salt.

I always have Kerrygold grass-fed butter

in my fridge, and unless you have a dairy

allergy or intolerance, I recommend the

same for you.

• Toasted sesame oil*

VINEGARS

• White balsamic vinegar: This is my go-

to vinegar, and my husband actually

introduced me to it. Made from white grapes

and white wine vinegar, white balsamic has

a lovely flavor and a clean aftertaste. It also

has a hint of sweetness, and I think it is an

ideal base for salad dressings. If you want

a vinegar that is less intense than white

vinegar, I highly recommend this.

note: When a recipe calls for this in the

book, it is factoring in the natural sweetness

of white balsamic. If you substitute a more

acidic/less sweet vinegar, you should add

more sweetener to taste.

• Dark balsamic vinegar: A classic and staple

of our pantry. Good balsamic vinegar is

made from simmering grapes for hours

until they are syrupy and caramelized.

Dark balsamic has a rich flavor that is ideal

for adding complexity and acid to cooked

dishes. To concentrate the flavor even more,

you can purchase reduced balsamic vinegar

or reduce it yourself: simply add it to a sauce

pan and simmer until it reaches a syrupy

consistency. This is a dream drizzled on

fresh tomatoes in the summer.

• Apple cider vinegar (ACV): The most acidic

of these three, apple cider vinegar is made

from fermented apples. Used for centuries

in home and health-care applications, apple

cider vinegar has numerous purported

health benefits, such as improving digestion,

whitening teeth, and regulating blood sugar.

Raw, unfiltered ACV contains “the mother,”

a cobweb-looking substance made from

proteins, enzymes, and beneficial probiotic

organisms. While I do not find apple cider

vinegar to be the “cure all” that some have

touted, I do find that it can help settle a

stomach ache (I use 2 teaspoons in 1 cup

of filtered water). Primarily, I use ACV for

its astringent but neutral flavor when I

want a nice hit of acid in a sauce or even a

baked good recipe. I encourage you to do

some ACV research on your own if you are

interested in the health benefits.