What to Eat on a Wednesday? See Below!

Warm Potato Meze with Peas, Roasted Tomatoes and Dill

 Ingredients

1/2 Cup We Olive Arbequina Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 pound waxy potatoes (about 4)
10-12 cherry tomatoes
1 large red onion, coarsely chopped
1 cup shelled peas (frozen are ok), defrosted
4 Τbsp. Water
3 to 4 Tbsp. red wine vinegar to taste
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
3 Tbsp. fresh dill

Preparation

Rinse and scrub the potatoes. Do not peel. Bring them to a boil over high heat in a large pot of lightly salted water. Reduce the heat and simmer until the skins begin to burst open and the flesh is tender, or 30 to 35 minutes. Remove, drain and set aside until cool enough to handle. While the potatoes are boiling, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a nonstick skillet and sauté the cherry tomatoes until their skins wrinkle and char lightly. Season with salt and remove. Sauté the frozen peas in the same skillet, adding 4 tablespoons water. Remove and drain. Peel the potatoes when they are still warm and cut into quarters or sixths. Place in a serving bowl. Add the onions, tomatoes and peas to the potatoes. Pour in the olive oil and vinegar, season with salt, pepper, and dill, toss gently, and serve immediately.

Just in the Nick of Time

Meet Nick Dukellis.  Although he claims to be retired, the amount of work he accomplishes on one shift at We Olive Ventura would make him Ventura County's most eligible bachelor if he were single.  Yep, gals, we call him Neat Nick.  We can only imagine how clean and orderly his house is and that his "Honey Do" list is completed before the ink is dry.  Heck, he could probably get my teenager to clean and spit polish her room -- now there's a thought!  Nick is a Ventura County native who moved to Bakersfield during high school.  After a twenty five year career as a California prison guard he "retired" and he and his lovely wife found their way back to Santa Paula.  We're thinking Nick's wife found him a bit too restless at home and thought a little part time job might give her a little time without having to find projects to occupy him  Just our luck that we were looking for someone to join our team at precisely the same time!  Among Nick's many hobbies are:  model railroading, cooking, former taxidermist, reptile//amphibian collector, bird breeder, salt and freshwater aquarist, gardener, woodworker and Italian car enthusiast.  He is fluent in most areas of home repair and is currently involved in a local Santa Paula committee to save the Steckel Park Aviary from demolition at the hands of the county.  WOW!  He says that any time spent with Perry Rice on the sales floor is good for a few laughs, but his funniest moment at We Olive Ventura occurred during this first week on the job. While filling a bottle at the spout he attempted to loosen the screw-top on a near-empty oil fusti to break the air-lock .  The top was tight and when it finally spun loose the entire fusti rotated, the spout popped out of the bottle and it bathed him in garlic oil.  Believe us ,Nick, worse things have happened!   Nick most enjoys the company of his co-workers and the attitudes of our happy-ravenous customers.  He finds it personally gratifying to pour someone a product sample or make a product suggestion and watch their face light up when he realizes he hit a home-run.  Nick

recommends We Olive garlic olive oil, aged Balsamic and We Olive Parmesan Asiago Dip. As a gift, he suggests our olive wood bowls and utensils.  Olive wood has a density and character unlike any other wood he's seen.  While Neat may refer to Nick's proclivity for organization and cleanliness, Nick is also a really Neat guy to have around.  He arrived here just in the Nick of time!