Starters & Salads

A good shake of the bottle comes first, so the raspberry comes through fully when Granhota’s Raspberry Vinegar, fruity and naturally sweet, dresses earthy beets, baby spinach, fresh raspberries and toasted hazelnuts.

Beef sliced so thin the light shows through, arugula, shavings of Parmesan: nothing hides the oil here, so let it be La Magnanerie’s Cosmos Olive Oil, elegant and complex, twice named the best organic oil in the world.

Finely grated carrots glistening under a fragrant dressing, mint and pistachios scattered on top, a short rest before serving: Domaine Salvator’s Mandarin Olive Oil, organic olives crushed with fresh mandarins, brings the scent of a freshly peeled fruit to a simple salad.

Crisp shards of pita, crunchy radishes and torn mint, then a last dusting of crimson: Place des Épices’ organic sumac, vibrant red, fruity and tangy, gives this Middle Eastern salad its bright, lemony finish.

Cool, glistening cubes of trout, dill and shallot wait for the very last moment. Then a spoonful of Le Paulmier’s Fir Vinegar, made from young Douglas fir shoots, adds pronounced citrus notes ranging from lemon to lemongrass.

Butternut squash simmering until it falls apart, then blended smooth with coconut milk and topped with toasted seeds: a couple of spoonfuls of Domaine des Terres Rouges’ Curry Mustard, stone-milled with curry spices and turmeric, bring a gently exotic warmth.

Pink grapefruit segments and ripe avocado share the plate with peppery arugula, and a vinaigrette made with Granhota’s Nepal Peppercorns Vinegar, scented with Timut pepper and its notes of grapefruit, yuzu and flowers, ties it all together.

Bright green asparagus straight from its ice bath, a few shavings of parmesan, some chives: spooned over the top, a vinaigrette made with Le Paulmier’s Elderflower Apple Cider Vinegar brings the lightness of a hedgerow in bloom.

Around the little crescents of Estoublon’s Lucques Olives, hand-harvested and prized for their generous flesh and delicate, buttery taste, heirloom tomatoes of every color, red onion and sheep’s milk cheese make a platter as pretty as it is simple.

Cool cubes of salmon, a scatter of cilantro and scallion, ten minutes in the fridge and it is ready: Domaine Salvator’s Lemon Ginger Olive Oil, organic Provençal olives crushed with fresh lemons and infused with ginger, adds a warm spark to the raw fish.

Sliced almost transparent and laid on chilled plates, raw sea bass needs only lime, fleur de sel and a thread of Estoublon’s Salonenque Olive Oil, elegant and delicate, grassy with a flicker of citrus.

Soft pear, fresh goat cheese and toasted walnuts invite a pepper that tastes of red fruit and honey: Place des Épices’ organic red PGI Kampot peppercorn, less pungent than black, sweet and fruity with notes of raspberry and black currant.