an olive oil picnic.

I escaped to the Cities this past weekend to spend time with friends and enjoy some of the comforts of the larger city. The highlight of the weekend was easily the trip to Stillwater on Friday evening. I worked in Stillwater for two and a half years, living there for one year and commuting for the other year and a half from St.Paul. After leaving the area, I have realized that I didn’t take advantage of the town. So much to do, places to go and good food to eat!

We started our Stillwater evening at the new Stillwater Olive Oil Co. on Main Street. I had heard rumblings of this magical place on facebook and thought it sounded like a new and different experience. We walked into the store and found ourselves surrounded by metal vats of balsamic vinegars and olive oils in all different flavors and varieties. I saw another customer drinking olive oil from a small test cup and worried this was a bad choice … eww? … but was soon proved otherwise. It was the coolest experience. We did shots of olive oil – lemon, garlic, basil, butter. We tested combinations of vinegars and oils … so delicious. I ended up walking away with a small bottle of blackberry ginger balsamic vinegar. After Sara dipped a piece of bread in a sample of this one, she exclaimed, “It’s like candy!” So good. I have never cooked/ate/bought balsamic vinegar before but I drizzled it over my strawberries and yogurt last night with rave results. It will make mighty delicious salad dressings as well.

After drinking some olive oil, we walked further down Main to the River Market Co-op to buy dinner from the deli. Three years ago, when I was in Stillwater, most of the sandwich choices they offer would have made me turn up my nose – turkey with avocado, tomato, lettuce and sprouts? In wrap form = delicious. We carried our picnic basket and our sandwiches to sit by the river and enjoy. It was the perfect evening to be outside and enjoying the water and each other. The evening was further perfected by ice cream at Nelson’s and a visit to the Gieseke family. I love Stillwater and vow to make it a place of regular visiting once I return to St.Paul in four months.