Bread and Dipping Oil

I think that bread is the best way to really taste a vinaigrette.  The bread is neutral: a perfect vehicle for an unobscured sampling of the vinaigrette.  It may taste different, better or worse, on a salad, but trying it with bread first is best.

Awhile back at an office party my friend Renee brought in a delicious Italian bread with olive oil and a dipping bread herb mix from DeLallo, a Pittsburgh area purveyor of Italian food (www.delallo.com).  It was very good -- maybe a little salty for me, but as I told her, I could have sat there all day tearing pieces of bread and dipping them in that oil.

I think that is what led me to the idea of testing all vinaigrette with bread.

But we also tried the garlic flavored oil for dipping enhanced with some oregano.  Delish. I have a number of idea dipping oil ideas that I look forward to trying.