The vegetables have come out of the oven. The eggs are on the plate. The soup is ready to carry to the table.
There is still one small decision to make.
A finishing ingredient meets food at the moment we are about to eat it. It stays close to the surface, where its flavor can announce itself clearly. That is one way to enjoy Agourolado, the Market’s early-harvest extra virgin olive oil: a little added to the finished dish, where its peppery character has room to be noticed.
Start with a modest drizzle. Taste a bite before adding more. The point is to find a balance you enjoy, especially when an oil has a strong personality.
The same attentiveness works with the Market’s sea salt, hand-gathered from the rocky shores of western Crete. A few crystals on the surface are a different experience from seasoning dispersed through a whole pot. If the food is already well salted, it may need nothing further.
This is the part of cooking that a recipe cannot entirely do for you. It can suggest an amount, but you are the one standing beside the plate. You know what the tomato tastes like today and whether the potatoes need another moment of attention.
Perhaps that is why finishing a dish can feel so satisfying. Most of the work is over. What remains is a small act of judgment, guided by appetite rather than the clock.
Bring the plate to the table and let someone else try it. If they ask what you did, the answer can be wonderfully short.
A little olive oil. A little salt. A taste before serving.
Explore Agourolado and sea salt from Crete. The current oil listing carries the latest harvest and ordering details.