Virgin Territory

An illuminating look at olive oil with 100 recipes from the country's leading authority on the subject and author of The Four Seasons of Pasta.

Olive oil is more popular than ever, thanks to its therapeutic and preventative effects in treating different diseases, as well as the growing variety of brands and imports available. Nancy Harmon Jenkins, arguably the leading authority on olive oil and the healthy Mediterranean diet, presents more than 100 dishes that showcase olive oil, ranging from soups to seafood to sauces to sweets. Along with favorites like tapenade and pesto, you'll find other exciting dishes like North African Seafood Tagine, Oven-Braised Artichokes with Potatoes and Onions, and Quince and Ginger Olive Oil Cake.

But this book isn't just a collection of hearty and healthful recipes; Jenkins also covers the history and culture of olive oil as well as how to buy it and cook with it. A thing of beauty with the stunning photographs of exquisite dishes as well as Jenkin's own Tuscan olive tree grove, Virgin Territory captures the delights of making and cooking with olive oil.

"Nancy Harmon Jenkins makes a compelling case that our most important cooking medium—olive oil—is the one we know least about....This is the definitive book on olive oil, and one that should change the way you shop."—Amanda Hesser, co-founder of Food52.com, author of The Essential New York Times Cookbook

"Virgin Territory is so essential because its subject is so well-colonized. Equal parts cookbook, autobiography, and culinary history, it's a compelling education in cooking's most essential oil."—Dan Barber, chef and co-owner, Blue Hill and Blue Hill at Stone Barns