Gourmet shop’s move is great for Southern Indiana
By JD Dotson
The Olivet has brought something truly unique and wonderful to Southern Indiana.
The former space in the Underground Station in New Albany housed gourmet olive oils and balsamic vinegars along with a small selection of bath ‘n’ body products and food and spice items. The Olivet’s recent move – just a block and a half away to 137 E. East Market St. – has created a whole new experience.
Owner Crystal Goebel’s tasting room has expanded to include an even more extensive selection of premium gourmet extra virgin olive oils and balsamic vinegars. And customers can now sip on French Press brewed gourmet coffee and drinking chocolate – this is not your store-bought version of powdered cocoa – two things I have a hard time passing up. The drinking chocolate comes in your choice of a cup or a chocolate-dipped waffle cone shot glass. Both are topped with house-made marshmallow cream that is then toasted to a golden brown. For research purposes I decided to try both and am glad I did. I encourage you to do the same. New to this version of The Olivet is a seating area that Crystal hopes customers will use when they come in for a coffee, hot chocolate or dessert to stay and socialize.
The Olivet carries beautifully decorated truffles, chocolates and desserts by Ghyslain Chocolatier, which is based in Union City. They look less like something you could eat and more like little works of art. But make no mistake, these sculptures are meant to be eaten. And they’re delicious.
Just across from the chocolate counter is my sweet tooth’s favorite section of the store: a massive table stacked high with jars full of candy from every era from the 1950s to the present. All candy is available by the piece, so I thoroughly enjoyed purchasing one of everything.
The Olivet also specializes in Gourmet Grab ’n‘ Go meals for cooking challenged people like me. There are products from Lotsa Pasta, local cheeses and gourmet coffee by the can. Additionally, there is a wall of gourmet spices and blends that Crystal has carefully arranged to take the guesswork out of picking spices that complement each other.
For someone who is not a cook, the spices and olive oils and vinegars can be overwhelming. I am the kind of person who will pour some olive oil and balsamic on a plate and serve it with bread, and that’s the extent of my cooking knowledge with both of those items. The Olivet has a couple of remedies for people like me. First, and brilliantly so, there’s a database with hundreds of recipes using oils and vinegars to peruse and print. Knowing my taste for sweet and my hubby’s love of bourbon, Crystal suggested the new Bourbon Maple Balsamic Vinegar and printed off a recipe for Bourbon Maple Balsamic Salmon. This frozen pizza guy is going to shock his Food Network-worthy cook of a husband with a delicious home-cooked meal for once in 18 years. Soon, The Olivet will host cooking seminars and classes, in addition to tastings. I feel like my cooking life is turning over a new (olive) leaf thanks to The Olivet.
The Olivet also carries an array of all-natural olive oil-based soaps and lotions from Earthy Brown and Ode. You only need to take a look at Crystal to see their beautiful results.
The Olivet
137 E Market St.
New Albany
812.913.4430
www.theolivet.com
Did you know?
Extra virgin olive oil – or EVOO – is an unrefined olive oil and the highest quality oil you can buy. Unrefined means the oil is not treated with chemicals or altered by heat, and retains more of the true flavor of the olive with a lower level of oleic acid and more of the natural vitamins and minerals. The Olivet only carries super premium extra virgin olive oils.
