Do you have a favorite condiment? My favorite condiment of late is Hot Crispy Oil, a combination of olive oil and fried garlic, shallots and hot chili peppers. I’m kind of obsessed with it and keep exploring new ways to use it.
Hot Crispy Oil is produced in the Albany area. It’s a pandemic project turned entrepreneurial success story for chef and former restaurant owner John Trimble. Trimble created Hot Crispy Oil in his home kitchen when his family’s restaurant, La Serre, was shuttered and he was home cooking for his family, according to the website.
When the Trimble family decided not to reopen their restaurant, John Trimble pushed forward with making and marketing Hot Crispy Oil. He says it’s inspired by Asian crunchy garlic and chili oils, Mexican chili oils, Vietnamese chili sauce and Turkish and Calabrian chili paste.
I picked up my first jar of Hot Crispy Oil last summer and have been using it regularly ever since. Open the jar, give the contents a stir and drizzle it on eggs and avocado toast. Toss it with spaghetti or angel hair pasta. Dab it on cheese for grilled cheese – go easy, the oil packs a lot of flavor. One of my go-to lunches and suppers is basmati rice garnished with Hot Crispy Oil, topped with scallions and sometimes a fried egg (see above).
The crispy ingredients give the oil a bit of “chew,” which makes it fun to eat. An extra hot version of Hot Crispy Oil is available, but I haven’t tried it. The original is plenty hot – to my taste buds, anyway. When the jar runs low, stir in a little olive oil to use up all the crunchy bits.
In the Syracuse area, Hot Crispy Oil is available at stores like BeeKind, Chuck Hafner’s Farmers Market and Garden Center (in season), Lombardi’s Imports, Vince’s Gourmet Imports, Thanos Imports and others. It retails for about $10.
Good news for those outside of Central New York: You can order Hot Crispy Oil online. For more information, including shipping details, store locator, and recipes, CLICK HERE.
Top image: © Margaret McCormick
Product shot: © Crispy Hot Oil
