the cheap and the tasty: part 1

Safeway Select Tuscan Style Basil Herb Dressing.


CHEAPNESS?: Great when on sale...$1.79.

TASTINESS?: Yes. Who the hell knows what "Tuscan" means to Safeway, but they totally nailed the basil part. This is an oily, Americanized, bastardized Italian-esque type of deal. The flavor is good, but in no way subtle. You can taste it all...the oil, the basil, the "herb" (which I think also is an identifier for small pieces of parmesan and kalamata olive). This could easily makes it's way onto the dressing list at a decent restaurant. 

GOOD FOR YOU?: Hell No, but it's better off than the majority of it's Safeway Select brothers and sisters.

VERSATILE?: Yes, and that it one of the saving graces on this stuff. The thing is, this dressing packs enough "Italian" or dare I, "Tuscan"?, type taste, what with the huge blast of basil, that it can easily be incorporated as an ingredient outside of the salad bowl. Mix this stuff together with some real ingredients and throw together some kinda pasta salad-y type of thing, or incorporate into some anti-pastas. It has some much oil, that you can easily use it as an alternative to infused olive oil, and pour directly into the saute process. I replaced the olive oil and the majority of herbs i would normally use, and created a killer "Tuscan" style tomato sauce.