Taste with Gusto, a common participant in food markets across Dublin, is one of city’s best food vendors, popping up everywhere from Dun Laoghaire to George’s St Arcade. Serving the best from the Apennine Peninsula, their small shop combines a variety of sauces, oils, pastes, bread and sweets straight from Italy. Nearly all of the products are available to sample, including items from regional delicatessens all over Italy, from Lombardy in the North to Calabria in the South.
Some of my personal favourites from the shop include their cold-pressed olive oil, which is rather turbid and dark in comparison to what you would find in a typical supermarket. The taste surprised me due to its strength, but at the same time, this is precisely the way good olive oil should taste. I wouldn’t use it for frying or in any way heat it up, but that isn’t something one should do with any olive oil in general. In my experience, this oil goes perfectly with some bread (such as focaccia), or with salads and vegetables. Aceto Balsamico di Modena also goes particularly well with it, since it has reduced acidity compared to standard balsamic vinegars, as well as a much stronger and complex taste.
Apart from that, the shop offers a wide selection of sauces, originating from various parts of Italy. These often cannot be found all together in the same shop, even in their country of origin. Gusto’s selection consists of such classics as a seafood salad mixture, green and red pestos, and stuffed peppers, to name a few. The staff, including the owner, who is often present at the stall, are always very helpful when it comes to cooking advice and are always ready to help with some dinner ideas. In general, the sauces can be used in a vast number of ways, such as in pasta, salads, risottos, with fish and for starters. Many of them are vegan-friendly, making them a useful addition to any kitchen cupboard.
