I interrupt this program for an important message.

Yesterday, if you tried to visit For the Love of Food, you were inevitably denied access. This was part of the blackout protest to stop two bills to be passed that would, more or less, censor the web (SOPA and PIPA. Google that ish). The main priority of the bill is to stop piracy, which I’m all about. But the logistics and wording of the bill make it easy for the government to censor every website here in the U.S. I may be a bit exaggerative, but words that come to my mind when I hear something like that are “Russia” or “Cuba” or “China.” You feel?

WordPress.com was taking part of the blackout and since they provide a free platform for me to speak my mind (and share yummy recipes), I decided to support their blackout decision. I will have that banner that reads “Stop Censorship” up in the right corner until Jan. 24. Thanks for reading what I have to say and supporting free speech! I now return you to your regular scheduled programming.

So we missed a good Wordless Wednesday, but I’ll put it up next week and we’ll all make a full recovery. Promise.

I really like oils. Not the ones that accumulate on my face throughout the day, though my MD says wrinkles will be an obsolete thing for me because of them, but cooking oils. Of course, EVOO holds a special place in my heart, but it’s always fun to cook with new oils.

Today, I’m thanking my lucky stars for sesame oil. Have you guys tried this stuff? It’s a staple in Asian and Indian cooking and is made from ground sesame seeds. It has a distinct smell (like toasted sesame seeds!) and its color is reminiscent of vegetable oil.

Sesame oil’s got a higher smoke point than EVOO (though that’s still pretty low) so use it in your wok when making some Chinese for a hotter pan. It will also change the flavor profile ever so slightly.

I’ve also used sesame oil in salad dressings, which makes for a beautifully flavored add on to a salad. This stuff is good, guys. Go out and buy some and use it in your next salad dressing or drizzle it on top of your tofu stir fry or fried rice.

Thank you, sesame oil, for providing toasty goodness to dishes.