Prune pit oil

By Florence Fabricant.The New-york Times. February 5, 2003. Wednesday

The prune pit has its day: An oil for an accent.

What is that hint of bitter almond in the salad dressing ? The distinctively nutty scent on that ripe pear or those sautéed chanterelles ?It's French virgin prune-pit oil, cold pressed from the kernels inside prune pits. Let's not make fun of it : it does a better job than almond extract of enriching pastry with an amaretto flavor and aroma, and offers a lovely change of pace from olive oil to drizzle on the cheese. And if you are toasting almonds for a recipe, try tossing them in a bit of the oil first. It is actually far better than white truffle oil and cheaper too. Fairway sells it.