First Bite: Marea

Colli Etruschi extra virgin olive oil

What White calls “the Rolls Royce of olive oils” is a dominant aspect of the dish. Colli Etruschi extra virgin olive oil, whose name means “Etruscan hills,” is made from Tuscany’s Frontoyo olives. Its round, almost buttery taste is not very olive-y, but rather a touch grassy.

This is a pricey oil: It costs the restaurant over $20 wholesale, and the home cook around $35. But White believes in investing in top-notch ingredients. With some cuisines, he says, you’re tasting soy or sesame oil, but “in Italy it’s unadorned—great oils, lemon juice or whatever—it’s all about the ingredients. Italian food is very nudo.”