My Favorite Olive Oil Just Got Even Better

Last summer I had the pleasure of interviewing Aishwarya Iyer of Brightland, a California-based company known for its high-quality, traceable olive oil and impeccably designed packaging. After trying both of Brightland’s offerings — ALIVE and AWAKE — I didn’t think their olive oil could get any better. Until, that is, I got my hands on their newest offering: LUCID.

LUCID, Brightland’s first flavored olive oil, is made with 100% lemon. Unlike other flavored olive oils I’ve tried, LUCID doesn’t have any cloying, artificial aftertaste; it’s pure, unadulterated lemon goodness.

“Brightland’s LUCID celebrates the intersection of food, art, and design,” says Aishwarya. “After our hero AWAKE and ALIVE blends, we decided to introduce a lemon olive oil to honor the height of citrus season; we wanted to create a beautiful blend that highlights the luscious flavor of lemon.”

In keeping with its standard for beautiful packaging, Brightland teamed up with artist BD Graft to create the limited-edition, collectible label for LUCID. “I wanted to create something that represents the pleasure derived from a great meal; a multitude of flavors and sensations that come together to form a well-rounded whole,” says Graft. “The label artwork is a handmade collage that was created using oil pastels, paper, charcoal, and acrylic paint.”

It’s seriously so gorgeous I’m tempted to use it as a vase once all the oil is gone.

How have I been using this bright, zippy oil? To start, Aishwarya recommended it with roasted potatoes, which was a revelation. I tossed halved baby potatoes with a drizzle of LUCID and some flaky sea salt, and let them roast on a sheet pan at 425°F for about 25 minutes until golden-brown. The lemon helped cut what would be an otherwise bland, starchy side dish.

I’ve also been using it in homemade salad dressings (with minced shallot, a touch of Dijon, and a bit of honey) and pestos. It’s divine drizzled as a finishing oil on burrata, hummus, lentil soup — basically anything where you’d want a touch of richness and acidity.

Want to try it yourself? Brightland is offering Kitchn readers free shipping with code KITCHNLOVE at checkout.

Buy: LUCID, $40 at Brightland