Wajos Olive Bruschetta Seasoning Mix. Tomato, black olives, fennel and herbs, savory and slightly sweet – the seasoning mix that becomes a spread when combined with olive oil.

Wajos Olive Bruschetta Seasoning Mix is a dry blend of tomato flakes, bell pepper, 10 percent black olives, onions, garlic, fennel, oregano and thyme with a hint of chili and olive oil, 80 g, from Dohr on the Moselle. Not a pre-made spread in a jar, not a pesto, not tomato powder for sauces, but a seasoning mix that you stir with olive oil and water and put on toasted bread. Vegan.

Olive Bruschetta Seasoning Mix by Wajos represents the evening for us when guests arrive an hour before dinner is ready. A baguette sliced and put in the oven for a moment, while two spoons of the mix are stirred with olive oil in the meantime – and on the table is an appetizer that tastes of tomato, olive and herbs before anyone even asks about the main course. The jar replaces the fresh tomato that tastes of little in winter, and the olives that are otherwise never in the house.

Tomato and olive to the fore, fennel and chili in the background

The mixture is red with dark pieces, and when stirred, it smells primarily of tomato and oregano. The 10 percent black olives provide a tart, salty note, onion and garlic form the base, and fennel adds a light anise note reminiscent of Spanish and Southern Italian cuisine. There is chili, but only as a warmth in the background. What you should know: Sugar is the third ingredient; at just under 42 grams per 100 grams, the mixture is distinctly sweet – the tomato flakes contribute a portion of this. Salt is at 7.4 grams. It is not suitable for anyone who wants a bruschetta without garlic – in that case, the Basil Bruschetta Seasoning Mix is the right choice.

On bread, in cream cheese, on pasta and with grilled vegetables

The basic method: Stir two tablespoons of the mix with three tablespoons of olive oil and one tablespoon of water, let it soak for ten minutes, and spread on toasted white bread. If you like, add diced fresh tomato. Stirred into 200 grams of cream cheese or quark, one tablespoon becomes a dip for vegetable sticks or a spread for an evening snack. A spoonful in tomato sauce for pasta, over oven-roasted vegetables or on a pizza before baking – the mixture works wherever tomato and olive fit. It is not suitable as a dry seasoning sprinkled on a plate: the flakes need oil and time, otherwise they remain hard.

Our tip: Toasted bread with the prepared mixture, topped with a slice of mozzarella and a few drops of Basil-infused Olive Oil – our standard plate whenever we are having a light meal on Saturday.

A blend from the Moselle, where Wajos mixes its own spices

The bruschetta mixes are one of the product groups that Wajos produces itself in Dohr near Cochem on the Moselle – like the majority of its roughly 900 items, tested in their own laboratory. The company belongs to the Oster family, who have been making wine in Ediger-Eller for 15 generations; starting in the 2000s, Walter Josef Oster's liqueur manufactory grew under his son Peter and Ulf Schwichtenberg into the Wajos brand with over 80 employees and their own stores.

The jar for guests, for a light meal and for the pantry

The Olive Bruschetta is the mix for anyone who likes antipasti and prefers to have tomatoes, olives and herbs stocked in a jar. As a gift, it goes well with a bottle of olive oil or as a set with the Classic Bruschetta Seasoning Mix – all varieties can be found on our Wajos page. Stored in a dry, dark place, the jar lasts a long time; 80 grams is enough for about a dozen servings. It is not suitable for those who dislike sweetness in savory dishes, or for anyone who generally avoids olives – here they play the second leading role.

Tomato, black olive, fennel and herbs, stirred with olive oil – the bruschetta seasoning mix from the Moselle that turns bread into an appetizer for us.