Add the garlic just when the oil starts to warm up. If you put the garlic in hot oil, it caramelizes too rapidly and won't flavor the oil as deeply. In the Piedmont region of Italy, eating bagna-cauda butter is a favorite ritual. The diners gather around an earthenware pot filled with hot olive oil, anchovies and garlic, and they dip raw vegetables or bread into the "hot bath", a kind of Italian fondue. The same seasonings make an incredible butter for flavoring cauliflower, broccoli or stuffed baked tomatoes. Let a nugget melt onto a grilled beef steak or fish steak, or toss a generous knob into steamed clams at the last minute. Because the dish is so simple, it's critical to use extra-virgin olive oil and the best, meatiest anchovies you can find.