Taste the differences and revel in it

Many upscale grocery stores have a large selection of olive oil, so how do we decide what to purchase? This photo is from Whole Foods at 7th Avenue and 24th Street in Manhattan. There is a certain amount of trust that goes into the Whole Foods shopping experience because of the general high quality and cost of their items. Without actually tasting all of the various oils, we can't really know our individual preferences. Most rely on a combination of price point, country of origin and a hunch.

Other factors to weigh in should include an expiration date or born date. Most olive oil has a life span of about a year or two depending on temperature and exposure to light. The younger it is the better the taste and nutritional value.

Italy tends to be the go to country for olive oil, but few realize that they sometimes mix their oil with oil from other countries so you don't always know what you are getting. Spain and Tunisia are big contributers to the Italian brands. Italy is very good at marketing their products and have formed deep connections to customers worldwide. Buying Spanish, Tunisian and Greek oil is not always the first thought but should be. Look for estate bottled oil and a list of olive varietals. Also, seek out organic product whenever possible as olives tend to absorb many qualities from their environment that adds flavor while they grow. One reason they also cure so well even after they are picked.

Best of all, try them all and let your nose and tongue shape your ongoing habits. Quick guide ~ find the freshest on the shelf or just order a large container of the newly pressed 2009 online where available. Enjoy!

Going back to Cali

"Happy are those who fear the Lord and walk in His ways. Thy wife: a fruitful vine inside the house. Thy sons: olive plants around the table." - Bible, Psalm 128

I got this bottle of California olive oil from my dear Britte for Christmas. The Marsala brand is produced by the Sciabica family since 1936. The color is a bright canary yellow and fully filtered. The taste is a sweet avocado with smooth, no pepper finish. The label does not indicate a born date or expiry date, so it is hard to know its freshness. Interestingly, the label has a recipe for apple pie cake using no butter. Good for the ticker. A fine oil, but I wonder which of Sciabica's oils are a level up in quality. Also, there is no indication about organic status so I assume that it is not. Went to the their website but there is no revelation on the olive varietals either. Would love to know. Look forward to tasting some of the other lines of Sciabica.

PS: On page 203 of Mort Rosenblum's Olives. Getting psyched to try more Tunisian olive oil!
Peace.

Italian olives in California moisturizer?

"Fai mi paure, ti fairai riche."
Make me poor, I'll make you rich.

"Espeio mi, ti vestirai."
Strip me, I'll dress you.

"Grate moun ped, ti graisse toun bec."
Scratch my foot, I'll grease your chin.
-Provencal proverbs; the olive tree is speaking

Visiting Berkeley, California last year I brought back home some moisturizer from the bed & breakfast we were staying at. I recently started to use it  and realized that it contains "extracts of Italian olive oil" to guard against the cold/dry weather. Produced by Baronessa Cali I imagined it was made in Cali-fornia. But no, it is made in the outskirts of Rome by the Mediterranean Sea on the Cali Beauty Farm. Their idea is to make skin products that contain olive oil which contains vitamin A, vitamin B, Beta Carotene and squalene. The color of Oliva Corpo is a creamy white with a fresh floral scent. It also contains arnica montana (antiseptic, astringent, anti-inflammatory, circulation-stimulating and healing properties, promotes new tissue growth) and kelp (stimulating, revitalizing, nourishing and anti-inflammatory properties, reduces moisture loss). 

I have been using it on my face the past few days and it feels good. Normally I don't use any moisturizer but with this winter weather everyone is getting dry, dry, dry.

PS: On page 174 of Rosenblum's Olives, so nice.

T'was the night for giving

"The olive tree is surely the richest gift of Heaven." - Thomas Jefferson

I am on page 148 of Mort Rosenblum's Olives and loving every page. I realize it is all very subjective but I hope to make some sense of his history of olives and determine the current leader of olive production as far as a great mix of quality and passion for the fruit. Mort has a great way of bringing the passion to life.

This Christmas as brought me closer to olives with a number of thoughtful gifts. I received a bottle of California Marsala EVOO which I have already used half a bottle of to make Eggplant Tonnato from Peggy Knickerbocker's cookbook, Olive Oil From Table To Tree. Nice recipe albeit on the very salty side. I need to rinse the anchovies next time! Kirsten made Peggy's Orange Ginger Cake, which was an instant family hit.

I also received a few olive oil bath products from The Body Shop via Santa: Olive Shower Gel, Olive Body Butter, Olive Body Scrub and Olive Glossing Shampoo. So far I have used a few drops of the shower gel in the tub for a nice foaming experience leaving my skin moist in this New York winter dryness.

Finally, I got a gift of an Italian olive tree adoption from Nudo in Le Marche. My tree lives in the Rosalio grove and is 38 years old. The variety is Leccino. This spring I will recieve a few litres of oil followed by infused oil in autumn. To make this gift complete, I would love to go to the fall harvest and meet my tree, water it, and give it a hug! It's great to get a living, breathing gift.

Reading Olives

"...I like them all, but especially the olive. For what it symbolizes, first of all - peace with its leaves and joy with its golden oil." - Aldous Huxley

My friend Kenn lent me the Mort Rosenblum book Olives, The Life and Lore of a Noble Fruit at our holiday party last night. I'm only on page 6 but already in love with it. I am about to get even more connected to olives.

Good times.

Olive oil and cheese

Olive oil can be used as a nice preservative for complimentary foods. But because olive oil should be used at its freshest, the end product should not be stored too long. Olives can also be cured in olive oil to give them a more buttery character instead of a more salt cure process taste. The accompanying picture was taken at the Union Square, Manhattan farmer's market where everything is about being fresh. The label says that the feta is packed in olive oil, not extra virgin or even virgin. This implies that the amount of olive oil may be in question as it can be mixed with other oils as well. The reasoning from the farmer is that extra virgin olive oil would impart to much flavor to the cheese, so using a the mildest olive oil works the best. Sometimes, the olive oil needs to play second fiddle and act as a preserve. The results are stunning!
PS - Olive oil is a natural juice that preserves the taste, aroma, vitamins and other properties of the olive fruit. 

The Miracle that is Olive Oil

Life was in shambles during the first Hanukkah. But then by miracle, olive oil meant to last one day, burned for eight days, the length of time it took to press, prepare and consecrate more fresh olive oil. A process of renewing faith in the aftermath of oppression, and rebuild the ruins of the Temple, restoring oil to their lamps and faith to their hearts. The Bible contains 140 references to Olive Oil and the Koran and Hadith mention the value of Olive Oil several times. The first mention of the olive in the Bible is the olive leaf that the dove returned to Noah, signifying peace and restoration from the devastating flood. Olive oil was used in the holy anointing oil to consecrate priests, and instruments of the sanctuary, and the sick. Olive trees and vineyards are part of the blessings God gave to Israel. Very holy stuff indeed. Some call it liquid gold.

The value of olives have been sacred for some 6000 years. Something that is just pure, simple, communal, and healthy - an elixir of the Gods. Personally, I would like to extend an olive branch to everyone in this season of peace and merriment!