by 3 people |
Fine Italian Olive Oils
In this great job, I get to taste, evaluate, and sell Italy's Finest Olive Oils at Olio2go. We select olive oils from small producers to ensure quality. You really can taste regional differences among olive oils! The olives grown in Liguria (primarily taggiasca) yield a different oil than olive in Sicily (Nocellara de Belice). Great olive oils add wonderful flavors to foods and inspire better cooking!
After the Holidays -- Cook Great Food!
Farro and Polenta
This is a great time of year to enjoy being at home. So much of the country has had impressive weather, that staying home with a good bowl of something warm may be the best thing to do. And, after the constant busy-ness of the holidays, I enjoy the time at home. I've recently refreshed my winter cooking with Farro and Polenta.
With the farro, I pulled together a rich Tuscan soup with beans, tomatoes, sage, and great crusty bread.
For Sunday night's dinner with steaks on the grill, with no shortcuts, it took the full 45 minutes to make a rich, phenomenally creamy polenta. The portobella mushrooms, splashed with Montepulciano D'Abruzzo were spectacular with the polenta (gently stirred with shredded cheese) and steak. The field greens plus arugula came together in a great salad. The olive oil? Tuscan of course: Castellare L'olionovo.
With the farro, I pulled together a rich Tuscan soup with beans, tomatoes, sage, and great crusty bread.
For Sunday night's dinner with steaks on the grill, with no shortcuts, it took the full 45 minutes to make a rich, phenomenally creamy polenta. The portobella mushrooms, splashed with Montepulciano D'Abruzzo were spectacular with the polenta (gently stirred with shredded cheese) and steak. The field greens plus arugula came together in a great salad. The olive oil? Tuscan of course: Castellare L'olionovo.
Olio2go Relaunched, Featuring Wider Selection of Gourmet Italian Food Products
It's easier to find the best olive oils!
A press release announcing the Re-Launch of our site has been issued by PR Newswire. You can see the press release here. here. Sicilian Gold DOP Val di Mazara
I've been cooking with Sicilian Gold DOP Val di Mazara this week. It's added great flavor to Pasta Primavera (angel hair pasta, fresh tomatoes, garlic, black olives, and fresh basil). Also, in roasting a whole chicken, rosemary, lemon, and parsley were tucked inside, while garlic cloves were tucked under the skin--then drizzled with Sicilian Gold and dusted with sea salt and cracked pepper. Lovely!Sicilian Gold DOP Val di Mazara was also a very flavorful selection on a salad of field greens!
A whole new look!
The Wonders of Shopping
Olio2go launched a new site this week! It has the same URL but a great new look. What I love most? It's so easy to search for specific characteristics -- Chianti Classico, Nocellara, monocultivars, etc!
Argiolas from Sardinia
Expected this week!
We've been waiting for this great Sardinian olive oil, and our shipment of Argiolas Iolao will be arriving this week. We've sold out of Altesino!
A fresh shipment!
New Olive Oils from Tuscany, Abruzzo, Marche
Our "shipload" has arrived. Our new olive oils include Castello del Trebbio, Tommaso Masciantonio's Trappeto di Caprafico DOP Colline Teatine , and his Zafferano . We've also received Avignonesi 2007, and San Macario DOP Lucca2007. Fresh updates! And we're back in stock with the incredible, award-winning Olio de la Marchia, Ascolana!The Natalia Ravida's cookbook is selling well along with her Ravida Olive Oil. Castellare's L'Olionovo is very popular among Tuscan travellers. Another Tuscan, Altesino, will be the first 2007 to sell out. We have only 5 bottles remaining!
Recent Read: The Monster of Florence
and the olive estates
I recently read The Monster of Florence ... I picked it up thinking it was a mystery and returned home to find that it is non-fiction about a series of murders throughout Tuscany, in the towns surrounding Florence. It is stunning and scary. The murderer has never been found.OK, so the best part? The geography! The locations of the olive oil estates, such as Castello di Poppiano, whose Laudemio we carry!
Grilled Pizza
It was an Olio Verde Night...
We're big fans of homemade pizza, on a pizza stone in the oven or on the, grill outdoors. Left to right: (1) Basil and Arugula Pesto, sauteed red pepper, Vidalia onion slivers, (2) Sauteed red peppers, sauteed mushrooms and sauteed arugula, (3) Fresh tomato, vidalia onion slivers, topped with arugula, after grilling. Two were grilled and one was baked in the oven. Gianfranco Becchina's Olio Verde was used for every step of the process, from the pesto made the night before, to the sautee pan for the veggies, and even brushed on the pizza dough. Inspiration? Summer Dinner
...on the Porch
It is our first full season with the new porch and Hope and Eric joined us for celebrations to begin the summer.
For appetizers, we sampled a grape must jam (think: Balsamic Vinegar jam) on taleggio cheese with Carrs Cracked Pepper Crackers.
We also had a tasting of three olive oils: Bellini from Marche, Capezzana from Tuscany, and Olio Verde from Sicily. Hope thought that the Olio Verde was spicy, Capezzana was "what extra virgin olive oil should taste like", and also appreciated the characteristics of the Bellini.
For the next level of divine characteristics, we also sampled Villa Cappelli's balsamic vinegar, straight, on teaspoons. Eric characterized is as a fine "shot". And the gasps were fully in appreciation of the balsamic.
Our grilled pizzas were (1) basil, grape tomatoes, and black olives, (2) Spinach and salami, and (3) red peppers and onions.
The wine was a Vernaccia from San Gimignano, and the salad was field greens with Capezzana and Manicardi 12. Rounding out the table: Tuscan Beans, a "Tuscan" Canteloupe (hey, that's what Wegmans' called it), and Trader Joe's Chocolate Ganache!
For appetizers, we sampled a grape must jam (think: Balsamic Vinegar jam) on taleggio cheese with Carrs Cracked Pepper Crackers.
We also had a tasting of three olive oils: Bellini from Marche, Capezzana from Tuscany, and Olio Verde from Sicily. Hope thought that the Olio Verde was spicy, Capezzana was "what extra virgin olive oil should taste like", and also appreciated the characteristics of the Bellini.
For the next level of divine characteristics, we also sampled Villa Cappelli's balsamic vinegar, straight, on teaspoons. Eric characterized is as a fine "shot". And the gasps were fully in appreciation of the balsamic.
Our grilled pizzas were (1) basil, grape tomatoes, and black olives, (2) Spinach and salami, and (3) red peppers and onions.
The wine was a Vernaccia from San Gimignano, and the salad was field greens with Capezzana and Manicardi 12. Rounding out the table: Tuscan Beans, a "Tuscan" Canteloupe (hey, that's what Wegmans' called it), and Trader Joe's Chocolate Ganache!
Popcorn -- You're kidding, right?
A little Capezzana, a little popcorn...
Yesterday's email load included Kirk Leins' Everyday Gourmet issue on Regional Sandwiches. In the issue he had a review of new products he'd tasted ("Quality Junk Food"!) and he mentioned Orville Redenbachers' Natural Popcorn, Salt and Cracked Pepper.
I thought about this all day, and when at home again, I made a batch of popcorn (virgin, no chemicals, no bags) in the microwave, and then drizzled it with a favorite from Olio2go, Tenuta di Capezzana and dusted it with cracked pepper and sea salt. Snacked on the porch, while the neighbor gardened and it was an astounding delight!
You can request Kirk Liens' Everyday Gourmet by sending an email to: egcuisine@gmail.com
I thought about this all day, and when at home again, I made a batch of popcorn (virgin, no chemicals, no bags) in the microwave, and then drizzled it with a favorite from Olio2go, Tenuta di Capezzana and dusted it with cracked pepper and sea salt. Snacked on the porch, while the neighbor gardened and it was an astounding delight!
You can request Kirk Liens' Everyday Gourmet by sending an email to: egcuisine@gmail.com
March Madness
New Olive Oils Arriving!
We're in the midst of receiving new olive oils -- fresh from Italy. Give these a try:
Merlano DOP Tuscia 2007
Muraccio 2007
Olio Verde 2007
Titone 2007
Cassini Classico 2007
San Damiano 2007
Santisi 2007
Pelliccia 2007
Olio Beato 2007
There's another ship coming soon!
Merlano DOP Tuscia 2007
Muraccio 2007
Olio Verde 2007
Titone 2007
Cassini Classico 2007
San Damiano 2007
Santisi 2007
Pelliccia 2007
Olio Beato 2007
There's another ship coming soon!
Post Holiday Greats!
It's time to treat yourself....
I love to see what customers purchase after the Christmas and Hannukkah gifts...There are two kinds of customers right now, the splurge customers and the health-driven customers. The splurge customers are purchasing Samnium, Le Palombe, and the brand new 2007 harvest olive oils: Marfuga L'affiorante, Capezzana, Olio Verde, and Canonica Verde. The health-driven consumers are buying Olio Beato, Frankies 457, and anything else that's organic. A great holiday season!
What better gift than olive oil?
Wow, what a great holiday. We had fun breaking our sales records and offer many thanks to those who love great olive oil and balsamic vinegars. The fresh press Novello and Olio Nuovo were as strong as ever: Olio Verde, Capezzana, and Canonica Verde! The Tuscan Trio was a suprise hit. Customers loved the Frantoio Franci gift selection, and also the Merlano Pestos and Pates were added to many orders. Oh, and I love the cookbooks -- especially the new Seasons of Sicily by Natalia Ravida and Sweet Myrtle & Bitter Honey by Efisio Farris (reviewed TWICE in the New York Times during December 2007!)! In the News
Olio2go ...Liquid Gold
Olio2go was mentioned in today's Myrtle Beach Sun Times and Online edition. See: Liquid gold for details. Read my comments on authenticity!Photo: Titone DOP Valli Trapanesi, Sicily from
Olio2go
What's selling?
Merlano Pestos and Pates with Extra Virgin Olive Oil
The hot seller over the past weekend were the new pestos and pates from the Merlano line at Olio2go. "Red Pesto", Genovese Pesto with Truffles, and Red Pepper & Eggplant Pate flew out the door. You'll find these listed under Ferento. Or search for "merlano". Mario Batali Cooks!
His favorite olive oil is....
Tenuta di Capezzana! This flavorful, zingy, peppery Tuscan Extra Virgin Olive Oil is noted as a personal favorite on page 499 of Molto Italiano. I'm partial to it as well! You can buy it at www.olio2goCapezzana at Olio2go
Frankies takes off!
Frankies 457 DOP from Frankies Spuntino
Frankies 457 DOP Valli Trapanesi has quite a following and fans of the both of the fun restaurants and great Sicilian olive oil are finding their favorite oil among the 60+ artisanal olive oils at Olio2go. Roasted Vegetables and Olive Oil
When all else fails, cook!
Trying to have a family dinner lately is a bit of a challenge, with sports and multiple schedules. It's time to rely on slower cooking for delightful food. Yesterday I had just enough time to prepare a roasting pan of vegetables before running out the door -- onions, carrots, red bell peppers, a couple cloves of garlic. With a drizzle of Olio2go's (http://www.olio2go.com) Merlano Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Canonica Verde's Umbrian Roasting Blend, the gems of the garden were perfectly roasted after an hour at 375F. That's just enough time to do the transportation run for our portion of the field hockey team.
That Darn Euro
We're anticipating price increases soon and my current tasks is to determine our stock needs for the holiday season -- to get the orders in to keep our prices reasonable for our customers. Excel, here we go!
Olive Oil Certifications
Defining authenticity
I've spent some time this week looking at the rules regarding DOP certification as set by the EU. It means that for each certified olive oil the entire process from growing to bottling must take place within the designated region. Furthermore, there are standards for the varietals, acidity, and polyphenols for each region, based on the native varietals. It's all quite interesting.Further investigation is needed for the less-well-defined IGP rating. More on that next time.
Reading Sicily...another Armchair Journey
The Shape of Water
What do you do with a boss who feeds your interest in all things Italian? Wine from Capezzana and a new journey to Sicily. I've read all of the Donna Leon books (set in Venice) and begun a new series of travels to Sicily.
The Shape of Water (Inspector Montalbano, Book 1)
Amazon Price: $10.78 (as of 07/11/2009) 
Armchair Traveling in a Gondola
There's not much Olive Oil in Venice
While I can recommend a wonderful olive oil from the Veneto, Grignano Valpolicella at Olio2go, thinking of Amazon, takes me to Venice and the wonderful mysteries of Donna Leon. I've also just read the fabulous Vivaldi's Virgins. It's highly recommended!
Playing for Pizza
An Unusual Grisham
John Grisham's Playing for Pizza is a great book at "football" in Italy -- and the life of an NFL player transported to Italy and Italian football. It's charming, interesting, and makes you want to buy a plane ticket.
Playing for Pizza
Amazon Price: $7.99 (as of 07/11/2009)
Playing for Pizza
Amazon Price: (as of 07/11/2009)
Playing for Pizza
Amazon Price: (as of 07/11/2009)
Photos from Italy
adding a little Italian Flair
focaccia - is nice
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Comments anyone?
I'd love to read your thoughts on Italy and Italian Olive Oil.
Lensmaster
Chef, John Murgo wrote
I have been cooking for over half my life and have used a lot of Olive Oils in that time; not to long ago I found Sicilian Gold Olive Oil. It is the best Olive Oil I have used in a very longtime. Sicilian Gold is full body Olive Oil with full favor and a rich golden color and a wonderful Olive Oil aroma.
Chef, John Murgo
Posted October 02, 2008
whitedot wrote
Perfect lens. Tons of information with great resources. Useful to all. Thanks for sharing. Please check out Olive Oil an alternative blog providing more information about Olive Oil.
Posted August 24, 2008
Lensmaster
Robert W. Pierce wrote
With the finest oils money can buy, do what I do, hold extra-virgin olive oil tastings in your home with family and friends. Take several small dishes, ramekin dishes are ideal and pour all of your oils into each of them and label them with the region of origin and the olive varietals. Provide sliced apples and some plain, good quality Italian bread and dip into the oils to taste. Heaven! If you like, you can add a smidgeon of salt to the oil for those who aren't having problems with sodium levels. Its fun and it exposes others to the wonderful flavors and benefits of extra-virgin olive oil in their diets.
Posted April 19, 2008
Lensmaster
James Carver wrote
thank you for using my photos from Venice
if you have a Flickr account please message me
Posted February 08, 2008
Piksychick wrote
Olive oil has so many great properties. It's great for almost anything. Nice lens.
Posted February 07, 2008
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by Luanne
Notice the Italian characteristics in the photo. I'm ready to share thoughts on great recipes and great olive oil from Italy!
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