Zurich Award Winners

Dateline Zurich:  12th International Olive Congress Zurich Olive Oil Awards were announced in late April and we are please to announce that we have six of the selections in stock.

The Zurich Awards are very selective, with only five (5) Gold Awards granted. Of the five, two were Italian oils — but other “sibling” selections from producers whose oil we carry at Olio2go.  Those were selections from the producers, Titone and Cetrone.

Zurich granted eight (8) Silver and 16 Awards. We have Silver and Award winners in stock (if we could, we would rename “Awards” as Bronze).

Silver Award Winners:

Frantoi Cutrera Gran Cru Nocellara Etnea

Frantoi Cutrera Gran Cru Nocellara del Belice

“Awards”:

Frantoi Cutrera Primo DOP Monte Iblei Gulfi

Frantoi Cutrera Gran Cru Cerasuola

Frantoi Cutrera Gran Cru Tonda Iblea

Titone Bio DOP Valli Trapanesi

Ravida

All of these selections are from Sicily!

Certainly, Frantoi Cutrera has some magic in winning awards. You will find their oils on may award lists. We recommend the Tasting Set Sampler or the full Connoisseur’s Set.

The full Zurich Awards list can be seen here.

 

Driving In Italy: Two Women on the Road

Image credit: Slow Travel

In the advance of the Olio Capitale fair in Trieste in March, two of us spent the week touring Italy, with hundreds of kilometers added to the car.

From Rome to Campobasso, to Monticchiello (near Montepulciano in Tuscany), to Bologna, to Venice to Trieste, our diesel fill ups totaled euro 150 for an Alfa Romeo that counted as a mid-size vehicle (comparable to the Audi A3).

We rented from Avis and spent 50 Euro extra to have snow chains in the car, a legal requirement if were were to be pulled over. We also obtained International Drivers Licenses. This modern-day Thelma and Louise pair rented a manual transmission car, to save money of course. Like riding a bike, our ability to clutch and shift returned. We had given up manual transmission vehicles many years ago, when an extra hand was needed to tend to small children!

Knowledge of road signs, a decent map, and GPS are recommended, as you will see below.

We brought a Garmin GPS (updated for Italy) and it was worth every penny. On the first day we drove from Rome to a very small town, Cercemaggiore, in the area of Campobasso. There were turns instructed by the GPS that we failed to believe, but were undoubtedly true. In the region of Molise we found many “roads less traveled”. Once we learned to completely trust the GPS, and regained our sense of humor, we enjoyed each and every turn and vista.

We should have refreshed our memories on road signage, because some signs are far different from what we know on roads in North America. Knowledge of road signs, together with GPS is recommended. Please believe us on this one. (See the road signs tutorial on the Slow Travel Web Page).

There was only one place where the GPS caused more trouble than good. In the small mountain town of Mirabello Sannitico, we were on a steep narrow cobblestone road, lined closely by houses, when the road suddenly became one way, in the opposite direction!  Unfortunately, this little detail was not recognized by the GPS, which recommended a hairpin turn down a flight of stairs. And, maybe we should have taken another look at the roadsigns?

A young man noticed our plight (with the attitude that he had seen such foolishness before), and settled into the driver’s seat to back the car up the narrow winding path. We were most grateful to him for rescuing us! He was very kind to the two foolish American women.

Bonus! There’s another very significant way that a GPS beats a map. On our drives through small towns and on the autostrada, our GPS announced an alert in advance before each radar “traffic tutor”.

But don’t forget the map. With a map you can plan ahead. In some medium sized towns and larger cities, you will want to be aware of the ZTL, zones of limited traffic. When making hotel reservations, we asked about these to ensure directions not crossing the the ZTL. Fines for driving in a ZTL without a proper permit can be quite costly! You may wish to Google ZTL and Bologna (or whatever town) to find out if you need to be concerned about a ZTL on your travels. Here’s another good guide to ZTL.

While I love the ease of train travel, the car allowed us freedom to explore places that can’t be reached by train. Plan ahead. Be Fearless. Have Fun.

For more information on Speed Cameras in Italy, read this post.

 

New York International Olive Oil Competition

The premier New York International Olive Oil Competition was a great success with three days of speakers and the culminating awards ceremony for top extra virgin olive oils. Kudos to the folks at Olive Oil Times for their new event.

It is always fun to attend an olive oil event, and we enjoy the casual, in the hallway, meetings for what one can continue to learn about the world of olive oil. The presentations included formal tastings, discussions on price and value, the pride of countries (notably Spain and Italy), international agreements, and olive oil frontiers (olive oil in India).

When the awards were announced, Italy led the pack in the number of total medals!

We currently have several of the award winners, with more enroute across the Atlantic.

In Stock Now (all 2012 Harvest):

Fratelli Colletti, Silver

Ravida, Gold

Cutrera Primo DOP, Gold

DeCarlo, DOP Torre de Mossa 2012, Best of Class

Titone DOP Valli Trapanesi, Gold

Albereto, Badia a Coltibuono, Silver

Crudo, Gold Medal

Available Soon!

Quattrociocchi Olivastro, Gold (2012 coming soon)

Franci, Toscano IGP, Best of Class (2012 coming soon)

Franci, Villa Magra, Best of Class (2012 coming soon)

Franci, Olivastra Seggianese, Gold (2012 coming soon)

Olio Librandi, Monocultivar, Carolea, Organic, Gold

Luna Vera, Sardinia, Gold

The full list of awards can be seen here.

 

Spring Inspiration: Agrumato Lemon & Herbs

Fabulous food blogger Adri Barr Crocetti took Agrumato Lemon & Herbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil for a test drive.

“…because the olives are pressed simultaneously with the lemons the oil exhibits a remarkable harmony of flavor…”

She packs recipe ideas into her post…with snacking ideas and a marvelous Fresh Mushroom and Herb Salad. If you are wondering about the Nepitella as we were, AllThingsTuscan has a post as well.

Click here for the blog post and recipes.

Nepitella seeds can be purchased here.

 

Award Winners: Los Angeles International Olive Oil Competition 2013

Los Angeles Olive Oil Award Winners ~ Currently in Stock!

Each year the LA Awards are among the most exciting. They have just announced the Northern Hemisphere Awards and we currently have seven selections in stock (with more coming soon).

These producers are also to be praised for their year-over-year quality. A win-place-or-show is no fluke. Their medals and ribbons are truly a testament to their traditions of excellence.

Available Now!

Gold

VILLA ZOTTOPERA GOLD MEDAL Medium, Organic, Chiramonte Gulfi 2013

PLANETA DOP, GOLD MEDAL Robust, Val di Mazara DOP

 

Silver

FRANTOI CUTRERA Primo DOP, SILVER MEDAL Robust, Tonda Iblea, Monti Iblei DOP 2012

OLIO VERDE, SILVER MEDAL Robust, Nocellara del Belice, Sicily

Bronze

FONTE DI FOIANO, BRONZE MEDAL Medium, Moraiolo, Tuscany 2013

FRESCOBALDI LAUDEMIO, BRONZE MEDAL Medium, Tuscany

TITONE BRONZE MEDAL Medium, Sicily

 

Available Soon!

FATTORIA RAMERINO Robust, Primus, Guadagnolo 2013

BEST OF SHOW – INTERNATIONAL – Robust, BEST OF CLASS, GOLD MEDAL

 

FATTORIA RAMERINO, SILVER MEDAL Medium, Dulcis, Guadagnolo 2013

CRUDO , SILVER MEDAL Medium, Ogliarola, Puglia

OLIO LIBRANDI, SILVER MEDAL Medium, Nocellara Del Belice, Organic, Calabria 2013

The full list of awards can be seen here.

 

Updates: 2013 Olive Oil Awards in Italy

This week we received updates on the competitions, Ercole Olivario XXI 2013 and Biol 2013.

Marfuga has informed us that their olive oil was noted as the best extra-virgin Italian olive oil in the Ercole Olivario 2013 competition. Many congratulations to all!

Among our current list of olive oils and producers, these producers received recognition at Ercole Olivario 2013.

Franci Toscano IGP

Franci, Villa Magra (coming soon)

Cutrera Primo DOP

Marfuga (we carry Marfuga L’affiorante)

The remarkable oils at BIOL 2013 are:

LABEL, COMPANY, REGION, COUNTRY, MENTION, EXCELLENCE, In Stock status?

• Librandi Monocultivar Nocellara Del Belice, Azienda Agricola Librandi Pasquale, Calabria, Italia, GOLD, EXTRAGOLD, Coming Soon to Olio2go
• Quattrociocchi Olivastro Itrana Etichetta Nera, Azienda Agricola Americo Quattrociocchi, Lazio, Italia, GOLD, EXTRAGOLD, 2011 in stock, 2012 coming soon
• Primo Bio, Frantoi Cutrera Di Cutrera G.&C. Snc, Sicilia, Italia, GOLD, EXTRAGOLD, Primo DOP in stock
• Titone DOP Valli Trapanesi, Azienda Agricola Biologica Titone, Sicilia, Italia, GOLD, EXTRAGOLD, In stock now
• Centonze, Azienda Agricola Antonino Centonze, Sicilia, Italia, GOLD, Coming Soon
• Gudagnolo Primus, Fattoria Ramerino di Filippo Alampi, Toscana, Italia, GOLD, Coming Soon
• 46 Parallelo Biologico, Agraria Riva Del Garda, Trentino Alto Adige, Italia, GOLD, We have Uliva and 1111 from Agr. Riva del Garda
• Argento, La Poderina Toscana, Toscana, Italia, SILVER,  Argento is available
• Affiorante, Azienda Agraria Marfuga, Umbria, Italia, SILVER, In Stock Now

This is an update to our earlier post on the 2013 olive oil competitions, which can be seen here.

 

The First Extra Virgin Olive Oil Award Winners

(updated March 26, 2013)

The first of the new harvest’s award winners have been announced. These olive oil competitions are very important in the world of top quality olive oil, as they recognize the year’s worth effort and care. In this blog post, we will take a look at the announcements from Olio Capitale, SOL d’Oro, and Marco Oreggia’s Flos Olei 2013.

Olio Capitale was held in Trieste in early March, and among the awards, there are a number of olive oils that are well known to us. (For some of the oils listed below, we are still awaiting the 2012 selections).

Olio Capitale Awards

Finalists/Medio Intenso
Cetrone Intenso
Franci Toscano IGP

Finalist/Fruttato Intenso
Fattoria di Monti Razzo 2012
DeCarlo, DOP Torre de Mossa 2012

Semi Finalist/Medio Intenso
Quattrociocchi Olivastro
Semi Finalist/Fruttato Intenso
Fonte di Foiano, Gran Cru 2012
Cutrera Primo DOP 2012
Fattoria Ramerino (coming soon)

SOL d’Oro will be held in Verona in April, and they have already released their 2013 winners, named by producer.

Organic
Riva del Garda, Silver – We have Uliva DOP Garda-Trentino.
Titone Bio DOP Valli Trapanese, Bronze

Special Mention
Olio Librandi (coming soon)
DeCarlo, DOP Torre de Mossa 2012
Centonze (coming soon)

Fruttato Intenso
Villa Magra, Franci, Gold
Madonna dell’Olivo, Raro, Bronze

Special Mention
Cutrera Primo DOP

Medio Fruttato
Bronze, DeCarlo, Terre del Mosso DOP
Monovarietale
Gold, Cetrone Intenso

Flos Olei 2013

The 2013 Flos Olei, published early in the harvest year, is the well regarded Marco Oreggia review of olive oils. In general, Flos Olei 2013 awarded the 2011 selections. It is seen by many as a watchdog of consistent quality in the industry with the idea that the producers provide consistently exceptional olive oils from year to year.

The Best Extra Virgin Olive Oil in the World, DeCarlo Torre di Mossa DOP

The Best Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Organic Farming, Quattrociocchi

The Best Extra Virgin Olive Oil Monovarietal – Intense Fruity, Cetrone – Intenso

The Best Extra Virgin Olive Oil Blended – Intense Fruity, Madonna dell’Olivo Raro Denocciolato

 

Olio Capitale 2013, Trieste, Italy

Having consumed inordinate amounts of olive oil,  it is time to reflect on Olio Capitale.

When planning the trip, Trieste seemed to be at an awkwardly distant location for a major fair.  If you are planning a trip to Italy, the best way to describe Trieste’s location is 2 hours past Venice!

Stunningly gorgeous, perhaps more Eastern European than Italian, Trieste is a gem, and we would not have ever found this wonderful city without Olio Capitale.

Olio Capitale is a conference and “fair” or trade show devoted to olive oil.  With few exceptions every booth featured Italian olive oil. The producers ranged in size from 650 liters to hundreds of thousands of liters. The beautiful setting was a building on a pier in the harbor of Trieste. From the outdoor pathways we could see snow capped Alps through the haze.

Two floors were devoted to olive oils booths, a kitchen stage, and gathering places, including an oil bar where all could be tasted (without the polite judgments one makes in front of the producers).

It is always good to meet old friends and is certainly felt that way to meet Americo Quattrociocchi. We are big fans of his bold Olivastro, noted his new award for Best Organic Mill,  and began plans to add his rich and flavorful jams to our line.

We also met Nino Centoze from Sicily after having received many emails from him. We think his oil and packaging are outstanding. Look for it soon.

Onto the new trends: the square bottle, like that of Olio Verde. Several producers have one, including Centonze. Another new bottle is the silver bullet, stainless steel bottle (suggested to be sold with one liter tins). For the first time, we saw a deep purple bottle (rather than dark green), as effective against the light waves as dark green. That holds a Sardinian oil we enjoyed.

As always there were discussions on competitors’ bottles, in the most polite way, of course. They noted the clear bottles (use it quickly) and even the light green of Laudemio glass (with general agreement to keep it in the box). I discovered one producer sampling with bottles of 2011 oil and departed that booth rather quickly!

Our next post will take a look at the event’s award winners!

 

What’s Your Favorite Olive Oil?

 

As we introduce each of our our Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oils, there are two questions we answer most often:

(1)     What is your favorite olive oil?

That’s something akin to which is your favorite child! I may have a new favorite on any day of the week, but most often, I have 2-3 to select from in my home kitchen (compared to 10-15 in the office kitchen). Some pairings work better or while others work best. Something luscious and fruity for an antipasto platter? Something peppery for a steak? Elements of spiciness on simple beans?

Today’s answers: Capezzana from Tuscany, Fonte di Foiano (Tuscany), Raro (Campania).

Tomorrow’s answers: Cutrera’s Primo DOP (Sicily), La Poderina Toscana DOP (Tuscany), Colli Etruschi (Lazio).

Next week is wide open — there are so many to choose from!

(2)     The other question is… “you don’t use these for cooking, do you?”

In all honesty, I do. The first several inches of any bottle are used for the best, freshest presentations, but when I get down to the last inch, I’m eager to move onto the next bottle. So the precious-but-little oil goes by the tablespoon onto roasted vegetables, in pizza dough, on focaccia, and even in a quick sauté of vegetables (like sautéed shredded Brussels Sprouts!)

With the right tools and the best ingredients, cooking is more fun and eating is very satisfying and great meals inspire the next meals!

 

The Zone Diet and the Search for Hydroxytyrosol

This book references the olive oils at Olio2go

We receive many requests for olive oils with notable levels of hydroxytyrosol as indicated by the peppery flavors.

Many of these requests come to us from readers of Dr. Barry Sears’ book, The Anti-Inflammation Zone. (Olio2go is mentioned on page 92). Those readers and other Zone Diet followers have been looking for top olive oils for their diets.

As such, they have been on a quest for olive oils with high levels of hydroxytyrosol. As there is no standard test for hydroxytyrosol, the best indicator is the polyphenol level.

Several Olio2go selections have been popular choices. We have included polyphenol levels or indicators in the descriptions for the following extra virgin olive oils to help Zone Diet followers make their selections:

Principe di Mascio DOP Colli Assisi Spoleto (2011, 510 mg/kg)

Marfuga L’affiorante (2012, 534 mg/kg)

Fattoria di Monti Extra Virgin Olive Oil (2012, 722 mg/kg)

Fattoria di Monti RAZZO Extra Virgin Olive Oil (2012, 751 mg/kg)

Villa Magra Gran Cru (544)

Olio Beato Organic (level not stated, but a very popular selection)

 

Extra Virginity: The Crushing Truth

Tom Mueller’s Extra Virginity

Much has been said and written about Tom Mueller’s book, Extra Virginity: The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil, since it was published in late 2011. (You can see it on our Recommendations page).

We appreciated the minutiae and the revealing details in the quest for authentic extra virgin olive oil. We closely read the snippets and stories of olive oil production in Italy, Spain, Australia, and California.

Mueller’s book includes facets of the industry that are very important to us. Sift through and you will find production costs (up to $800 per ton for picking and milling in California), tree to mill timing, and impossibly low prices in restaurant supply chains.

We were thrilled to see the recognition for Villa Magra Gran Cru on the early pages, and we continue to be certain of our mission to import estate bottled olive oils for our customers.

While the farm-to-table route may be a bit long, our goal is to deliver authenticity, excellence, and character straight to your kitchen just as it departed the frantoio in Italy. Some of our producers are so small that they don’t produce enough to put a case in every WF (~ 3oo stores ~ guess!) store across the country. More laughable would be the idea their oils could be stocked in a big box club store.

Through the book, Mueller also reveals the delivery of a tainted bulk bladder of olive oil, described as like a small green whale, which picked up elements of contamination enroute. It took its journey via shipping container which had previously been treated with pesticides. The flexible bladder absorbed the pesticides, and while detected in time, the end result is a lawsuit. That’s why we continue to import oil in glass bottles. While the weight contributes to the cost, the integrity of the product is maintained.

One of the biggest trends in olive oil sales in the U.S. are the bulk oil stores. Our extra virgin olive oil is sold like wine, based on the authenticity, estate, region, terroir, cultivars, and food pairings. The more layers or pathways between tree and table, the greater possibility of deception. Bottles, sealed, labeled, numbered, and leaving the estate just as they arrive to you, carries forth our mission to provide authentic Italian extra virgin olive oil.

So, which Italian extra virgin olive oils does Mueller recommend? Here’s his list. You can find a selection of them on our site. Scroll down to selected brands by nation, Italy:

You can find the following at Olio2go right now (with a few coming soon!): Tenuta Pennita (Alina), Colli Etruschi (more coming soon), Fontansalsa (Gemini), Fattoria di Monti (Monti and Razzo) Titone, Villa Zottopera (Rosso), DeCarlo of Puglia (noted in an early chapter of Extravirginity!), Cetrone, Quattrociocchi, Marina Colonna, Crudo,  Frescobaldi Laudemio, and the collection of oils from Frantoio Franci.

Let us know what you think!

[updated 1 January 2013]

 

The Tucci Family Cookbook

Over a hundred years ago, my Tucci ancestors emigrated from Campobasso. Syracuse is the first point of residence that I remember and a branch settled in Cortland by the early 20^th Century. We still think of Cortland as the home to our branch of the Tuccis.

Several years ago, we had the opportunity to meet Stanley Tucci’s sister, Christine – on Christmas, no less. It seems that if we search long enough we could find a common point between our Tuccis in Campobasso and theirs in Calabria.

Just this week, while reading Vincent Scordo’s Blog, we realized that Stanley Tucci’s The Tucci Cookbook, was something that would be great fun to have, hold, and display at home. (We have a copy in the store, if you would like to see it). As soon as Olio2go’s holiday rush subsides, I plan to savor each page as I look through for recipes common to our families’ heritage.  

I may be responsible for a blip in the book’s sales as I purchased several copies for gifts for Christmas 2012.

 

Shipping News: Storms in Italy and US Disrupt Olive Oil Harvest and Transport

As the world knows, the Eastern Seaboard of the U.S. was hit by a destructive storm named Sandy during the last days of October. It was a significant concern for us, first for our own office, store, and warehouse, and also for our colleagues who have warehouses in the path of destruction in New Jersey.

The storm caused tidal waves of concern for importers.  Fantastic holiday goodies, such as panettone, were just reaching our shores.

At Olio2go, we had an import of Novello crossing the ocean, destined for the then-closed Port of New York and New Jersey. While the situation is abating, we are currently awaiting the customs clearance of our weather-delayed new olive oils so that we can deliver this Novello extra virgin olive oil to your doorsteps and holiday tables.

And, this week, as many businesses were getting back to normal, we were informed of a very destructive storm in Europe.  A very high Aqua Alta imposed itself on Venice, while the stors lashed through Tuscany leaving four dead in its wake. Our producers in Tuscany have found it difficult to harvest and mill this week. And quick decisions have been made regarding the timing of the next import. This article from the UK’s Daily Mail Online includes several photos of the destruction, all the way to Rome!

We continue on our mission to bring you the best in Italian olive oil, but wanted to share with you how weather events, both here and there, impact both the production and importing of these fantastic artisanal extra virgin olive oils.

Photo Source: Gazzetta del Sud Online. Accompanying story can be read here.

 

Food Tourists in Tuscany

There it was! In Florence, Learning the Secrets of Tuscan Food

I’ll admit, the photo of bottle of traditional balsamic vinegar (from the Modena consortium)** is what first caught my eye when I grabbed the Travel section of The Washington Post on Sunday, November 4, 2012. It called out to me, to cast everything aside, to delve into this view of food as Italian art for the senses.

Our favorite paragraph centers on tradizionale balsamico…

“She explains that traditional balsamic vinegar, not to be confused with what we Americans put on our salads, contains no wine vinegar; it’s a complicated syrup aged for at least 12 years in small barrels and verified by a European consortium. A small bottle of the luxury dressing costs between about $85 and $200 — or more — depending on how long it has been aged, and Florentines pour it over everything from steak to gelato. In addition to tasting the expensive traditional variety, we sip a plethora of more affordable hybrid balsamics and ponder their subtle undertones.”

At Olio2go we have authentic consortia-approved Aceto Balsamic Tradizionale di Modena selections as well as excellent younger selections, such as the notable Campagnia del Montale Anniversary Special Edition.

If, after reading the Washington Post piece, you’d like to know more about the other markets in Florence, Sant’Ambrogio prvides another look at the foods of Florence.

Any stroll through the cobblestone streets of Centro Storico in Florence will result in glorious surprises as you gain a enlightened appreciation for the food culture of Italy. Mercato Centrale has evolved over the years, and while still Mecca for food lovers, some choose to venture to the Sant’Ambrogio market on the eastern portion of the historic area to ship where the locals outnumber the tourists.

 For more even more fun reading on great Italian food, take a look at this piece on our sister store, Piazza Italian Market, in Easton, Maryland.

 

**This photo isn’t show in the online edition, but this is a bottle from the Modena Consortium.

 

 

Harvest time in Sicily

Olive Harvesting in Sicily

The olive harvest is underway and visits were made to Planeta, Ravida and Gianfranco Becchina’s estate this week. The Becchina estate in Castelvetrano is the home of Olio Verde and Olio Verde al Limone. The Planeta estate is in Menfi, as is the Ravida estate.

Take a look at this photo of the workers picking the olives at Planeta’s grove, a tradition that dates back centuries.

 

Forbes: Best Restaurant in Italy?

Don’t miss this Forbes article on Chef Massimo Bottura and his new restaurant in Modena, The Best Restaurant in Italy or the Best Restaurant in the World. If you haven’t time to plan a trip or are unable to get those coveted reservations, you can still enjoy his artisanal work at home. Taste a masterpiece with a selection from his astounding range of Villa Manodori Balsamic Vinegars and Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Villa Manodori Artigianale Balsamic Vinegar

Villa Manodori Dark Cherry Balsamic Vinegar

Villa Manodori Organic Balsamic Vinegar

Villa Manodori Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Go ahead, read the Forbes article and then visit Olio2go for Chef Massimo Bottura’s sublime selections.

Order online. If you are in the Washington DC area, stop by our store on Hilltop in the Merrifield area of Fairfax.

 

Anchovies Anyone?

Vincent Scordo, from the notable Scordo.com, recently posted a fabulous recipe, Ciabatta Roll with Tomato, Basil, Santisi Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and Fillets of Anchovies. He’s a big fan of Santisi – and we appreciate his recipe. Santisi hails from northeastern Sicily in the province of Messina, and it is well matched to the BIG flavor of this sandwich. Take a look at Scordo’s site to see the beer that he matched with this sandwich!

 

A Grand Opening Event with Domenica Marchetti

A New Look at Olio2go

We were so lucky to host Domenica Marchetti in the new Olio2go store last evening. Our customers enjoyed speaking with her about pasta making (techniques for gnocchi) and their favorite recipes from her cookbooks: The Glorious Pasta of Italy, Big Night In, and Glorious Soups and Stews. We learned that her favorite region is Abruzzo, and it is just a joy to discuss all things related to food and Italy with her. Be sure to take a look at her blog, where you will also see our recent interview on olive oil.

Our guests were treated to two recipes from Glorious Pasta, and they rounded out their tastings with samples of Italian extra virgin olive oils and balsamic vinegars. Big hits? Rosso from Villa Zottopera, Pamela Sheldon Johns’ Pace da Poggio Etrusco, and the Anniversary Balsamic from Compania del Montale.

 

Perfect Pizza, Authentically Italian

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Whether you call it, late summer or early fall, this season is the ideal time for an evening of pizza.  Our test kitchen selections were crafted with Crudo Extra Virgin Olive Oil and we substituted Franca Franzoni Chestnut Honeyfor the “standard” wildflower honey in the recipe. The chestnut honey added a delightful, subtle nuttiness to the crust.

With this pizza dough recipe, you can make the dough in the morning, and return home in the evening ready to bake crispy and flavorful pizzas.

The two accompanying photos show our two sets of toppings:

Pizza 1: Roasted Tomatoes, Roasted Red Peppers, and Roasted Garlic,Shredded cheese, mostly mozzarella, topped with Arugula immediately after being removed from the oven
Pizza 2: Calabrese Salami, Black Olives, Tomatoes, Shredded cheese, mostly mozzarella

Shortcuts:
Il Boschetto Bruschetta Extra Virgin Olive Oil
De Carlo Sun Kissed Tomatoes
Trentasette Black Olive Spread

Use the linked Pizza Dough Recipe for guidance on baking time.

 

Watch this Space!

We are planning many special events to kick off our Grand Opening of the new Olio2go store in Fairfax, Virginia. Take a first look at our front door, with these gorgeous pots of Lantana to welcome you.

Our Grand Opening Special Events will fill the month of September. Plan to join us for a visit and booksigning by a noted chef and author, an evening with wine and appetizers, days with delightful salads.

 

Olive Oil Q & A

Olio Verde Olives

Our customer “Wayne in Connecticut” has sent us a few excellent questions about olive oil production. We’re happy to share them with you.

Q. Is olive oil pressed from just the green unripened olives, the black ripened ones, or both?   If both, there must be a distinct general difference between the taste of “green olive oil” and ripened olives.

The highest quality olive oils are pressed when the green olives just begin to change color. This yields an oil full of flavor and possessing the best attributes. As olives continue to develop and ripen, they yield more oil, but that oil possesses a higher acidity level. It is very expensive to produce a high quality oil. There are some productions that yield only a liter or two per tree.

If you are mixing an oil having a very low acidity, with an oil with a significantly higher acidity level, you will end up with an “average” oil. Oils pressed from riper olives also seem to degrade or lose their characteristics at a faster clip.

Q. I notice in your descriptions of the oils, their flavor is usually a reference to a particular taste… say “green grass”, some fruit, peppery, etc.   Is this a product of aging the olive oil with flavorings or just the natural flavor of the individual brand of olives grown?  I assume olive oil is aged–maybe it isn’t?— just pressed & bottled instead?

The grassy, fruity, peppery characteristics are due primarily to the olive cultivars. The oils from Sicily (predominantly Nocellara, Biancollila, and Cerasuola cultivars) tend to be grassy, and the cultivars are different from the more pungent oils from Tuscany (predominantly Frantoio and Leccino). For top quality extra virgin olive oils those lovely distinctions are directly due to the cultivars grown and the skill of the grower.

The Novello oil (first of the season) is freshly bottled by those producers who believe in selling new oil. Not all believe this is the right thing to do!  By tradition, some producers prefer to let their oil settle or decant for a few weeks before bottling. Those producers store oil in stainless steel tanks with great care to preserve the freshness.  Aging is not a good thing.

 

A Benefit for the Arts – with Olive Oil

In celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the McLean Project for the Arts, Olio2go participated in “The Art of Italian Olive Oil”, a private olive oil tasting and luncheon in the MPA galley.  We enjoyed a tasting of four olives oils and two tapenade selections, the true magic was found in RSVP Catering’s pairing of the oils (and Vincotto Fig Vinegar) with their recipes. One very lucky guest received the Cutrera Gran Cru Tasting Set

– the door prize!

Santa Chiara Extra Virgin Olive Oil 2011

Principe di Mascio DOP Colli Assisi – Spoleto 2011

Gerbino Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil 2011

Pelliccia Estate Bottled Extra Virgin Olive Oil 2011

Vincotto Fig Vinegar

Maida Pomodori Secchi Crema Sundried Tomato Spread

Maida Olive al Cacao Pate

Orders noted with MPA and received by midnight on July 16, 2012 will be counted toward Olio2go’s donation to MPA.

 

Acquired Tastes?

I don’t know if my children read this blog. If they do, I will soon be in trouble. But sometimes I’m just a kid and I like to see what I can get away with. As a mother in the food business, it can be fun to expand the offerings at home.

Now these are children who at age one ate spicy salsa in Southern California, at age 8 ate rabbit and boar in Tuscany, and at age 10 at mussels in Galway, Ireland. Sometimes, if they haven’t been told what they are eating, they are more….adventurous.

The foods of Southern Italy seem to be perfect matched to hot summer nights. Just recently we had an easy dinner of pasta with Villa Cappelli Spaghettata (from Puglia) to spice things up. If I had offered them anchovies, I’m sure the answer would have been far from affirmative. So, when I was alone in the kitchen, I tossed a teaspoonful of Colatura di Alici (from Campania) into the sauce. The Vicidomini Spaghetti Chitarra (also Campania) was the pasta of the night. All were combined and the dish was rapidly consumed.

There was something more….interesting….about the dish when served with Colatura di Alici. It brought out food magic with umami. Highly recommended.

 

The Whole Wide World of Food

In our ongoing mission to provide the best in Italian extra virgin olive oil and specialty foods, there’s one event that is the highlight of each summer: the Fancy Food Show.

Usually hosted in New York City, the show decamped to DC for the second and final year. With the completion of the refurbishment of the Javits Center, the show will return to its home next year. Not that NYC is a hardship, but we’ve been fortunate to have the show in our own backyard at the Washington DC Convention Center.

The Italian Trade Commission anchors a large pavilion for producers from Italy, complete with a corps of translators. This year’s pavilion was crowded with producers from Sicily–with smaller numbers from other regions. We are on a quest for products from further afield. We are seeking products from Veneto, Molise, Calabria, and Basilicata to fill a few gaps.

As always, the highlight was meeting with vendors who have become friends and compatriots in the world of food. We’re thrilled that our best selling balsamic vinegar, Villa Manodori Artigianale, won a Gold SOFI award in the classic category. A terrific and well deserved award.

As a result of our meetings at the show, our shelves will soon carry gems such as spicy jarred olives, Morello cherries, a spicy red pepper spread, and more herb blends. We’ve found a delightful bergamot infused oil from Molise, and a new selection, Itrans, the sibling olive oil to the sold out Raro, from Madonna del Olivo in Campania. To wrap it all together, there’s a new section of exquisite cotton and linen damask dish towels, tablecloths, and aprons — in designs featuring wheat, grapes, and even olives. We will announce each arrival through our emails, so be sure you are on the email list! (Sign up here).

Photos: The Italy Pavillion, The Gold Sofi Award for Villa Manodori, and Luanne with Kevin from Manicaretti at the Manicaretti Booth.

 

Pasta Bloggers United?

Spinach Fettucine from Scordo.com

Two of our favorite food bloggers recently wrote about their delicious creations using Pastificio Vicidomini’s Semolina Flour. Even better, CiaoChowLinda used a recipe from our favorite cookbook, Domenica Marchetti’s Glorious Pasta of Italy.

Scordo made the most glorious spinach pasta!

CiaoChowLinda made Semolina Dumpling Soup. Is there a rainy day coming up?

 

 

A Curated Collection: Olive Oil Award Winners

Imagine that you spent your lifetime tending the family’s groves… toiling to prune, worrying about the weather, keeping pests at bay, and in the end, each and every year, producing an olive oil that met the high standards of the family and the regional consortia. At some point wouldn’t you want to know if your oil could compete with the best across Italy or throughout the world?

Of course you would.

So, you enter your magnificent oil in one of the top competitions, in Zurich, Los Angeles, Verona, Perugia or Trieste. And, if all goes well, years of toil will be rewarded.

All will be even better if there’s a way to reach consumers of great olive oil—the wonderful consumers, reading this, who enjoy the best in the world of olive oil.

Over the years we’ve built relationships with these top producers and with other importers. We’ve carefully selected oils that represent the best of Italian extra virgin olive oils. We have a wide range of “winners” in stock right now. (There’s no other retailer in the U.S. with as large a selection of Italian extra virgin olive oil award winners!)

Fresh Award Winners, Currently in stock:

Titone Biologica DOP Valli Trapanesi

Alina, La Pennita in Brisighella

Crudo Extra Virgin, Schiralli

Monti, Giovanni Querci, Fattoria di Monti

Cutrera Primo DOP Monti Iblei Gulfi

DeCarlo Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Planeta DOP Val di Mazara

Marfuga L’affiorante

Principe di Mascio DOP Colli Assisi – Spoleto

Agrumato Lemon Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Fratelli Colletti Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Colli Etruschi Extra Virgin Olive Oil

We will be modifying this list as soon as additional award winners arrive in our warehouse. As soon as they are in the warehouse, links will be added.

Olio Capitale, Trieste, March 2012

Winner – Medium Intensity Titone Biologica – DOP Valli Trapanesi
Semi-Finalist Olivastro, Quattrociocchi, Itrana Monocultivar, Fruttato Medio
Semi-Finalist Cetrone Intenso, Az. Agr. Alfredo Cetrone

SOL at Vinitaly, Verona, March 2012

Gran Menzione (Medio): Cetrone Intenso from Azienda Agricola Cetrone Alfredo

Gran Menzione (Medio): Frantoio Franci, Le Trebbiane

Gran Menzione (Intenso)

Azienda Madonna dell’Olivo – Raro – Sold out!

Gran Manzione (Intenso): Azienda Agricola Mandranova, coming soon

Gran Manzione (Intenso): Olivastro, Az. Agr. Quattrociocchi

Gran Manzione (Intenso): Rosso, Az. Villa Zottopera

Gambero Rosso presented at Vinitaly, March 2012 (Verona)

“Tre foglie d’oro 2012”

Raro – Madonna dell’Olivo , Campania, SOLD OUT

Selezione Alina Monocultivar Nostrana di Brisighella – Tenuta Pennita, Emilia Romagna

Cetrone Intenso, Monocultivar Itrana – Alfredo Cetrone, Lazio

Olivastro Monocultivar Itrana Bio – Americo Quattrociocchi, Lazio

Crudo Monocultivar Ogliarola – Schiralli, Puglia

Planeta DOP Val di Mazara, Sicily

Titone Biologica DOP Valli Trapanesi, Sicily

Gran Cru Monocultivar Nocellara Etnea – Frantoi Cutrera – Chiaramonte Gulfi (Rg), Sicily, coming soon

Rosso – Villa Zottopera – Chiaramonte Gulfi (Rg), Sicily

Monti – Giovanni Querci Fattoria di Monti, Tuscany

Villa Magra Gran Cru – Frantoio Franci, Tuscany

Marfuga L’Affiorante Monocultivar Moraiolo, Umbria

Principe di Mascio DOP Colli Assisi Spoleto, Umbria

Ercole Olivario, Perugia, March 2012

Alfredo Cetrone di Sonnino, Lazio, 2^nd Place, Intensely Fruity

Primo DOP Monti Iblei – Gulfi, 2^nd Place, DOP Intensely Fruity

Los Angeles International Olive Oil Competition, April 2012

Agrumato Lemon – Silver, Delicate

Crudo Extra Virgin Olive Oil - Gold Medal

Cutrera Primo DOP – Best of Class, Gold Medal

Fratelli Colletti – Silver Medal

Olio Verde – Silver Medal, Robust, Nocellara del Belice

Planeta DOP – Silver, Robust

Titone Biologica DOP – Gold Medal, Medio Fruttato

Rosso, Villa Zottopera – Gold Medal

Zurich – International Olive Oil Award

Titone Biologica DOP Valli Trapanesi

Cutrera Primo DOP

Slow Food

Colli Etruschi Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Lazio

Titone Biologica DOP Valli Trapanesi, Sicily

Olio Slow:

Tenuta Pennita – Monte Poggiolo Selezione Alina, Emilia Romagna

Olivastro Biologica, Americo Quattrociocchi, Lazio

GRANDE OLIO:

Frantoio Franci – Villa Magra Grand Cru, Tuscany

Marfuga – L’Affiorante, Umbria

Alfredo Cetrone – Cetrone Intenso, Lazio

Madonna dell’Olivo – Raro, Campania – SOLD OUT

…. all at www.olio2go.com !

 

Cappuccino’s Pasta Salad

Some time ago, there was a small café in Newport, RI, called Cappuccino’s. It seemed that I enjoyed their pasta salad for days on end and eventually deconstructed it to develop a similar recipe. This has become a summertime favorite in my family. We’ve already made it twice this spring.

Cappuccino’s signature pasta was a curvy twist. My preference is Ruote (also known as Wagon Wheels). Another favorite is Festoni.  In a pinch, I’ll select Penne e Ziti Rigati or even Gnocchi Sardi.

As recipes go, this one lacking in specifics. A little more or a little less of each ingredient will be fine! You’ll be busy chopping so this is a great recipe when you have an extra pair of helping hands. My daughters are a big help for this recipe!

You’ll need to have a very large pasta bowl for this abundance of goodness!

1 package of Vicidomini Ruote Pasta, 500 grams

½ C + Sicilian Extra Virgin Olive Oil, such as Titone DOP Biologica, Gerbino, or Santisi

½ – ¾ C DeCarlo Sun Kissed Tomatoes, or sliced sun dried tomatoes

1-2 C fresh broccoli flowerettes, microwaved for 2 minutes to bright green, with a nice bite

1 Red, Yellow, or Orange Bell Pepper, diced

½ C chopped olives, try Crudo Tremeti or your favorites

1 C cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

½ C celery, chopped

2 scallions/green onions, chopped

½ – ¾ C canned garbanzo beans, drained

6 slices cooked bacon (or pancetta!), crumbled

¼ C basil leaves, slivered

1-2 fresh lemons, juiced (to taste)

Ravida Sea Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Other seasonings to taste

*Good Quality Mayo

Fill an 8-Qt pot with water and heat to boiling. Begin chopping vegetables! Add pasta. While pasta is cooking, microwave the broccoli and cook the bacon.  If you are really fast you can get all of the chopping done before the pasta has cooked.  Drain the pasta while still al dente and rinse to cool the pasta.

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients. Add more olive oil as needed. If you like your salad to be a bit creamy, stir in mayo. Chill before serving.

 

Live the Good Life in Tuscany

Are you dreaming of Tuscany? We can help with our step by step guide:

1. Order a Tuscan extra virgin olive oil from Olio2go. This week, we’re recommending Pace da Poggio Etrusco from the estate of Pamela Sheldon Johns. We found this post on making olive oil (Pace da Poggio Etrusco!) on one of our favorite blogs, Elizabeth Minchillini in Rome. Take a look at this fabulous verdant green oil. This is the oil in the stainless steel tin available at Olio2go. (Recently when I didn’t have any Sicilian oil at home, I used Pace da Poggio Etrusco for the Lemon, Olive Oil and Almond Biscotti with great results!

2. For added inspiration, add a cookbook, such as Pamela’s newest tome: Cucina Povera.

3. Add 50 Great Pasta Sauces and 50 Great Appetizers to your cart. Check out. (If you buy all four items, we’ll mark your order for free shipping. Use our web form to send a note and we will adjust the pricing before shipping your order. Quantites are limited. Orders must be placed by April 25th at midnight).  

4. Recieve your order, cook a meal, and fall in love.

5. Plan a visit to Pamela’s estate in Tuscany and take one of her tours or workshops!

Pamela Sheldon Johns is a noted cookbook author and we are thrilled to carry the oil from her Tuscan estate, Pace da Poggio Etrusco.

 

A Tale of Two Biscotti

Photo Credit: DomenicaCooks.com

My passions for Italian food and culture are carried forth in any number of ways. I visit every “Italian store” I can find (often comparing it to the store of my childhood, Bari Imports, with its barrels of baccala). If I find olive oil in the back corner of a gourmet store, I will engage the proprietor in a conversation about the oil. Sometimes I will reveal my role in the business.  Sometimes not. (Yesterday when visiting a store I found a 2009 (!) priced at $39.95 for 500 ml. I shudder to think how many remain in the back room).

In the guise of research, aka surfing the web at work, my passion for Italian food leads me to seek Italian recipes with a theme. Currently, that theme is Biscotti. No long ago we posted Nona’s recipe in a recent blog post. And we are currently enamored with these two recipes found on Serious Eats and Domenica Cooks.

The Lemon, Olive Oil, and Almond Biscotti recipe nicely references using a Sicilian Olive Oil. Full-flavored Sicilians such as Titone, Planeta, and Zisola Extra Virgin Olive Oil have the characteristics –a perfect match for these biscotti. (Titone was also recently featured in our blog post on Organic certification).  Must confess to making these with a Tuscan oil, Poggio Etrusco from Pamela Sheldon Johns’ Tuscan estate.

Rich, toasty, and crumbly, the lemon biscotti, provide for a fresh break with morning coffee or later, with tea!

Another fabulous choice: Domenica Marchetti’s Cheese Biscotti are perfect with a salumi platter or a light soup meal. I think they are divine with a rich tomato-based soup. Read the comments from others and you’ll soon be rushing off to buy her cookbooks. Hint: we have her pasta cookbook, The Glorious Pasta of Italy.

As always, use the best ingredients for the best results.

P.s. I’ve been munching on Mattei Biscotti di Prato while writing this post!

 

Olive Oil Buyer’s Guide: Organic Certification

In part 1 of the Olive Oil Buyer’s Guide, we took a look at the anatomy of a great label on a bottle of extra virgin olive oil. For a refresher, take a look the detailed and revealing look at Primo DOP from Frantoi Cutrera in Sicily.

In this update, we’ll take a look at the symbols of Organic Certification. And, let’s talk terminology: Biologica is the Italian term for Organic. On labels, this is sometimes shortened to Bio.

There has long been significant cooperation on Organic standards between the U.S. and the European Union (EU). For years, agencies in Europe have been certified to meet US Department of Agriculture standards, and the olive oils imported to the US were able to use the USDA Organic seal on their labels.

We’re now at the cusp of a transition in labeling and a new agreement features a freshly designed symbol for EU Organic products. As a result of the trade agreement, both the EU Organic seal and the USDA Organic seal may be used. For products imported to the US, either seal represents that the product meets the organic standards in the US.  We’ve already noticed early arrivals of Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil carrying this attractive new leaf symbol.

Organic certification can be costly and some smaller olive oil producers will continue to elect to grow their olives organically, without adding the costs of certification. Within the product descriptions at Olio2go, those are noted as “organically produced”.

While we have many biologica/organic olive oils on our web site at OLIO2GO, we think that the labels on Titone, Trampetti, and Volpaia do a great job of illustrating the application of the seals. Titone’s neck label clearly shows the DOP and USDA Organic symbols, Trampetti carries the leaf on the front label, while Volpaia’s label includes the EU leaf on the back of the bottle.

 

College Class: Olive Oil Tasting

Mary and Luanne sharing olive oil tips.

College Classes on Olive Oil Tasting?

That would be our wish. How about a super nutrition class on why good food is better and worth the effort? Does anyone know of a liberal arts seminar on this?

Until then, we’re happy to help out with tastings at culinary programs, like this week’s session in the fabulous test kitchen in NOVA’s Culinary section of the Hospitality Department (Northern Virginia Community College). We’re practically neighbors, and we appreciate their interest in …..food!

We shared a tasting beginning with a bland, disappointing, fusty and rancid oil.

Then we moved on to select premium extra virgin olive oils from Liguria, Tuscany, Puglia, and Sicily:

Liguria

Vittorio Cassini Classico

Tuscany

La Poderina Toscana Biologica, DOP Seggianese

Frantoio Franci: Villa Magra dei Franci and Olivastra Seggianese

Puglia

Crudo

Sicily

Santisi Novello

Olio Verde Novello

Zisola DOP Monti Iblei Val Tellaro

We had fun noting the characteristics such as fruity, grassy, and herbaceous. The peppery burn (pizzicata) was well noted! The best question of the day: Where does the peppery sensation go when the great olive oil is on food?

 

A gem in Basilicata: Palazzo Margherita in Bernalda

If you are looking to expand your travels to an undiscovered destination in Italy, be sure to read this New York Times’ piece on Francis Ford Coppola’s Palazzo Margherita in Bernalda, in the Basilicata region of Italy.

Basilicata is just above the arch of the boot, with moutainous terrain that has made communications difficult until modern times.  Basilicata has been one of Italy’s least developed provinces. This is a region for true travelers as it possesses few resorts and fine accommodations. The cooking of Basilicata is bold and vibrant with outstanding produce, tasty cheeses, a wonderful variety of fresh and dried pastas—and outstanding cured meats.  Visit the Italian Tourism web site for more on this fascinating region.

From Basilicata, we have Bochicchio, with a new shipment coming soon!

 

A Tribute to Nonna: Recipes My Nonna Taught Me

Over a dozen years ago, Francena captured the recipes she learned at her grandmother’s side and recorded them as a gift to future generations. Since that time, this charming and folksy cookbook has sold 10,000 copies.

Filled with family photos from the 1950s, you might think Francena was related to the Godfather—or my extended family. Written for the love of food and tradition, Francena’s recipes for Stuffed Mushrooms, Chicken Parmesan, or Breaded Veal will take you back to your own Nonna’s kitchen.

This will remind you of those wonderful church and community cookbooks.  It’s a family treasury of Francena’s family favorites. Perhaps your grandmother made braciole (with beef) in January, as mind did, or Cucuzza (fried zucchini) in August. These are not difficult recipes. These are friendly and achievable!

Our favorite quote: “Olive oil, Parmesan cheese, garlic, onions, and pasta are staple ingredients I always have on hand.”

You won’t find the Braided Easter Egg Bread, Panettone for Christmas, or Polenta for any season. This is a classic Italian family cookbook with recipes from the mid-century, packed with family heritage, and filled with such recipes as Frittata, Eggplant Parmesan, Manicotti, and Baked Ziti.

Each recipe page includes a beverage recommendation, usually wine, among them such as Merlot, Pino Grigio, Sangiovese, and Asti Spumanti!

Enjoy this tribute to a grandmother to as Francena has recorded for future generations.

We have been granted permission to share Francena’s Biscotti recipe with you. You can click on the recipe image and print the recipe.

You can purchase the book for $12.95 including postage and shipping (cash, check, or money order). Please contact Francena at this link.

 

The European Freeze of 2012

It’s been a snowy season in much of Europe and Davide Borselli of La Poderina Toscana has sent these photos to us. This snowy view is beautiful but no one yet knows what this cold means for the olive trees. In  1986, there was a devastating freeze throughout Tuscany, one that destroyed thousands of trees.   We don’t know that the freeze will mean for the trees or this year’s harvest, but you really should try Davide’s fabulous La Poderina Toscana Seggianese extra virgin olive oil.

 

Olive Oil Buyer’s Guide: Anatomy of a Great Label

Let’s take a look at a great olive oil label and a great olive oil!

This is Primo Olio Extra Vergine di Oliva (Extra Virgin Olive Oil), and the label indicates that Frantoi Cutrera has been producing olive oil since 1906.  The producer is Frantoi Cutrera and the brand is Primo. And on the bottle, the label is written in Italian, English, and French, for sales within the European Union and English speaking countries.

Let’s analyze this bottle from the very well regarded Frantoi Cutrera. The hanging neck tag is the first feature to attract your attention, right?

Red catches your eye to emphasize that this is the new harvest oil and that Frantoi Cutrera has been named the Best Oil Mill of the Year, by the notable guide, Gambero Rosso. This is the 100^th prize received by Frantoi Cutrera. On the back of the tag, there’s an extensive list of 40 awards received in the past 9 years!

Cutrera has designed a signature bottle with Frantoi Cutrera pressed into the glass. That’s unique in our line.

The orange and yellow symbol is the EU’s symbol of authenticity, Denominazione d’Origine Protetta (DOP, also called PDO in Europe). There are approximately 30 DOP regions for Italian olive oil. On this bottle, the designation is noted as D.O.P. Monti Iblei Gulfi, and the corresponding green and gold neckband signifies the Consorzio di Tutela Dell’Olio Extra Vergine di Oliva – certifying the oil as DOP to the consortium’s regional standards. (Until recent years, the DOP symbol was blue and yellow).  This area is in southeastern Sicily.

Each DOP region has its own standard reflecting the best qualities of the customs of the region. For this region, the certified oil must have a free fatty acid level no greater than 0.5% and the polyphenol levels must be greater than 150 ppm. Certified oils from this region must also be 90% or greater from Tonda Iblea variety olives. The neck tag has a traceable number that is specific to each bottle. For this bottle, the number is CC 900234.

Below the DOP symbol, it is noted as a Product of Italy. Product of Italy– of course, but don’t read too much into it. (Unfortunately, oil delivered to Italy by tanker, and bottled in Italy, will also say Product of Italy). Here the DOP symbol provides assurances that the olives were grown, pressed and bottled in a very small geographic area, what we might recognize as the size of a county, or perhaps, Rhode Island.

This label also indicates “cold extracted”. Cold pressed is becoming a misnomer, as the extraction process has transitioned from stone pressing in an open environment to centrifugal crushing in a closed system. The process is monitored so the heat from friction is kept at a minimum. If excessive heat is involved, the acidity level rises. With extra virgin olive oil, the lower the acidity level the better. The international standard is for the acidity level to be below 0.8%. Top quality premium extra virgin oils such as Primo have levels below 0.25%.

At the lower edge of the front label, the volume is denoted with 0.75 Liters on the left (noted with the EU “e”) and 25.4 fluid ounces on the lower right edge.

The Back Label

The back label includes more details on this oil, as well as the FDA – required nutrition facts. In this case, the back label notes that the oil is produced primarily from the local olive variety “Tonda Iblea” and that it is produced directly and solely from olives by means of mechanical process. (Lower grades of olive oil are produced by chemical extraction with solvents. Those lower grades are pure, light, olive oil, pomace).

As you continue to read the label you will find details on the regulations for certification within Italy. The business address, web address, telephone number, and email address are also noted on the label. There’s no hiding where this oil originated!

Lastly, we need to look at the product dating and numbering. Lot numbers are required by the FDA. Exceeding this requirement, Cutrera has chosen to indicate the harvest year and best-by date. We support producers who adhere to these higher standards.

A further note on bottle dates: We track these very carefully. Occasionally, there will be a late bottling of oil. Let’s say there’s a 2010 oil bottled (from tank to bottle) in mid 2011. That producer can place a best-by date of mid 2013 on the label. To us, that’s still a 2010 oil, not to be sold past December 2012. With careful inventory controls, we sell out long before that date. Our employees often take these bottles home, and top quality oils that have been well stored are full of flavor beyond those printed dates. But we don’t sell them to you. Look carefully at the picture and you will see this is a 2011 harvest oil (noted as 11/12) with a best by date of November 2013.

This bottle, sealed in Italy, arrives at your table with the same authentic integrity that it possessed when it left Frantoi Cutrera. The labeling carries forth the authenticity. But what can you learn about the characteristics of Cutrera Selections? We enthusiastically invite you to visit our description and give them a try!

To get the freshest Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil, buy from a retailer who imports often, and warehouses well. Olio2go’s extra virgin olive oil is stored in the dark, in the box, in a temperature-controlled warehouse. Choose a vendor/retailer with strict quality controls and good inventory systems.

 

Tasting Notes on New Harvest 2011 Selections

Frescobaldi First Pressing – fresh, zingy, pungent, aromatic, stunning, peppery, and flavorful! Or fruity, artichoke, herbaceous, complex, buttery, pungent!

Tenuta di Capezzana Olio Nuovo – this oil bring forth various characteristics from year to year. This year’s blend is somewhat milder and buttery than the past year’s selection. Flavor notes: hint of green tea, nutty, buttery, clean, soft, peppery finish. Together with the Frescobaldi, this shows the range of characteristics in Tuscan olive oils.

La Poderina Toscana – continues to be a masterful extra virgin olive oil, crafted by Davide Borselli, and well-deserving of the Association 3E recognition. New Label.

Mascio Novello — from the producers of Principe di Mascio, this rustic oil brings for the raw goodness of olive oil. Packed with intense flavor characteristics, this will enliven flavorful dishes. From Umbria.

 

About those Gift Cards (lovely notes!)

We handwrite almost every note that accompanies Olio2go gift orders. (For large gift orders, we may print them!) In doing so, we get to see really wonderful and appreciative notes, accompanying fabulous gifts.

Whether accompanying terrific olive oil, truly special balsamic vinegar, artisanal pasta, or tempting biscotti, we’ve found our favorites..beyond Happy Birthday and Merry Christmas…

Thank you to the parents of the bride from the parents of the groom

A thank you for hosting a lovely engagement party

Best wishes for weddings and anniversaries

Get well wishes

Notes sent with souvenirs and reminiscences of trips to Italy

And a few private jokes! (we will laugh, but we won’t tell!)

 

A New Year in Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Monday was a day filled with excitement as the first 2011 harvest olive oils reached our warehouse. First to arrive? Olio Verde Novello, Capezzana Olio Nuovo, and Frescobaldi Laudemio First Pressing.

We exhaustedly share your excitement as hundreds of bottles are already on their way to our favorite customers.

Stay tuned for more reports on the new arrivals!

P.S. We are taking pre-orders for Las Poderina Toscana (remember the Washington Post article?), Cutrera’s Primo from Sicily, and San Macario from Lucca.

 

Get in the Italian Holiday Spirit with Dream of Italy!

Every now and then we find other “Italian” products that we love to share. We carefully select books and newsletters to add to your Italian experience! Take a look at this holiday offer from Dream of Italy.

Christmas is just around the corner and if you are looking for ways to get into the holiday spirit, Italian-style, we think our friends at the award-winning travel newsletter and online store, Dream of Italy, can help. Whether you’re searching for that delicious Italian Christmas recipe or holiday season travel tips, or looking for the perfect Italy travel gift, Dream of Italy can help…

Dream of Italy’s FREE 35-Page Christmas in Italy E-book: Kathy McCabe, editor of Dream of Italy, has gathered her favorite Italian foodies and Italy travel experts to share their tips for enjoying Christmas and New Year’s either in Italy or at home with Italian influences. The FREE 35-page ebook Christmas in Italy is filled with everything from typical holiday recipes to tips for getting tickets to the Pope’s Midnight Mass to the stories behind the holiday traditions of La Befana and eating lentils on New Year’s.

 

$15 Off a Gift Subscription to Dream of Italy (Includes TWO BONUS DVDs): Kathy McCabe is generously offering Olio2Go readers a $15 discount on a personal or gift subscription to her award-winning newsletter – recommended by National Geographic Traveler, USA TODAY and ABC News. This subscription package includes

• either 5 or 10 new issues over the coming year – delivered online or by snail mail – your choice
• online access to over 85 back issues – nearly 1,000 pages – on every corner of Italy covering cooking schools, museums, shopping, private guides, hotels, restaurants, villa rentals and much more
• TWO BONUS DVDs of the Italy travel documentaries Postcards from Italy and Bringing Home Sardinia – worth $40
• $15 off the current subscription price

With the Olio2Go discount, subscription packages start at only $32.
Please use the discount code: 15off

 

Titone Biologica DOP

Awarded Best Extra Virgin Olive Oil of the Year

 

Big news in the world of Extra Virgin Olive Oil!

Italian producer, Azienda Agricola Biologica Titone, has been awarded Best Extra Virgin Olive Oil of the Year by Marco Oreggio and his publication Flos Olei 2012, in an announcement made The Olive Oil Times. In a twist of dates, this award announced in October 2011, is for the Titone Biologica DOP 2010 bottling. If you’d like to taste such a notable award winner, you’ll find it at Olio2go. This is a terrific, organic-certified, olive oil from the Trapani area of Sicily.

 

Festa Italiana in DC: A Recap

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Olio2go at Festa Italiana in DC on October 9. We had great fun sampling and tasting with festival guests. JoAnna is shown in these pictures. She helped out at the event and enjoyed speaking to the guests in Italian! We were very busy at the booth and served over 600 olive oil tastes!

Sampled at the show:

Santisi Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Sicily)

Rosselli del Turco Extra Virgin Olive Oil DOP Chianti Classico (Tuscany)

Trappeto di Caprafico Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, DOP Colline Teatine (Abruzzo)

and the little gem, Livio Pesle Balsamic Vinegar Wine Jelly (Fruili Venezia Giulia)

 

Beyond Extra Virgin

We’re thrilled with today’s article in the Washington Post. Jane Black reveals the new Association 3E, Super Premium Olive Oil — and we have one at Olio2go. In fact, it’s selling quickly. It is Davide Borselli’s La Poderina Toscana.

You can read more about La Poderina Toscana and Association 3E in Olive Oil Tasting: An Italian in California.

For a Free Ranging discussion on olive oil, you may wish to read this. But we must warn you, we are not big fans of the fill-your-own stores. We believe in supporting the small olive farmer through sales of estate-bottled olive oil. Think about it, would you fill wine bottles from a tap at the store?

 

Grocery Shopping in Italy

 

Grocery shopping in Italy is a fun event – lots to see, different words, interesting dialog in broken Italian

To get started – there are three types of grocery stores in Italy.  First there is the alimentari, which is the equivalent of a neighborhood grocery store, usually very small.  It is common to find a small assortment of items here, but generally you find everything you need:  bread, vegetables, wine, bottled water, pasta, meats, and dried goods.  Next is the coop, or small grocery store, usually found at the edge of the main part of the city, just outside the walls of the old city in many places.  Names you may recognize are found throughout Italy – Conad, EMI, Eurospin are the ones near where I am this week.  These are a bigger version of the alimentari, which means more variety, but these also commonly carry other items such as cheap clothes, cooking utensils, seasonal items, and lots of weird items you would not expect to find in a grocery store.  Conad has some stores that stay open 24 hours now.  The third type is the hypermarket – a very large grocery store with lots of variety and many items that don’t belong in a grocery store, such as cheap power tools.  Many carry electronics either in the store or in separate stores – a sort of mini-mall.  These are usually found in the industrial area, often just off the highway.

Vegetables are found in all three types, and here are some photos of four types of tomatoes, just to give you a sense of what you can buy.  The oblong type is what we would call Roma tomatoes.  The grape tomatoes are pretty big – not what I would call grape tomatoes, but the distinguishing feature is that they are clustered on the vine, rather than loose.  The cherry tomatoes are packed since they are so small.  Don’t forget to weigh the produce before you take it to the checkout!

Of course we checked the olive oil selections.  We are always on the lookout for new olive oils for Olio2go. The neighborhood shops will have the high end stuff.  The big box stores tend to have a wide assortment of good and not so good oil, but not so many very very good oils.  Salumerias also have high end oils as do cheese shops in the tourist areas.  Wine shops carry the high end oils, too.  One of my favorite wine stores is in Verona, and they carry a number of very good oils.  The Marfuga– I first saw in a small alimentari in Spoleto.  In some cases the town has an enoteca that has wine and oil.  For example, the enoteca in Rome near the Spanish Steps that sells Merlano (which we plan to again carry with the 2011 harvest).

As in Washington, DC, if you don’t bring your own bag (a borsa) then you have to buy one or else put the groceries in your pockets (to request a bag, say to the checkout person “ho bisogno una borsa” before he or she slides your items to the end of the checkout lane).  The bags are not expensive – a few euro cents, but after a couple of trips, you learn to bring them with you.  At home, I keep my borsa in the compartment of my Vespa for just such a reason.

If you want a grocery cart, be sure to bring a euro or a 50 cent piece, because the carts are all connected together with a chain.  You just stick the coin in the slot and the lock opens to let you take the cart.  This works much better than in the US because all the carts are always neatly arranged.  You would be frivolous to let your cart roll off toward the cart area because you’d lose your coin.  The Italian method pretty much guarantees that all the carts stay where they should.

Bread in Tuscany and Umbria is usually unsalted, to protest the salt tax imposed by the Pope 500 years ago, or something like that.  Hence the bread can best be described as “insipido”, and it also goes stale very quickly.  So you will need to go shopping every day or get by with eating unsalted, soon-to- be-stale bread.  Or you could go out to eat.

And like everything else in Italy, many of the stores close from noon until 4:oo pm.  The bigger coops and hypermarkets do not close, but sometimes the deli counters are not open during those hours.  It is just part of the culture and rhythm of life in Italy.

 

Speed Cameras in Italy

Mama mia!  What happened to driving fast in Italy?!?!?

All over the place there are speed cameras now.  In most every tiny village, there is one of these things on the side of the road checking your speed.  On the highway, there’s a similar box.  When you see it, it’s too late.

Fortunately, they are all well marked and so you get plenty of warning.  But if you don’t know about them, you will soon get a ticket in the mail. 

The locals seem to know where they are.  For example, driving on the E45 between Terni and Perugia, you see many signs about electronic speed control, but everybody seems to be driving at the usual 120 Km/hr – and then all of a sudden, those Audis that usually zoom past at 150 Km/hr slow down to 90 Km/hr, as if we all entered a time warp where everything shifts into slow motion.  Then just as suddenly, the Audis and you accelerate and you exit from the time warp.

A Public Service Announcement from Jeff (in Umbria) and Olio2go!

 

Memoirs of Italy

Tuscan Selections including Profumo del Chianti

A Month in Medieval Volpaia Tuscany is a charming brief memoir.  Robert  and Patricia Crosby capture their full weeks in September and October. These are the slower days of late summer and early fall, after the tourists have left. Robert and Patricia provide a series of diary entries of their day to day visits to trattorias, town squares, and churches.  Each day is a peaceful adventure, full of love for their friends and experiences. 

Take a walk with the authors through their day to day experiences, along with visits to our favorite places, the olive oil estates of Volpaia and Badia a Coltibuono.  Another favorite stop is a visit to Panzano, the home of Dario Cecchini, the Dante-quoting master butcher of Chianti. (We’ve written about him before).

A Month in Medieval Volpaia is a quick read, and a perfect gift with a selection of Badia a Coltibuono, Albereto, Campo Corto, or Volpaia.

We found this book to be well produced, and charming, but occasionally repetitive.  It is perfectly written for those of us who dream of having such a month to spend in the Chianti Classico.

Pamela Marasco demonstrates her love for all of her acquired Italian heritage in her self- published family treasury, Seeing and Savoring Italy. This will be read by her family and others for generations.

She married into an Italian American family and grew close to her husband’s grandmother. Through the years this granddaughter-in-law sought to capture and recreate memories and heritage through food customs.  From olive oil, to cheese, to wine, to chocolate, Pamela is to be commended for trying to get it all into one book.

Recipes are interwoven through the chapters as she visits Tenuta di Capezzana, Avignonesi, and other places dear to us at Olio2go. Bistecca alla Fiorentina, Olives all’ascolano, and risotto, fill the pages between Sagra (festivals), wine, mostarde, and tartufi (truffles).

Well-researched and endearingly written, future editions will be improved with one more pass through an editor and graphic designer.

If you can find a copy of The Tuscan Year, now out of print, you’ll enjoy a very pleasant and well written year in Tuscany.  It fits nicely with A Month in Medieval Volpaia and Seeing and Savoring Italy.

You can see The Tuscan Year and Seeing and Savoring Italy on Our Favorite Books That We Don’t Carry on Amazon.

 

9-11: A memorial in Todi, Italy

Even in Todi, Italy, there is a 9-11 Memorial.

Jeff was traveling in Italy on 9-11 and sent this photo of the memorial in Todi. It is comforting to know that 9-11 is also in the memories of our friends around the world. Photo taken on the 10 year anniversary.

 

 

Olive Oil Tasting: An Italian in California

Official Blue Tasting Cups

We recently traveled to California to take part in the Sensory Evaluation of Olive Oil Course presented by the UC Davis Olive Center and the California Olive Oil Council. Have no fear; we have not strayed from our mission to provide exclusively Italian extra virgin olive oil!

We appreciate the knowledge of the Californians and we were able to translate issues to our business. Throughout the day we tasted extraordinary to ordinary, and even some “aged” oils. Tastings were primarily oils from California, and they only shared the names of the oils that were defect free.

If there was any disappointment in the day, it’s that none of the dozens of samples were Italian olive oils. Yes, we tasted Ascolana and Leccino, but those were grown in California. It would have been great to compare a California-grown Ascolana to Azienda del Carmine’s award winning Ascolana from Marche.  In one segment we tasted California-grown Spanish Picual in early harvest and late harvest pressings. The key descriptor is that the early harvest tasted like a quality artisan oil, while the late harvest was reminiscent of grocery store offerings.

We spent time discussing nasal and retronasal aspects of olive oil. Sounds enchanting? With an element of surprise we were treated to the negative attributes found in fusty and rancid olive oils. Our session leader served a rancid Arbequina, and in the discussion that followed, we learned that she tried a 3-year-old Tuscan and found it too good to be useful for our aged sample. The bitter and pungent characteristics common to Tuscan oils are indicators of high polyphenol levels. Those same strong components hold off rancidity.

In an official tasting, there are a number of restrictions to ensure an unbiased evaluation. The tastings are conducted with blue glassware to eliminate the influence of color. There are scoring sheets designed to make fair evaluations, and the high and low score sheets are discarded. Panelists are isolated, and a minimum of 8 tasters must be present.

In our sessions, ten oils were tasted straight from cups, and then five of those oils were tasted with each of six foods (mozzarella, beans, cherry tomatoes, bread, field greens, and steak).

Our food matching plate

As we discussed industry trends, the focused moved to the future of olive oil tasting and evaluation. One bright spot is the development of Association 3E evaluating Super Premium Olive Oil in Florence. La Poderina Toscana is one of the top oils on that list. You can see La Poderina Toscana’s evaluation here.

Quality olive oil has made great strides in a relatively short period of time. The olive oils of the ancient Greeks and Romans would be far more like the oils we now identify as rancid. The characteristics of a premium olive oil (excellent quality olives, good pressing conditions, minimal introduction of oxygen, and controlled bottling, storage, and transportation) were all unknown or unachievable until relatively recent times.  While the ancients made a quality product, critical to their civilizations, they might not recognize today’s best oils.

 

A Bounty of Tomatoes

It’s no secret that Olio2go is headquartered in the suburbs of Washington DC. So today we celebrate the bounty of tomato recipes in the Washington Post Food Section.

Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes and Sweet Pepper is a quick flavorful meal – perfect for a weeknight, with a glass of wine. With 2 Tablespoons of a good extra virgin olive oil, and perhaps a bit more for a final drizzle,  this makes a very satisfying week night dinner.

The annual tomato recipe contest is filled with world flavors, with an Asian-Latin combination as the top selection. We’re partial to Summer Spaghetti and Warm Grilled Tomato Salad. We can make recommendations for olive oils!