Novello is back!

It is Harvest Season and the Novello Extra Virgin Olive Oil is back!  It is that exciting time of the year when for just a few short weeks the coveted Novello is available.   Rather than letting the freshly-pressed oil settle and clear, it is bottled immediately making it wonderfully thick and delicious. The Novello is the freshest and the boldest oil out there, so stop by for a taste, choose your favorite bottle or bring one from home and enjoy this once a year delicacy. Limited supplies are available at your local Oil & Vinegar store only (not available on-line).

By popular demand the California* (Lucero Estates) Novello returns for its third year in a row.  

Miller's Tasting Notes:  "The freshest essence of Sevillano, Mission, and Manzanillo olives are captured yielding a rich and robust flavor and pungency.  Big olive fruit finish with hints of apple and fresh grass pair nicely with a bold Cabernet Sauvignon.

Dievole Estate in the Chianti Region of Tuscany

For those of you looking for a new experience, this year we are flying in from the Chianti Region of Tuscany (Dievole Estate) a limited production Novello made from a blend of Leccino, Frantoio and Muraiolo olives to achieve that Traditional Tuscan flavor.  Only 1500 liters of oil is produced each year from this estate and the first 600 liters is Novello* pressed expressly for Oil & Vinegar.  This oil is bold, rich in olive taste with a trace of artichoke and a pungent, peppery finish.

Novello extra virgin olive oils are robust and should be used as a finishing oil to preserve the integrity of the oil.  The bold flavor of the oil is the perfect flavor enhancer for hearty soups, stews and meat dishes.  Or try it drizzled over sliced mozzarella and black pepper, yum!


* California Novello not available in all store locations, please contact local store for availability.  

Celebrate Spain!

Oil & Vinegar starts May by celebrating Southern Spain with our Andalucia promotion.  Andalucia has a varied diet due to the many world influences of its past; from Portugal, to the Moorish and Moroccan influences of Africa; there is truly something for everyone in Spain and Oil & Vingar shares our favorite selections with you all month.

We start our journey by introducing a new Single Estate Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Alcuadete, in the province of Jaen.  This oil is made from 100% Picual olives, from a family owned and operated grove dating back to 1850.  To ensure the highest quality, the oil is made solely from olives grown on the estate and, from picking to pressing; the entire production is managed on the farm using entirely environmentally friendly techniques.  All of the byproducts generated throughout the process are turned into compost and used to fertilize the olive groves, there by closing the production cycle.

The olives enter the production process within two hours of harvest.  They are classified by quality level in different areas of receiving to ensure that the oils coming from the different qualities is separated, guaranteeing the highest quality of Extra Virgin Olive Oil. 

The mill is completely cleaned after the production of EVOO each day, leaving it in perfect condition for the next day.  Once extracted, the oil is stored in an underground cellar under optimum conditions in an inert atmosphere to preserve the aroma, flavor, natural antioxidants and vitamin complexes.  The oil is bottled only upon request to ensure the maximum quality is maintained.

This oil is unfiltered and has an acidity of 0.1%

Click here to purchase on line.  View more products from Andalucia here.

Our Olive Oil Promotion is in full swing and it is so exciting to revisit the colors, flavors, aromas and especially the stories of our existing estate oils.  We have taken such care in selecting not only the highest quality oils, but also capturing the passion of the families that produce them.  There are those that say that you can taste the wind, sun and rain in an olive oil as well as the passion of the person who made it!

One of my all time favorite oils and the most popular with our customers is our Bonsecco; a delicious, medium bodied, fruity estate oil from Tuscany.  Our relationship with Bonsecco goes back to the beginning of Oil & Vinegar to 1999; it was the start for both of us.  Oil & Vinegar was two stores, and Bonsecco was a very small farm producing only enough oil to enjoy, and not enough to sell.  As we have grown to 70 stores, Bonsecco has grown with us; and you can’t find it anywhere else!

Read all about Bonsecco, an interview with the producer, and our other extra virgin estate oils here, in this booklet about our oils, or stop in a store and receive the booklet free with a purchase of 250ml or more of extra virgin estate oil.

Extra Virgin

For the next few weeks Oil & Vinegar is returning to its roots with our Extra Virgin Olive Oil promotion.  After years of searching, Oil & Vinegar finally found a Moroccan olive oil that meets all the requisites to sit on our amphora wall.  Produced from olives grown on three family owned estates located at the foot of the Atlas Mountains, the olives are constantly monitored to ensure optimal ripeness and make sure that there is only a 20 minute lapse between harvesting and grinding.  This oil is made with 30% Moroccan Dahbia olives and 70% Spanish Arbequina olives.  This oil has an acidity of 0.2%, a well-balanced taste and complex profile.  The initial bouquet is of ripe olives with secondary aromas of apple and banana.  It also has hints of almond, tomato, fennel and artichoke.  On the pallet it is slightly sweet, and reminds you of almonds with a fruity, slightly bitter finish.  It is kosher certified and has one an array of awards around the world. 

Use this or any of our oils with this recipe for Parmesan Twists:

INGREDIENTS

·        1 package puff pastry

·        1 tablespoon EV Olive oil

·        1 tin Parmesan Dipper herbs

PREPARATION

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Mix the Dipper herbs with some water and olive oil to make a paste. Spread the Dipper herbs on a sheet of puff pastry and cut this in strips about 1/2 inch wide. Twist the strips 2 times so they form a spiral. Place on a greased cookie sheet and bake for 12 minutes until golden brown. Try with all our dippers for an array of great flavors!

For a printable version of the recipe or to purchase ingredients on line click here!