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I had the great pleasure of attending the Flavor Your Life Virtual Influencers Event last month.I wanted to share with you what I learned about extra virgin olive oil and what to look for as you are tasting olive oil for all your cooking needs. First let's talk a bit about The Flavor Your Life Campaign.
The Flavor Your Life Campaign aims to educate North American consumers about authentic extra virgin olive oil from Europe. Flavor Your Live is empowering consumers by educating them about the rich history and delicious properties that these oils display—and sharing the delicious extra virgin olive oil culinary culture that’s been harvested in Europe for generations.
About Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Extra virgin olive oil is made by pressing olive oil, without heat or chemicals; it’s known as the first cold pressed olive oil.
- Olive oils are tested for peroxide values. Lower values indicate fresher oil and more rapid processing.
- Extra virgin olive oil is virtually free of acidity—below 0.8%. If the percentage of oleic acid (fatty acid) is too high, it indicates improper production and rancidity.
- A panel of trained, expert tasters tests for taste defects and the presence of positive attributes of fruitiness, bitterness, and spiciness. If the oil doesn’t have the signature fruity taste and harmonious balance, it won’t receive an Extra Virgin rating.
- Extra virgin olive oil has a high smoking point of 400°F, so it is suitable for cooking and baking.
- Between use, store your oil somewhere dark and cool (around 57°F, if possible), not on the counter or near a stove, and never in the refrigerator. Keep the lid screwed on tight, and use your oil within six months of opening.
About Le Stagioni d’ Italia
● Le Stagioni d’ Italia takes great pride in bringing authentic Italian foods from seed to
shelf, selecting seeds, harvesting crops, and packaging foods in their state-of-the-art
production facilities in Northern Italy.
● Le Stagioni d’ Italia’s short, fully traceable supply chain is guaranteed sustainable and the
great care they take with processing creates exceptional taste.
● 100% Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil is the first cold pressed olive oil from the first round
of extraction of fresh, intact olives—it has not been heated during processing, so it retains
its full nutritional value.
● Harvested in Italy, it is vegan, gluten free, and contains no additives or preservatives.
● It has a robust flavor of artichoke and almond, with a medium bitter and spicy aftertaste,
as well as a green, ripe, fruity aroma with a leafy feel.
● 100% Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil typically retails for $19.99 for a 500 mL bottle.
Olive Oil Expert Alissa Mattei
The first class was with the birth of extra virgin olive oil with Alissa Mattei
From tree to press to tasting, we were able to follow the journey of olives from the fields to the dinner table. It was fascinating to listen to Alissa talk about the process of how to taste and smell for a great olive oil. I had no idea it was such an involved process and I'm excited to use my new skills in picking out the perfect olive oil.
I learned that a pungent, almost bitter taste is indicative of a great olive oil for healthy cooking. It has all the amazing health benefits and polyphenols with antioxidants. Alissa talked about the main attributes of olive oil and to taste and smell for bitterness, pugency and fruitiness . It's important for the oil to be fruity because if it isn't, the oil is not virgin. I have a much better understanding of tasting oil and received some great advice on what to look for in extra virgin olive oil and how to cook with it. The takeaway is to use lighter oils more quickly to retain health benefits, and use more pungent olive oils for cooking healthy, hearty meals.
Cooking Class Chef Zanni
Chef Zann taught us how to cook 3 delicious recipes using Saffron Risotto with extra virgin olive oil.
- Italian sausage and broccoli risotto
- Rice salad with zuchinni cottage cheese and cherry tomatoes
- Saffron risotto
with extra virgin olive oil
They all looked amazing and so simple to prepare. Chef Zanni made all the dishes he created look quick and easy and isn't that what we all need while looking for dinner ideas? I'm excited to create these dishes with my family this summer.
I loved attending the Flavor Your Life Virtual Influencer Event with Moms Meet and am thrilled to use what I learned about extra virgin olive oil in all my dishes.
Be sure to learn more at flavor-your-life.com and follow on Facebook and Twitter!
Thanks so much for stopping by!
