Olive Oil Adds "fold iti
And Flavor To Your Ta
Like a fine wine , olive oil enhances warm~HVeather
fare with bouquet, taste and heritage
Heritage of Olive Oil
In the past decade, we have learned more about the flavor, the added
health benefits and the overall wonders of olive oil. No longer is olive oil only
associated with Italian cuisine It has become a staple in many American
kitchens and restaurants—whether used m cooking, as a light oil for salads
and vegetables or a richly flavored alternative to butter for bread While we
have come to appreciate the flavor and health benefits, many of us don’t
realize the rich tradition behind each bottle of Italian olive oil
Each olive oil is a unique product of the right mixture of olive varieties
and age, as well as the climate and mixture of soil where the olives are grown.
It starts with the soil —the well-drained rocky soil of the Mediterranean hills
and plateaus is the finest olive-producing region on earth. The sun-drenched
days coupled with temperate nights cooled by Mediterranean breezes help
produce the finest olives in the world
Olives are harvested from mid-November to early March, six to eight
months after the olive trees’ blossoms first appear. The transformation from
olive to oil is an art form—one that has been passed down from generation to
generation in many of Italy’s oldest families For thousands of years, the olives
were crushed with stones And today, every step of the process, including the
mechanical crushing of the olives, still maintains a wealth of family tradition
Much of this tradition lies in discerning the quality of the oil produced
from the crushing First, the olive oil must be tasted by a panel of olive oil
masters who judge the oil for flavor, aroma and appearance. The olive master’s
job is highly specialized and requires years of apprenticeship in the age-old art
and tradition of Italian olive oil making Even families such as the Fontana
family, producers of one of the region’s oldest olive oils, Filippo Berio Olive
Oil, have only one or two olive oil masters from each generation and perhaps
five olive oil masters m the company at any given time
Through a stringent rating system, the olive oil must meet exacting
standards Laboratory testing is conducted to confirm its purity and to assess
levels of oxidation and acidity, both of which influence the quality of the oil.
Using an innate sense that has become second natuie, the Italian olive oil
master can quickly tell if an olive oil shows enough promise to be suitable for
bottling
Through careful selection, the olive oil master can combine olive oils
from Italy and other Mediterranean countries to produce a superb olive oil that
is uniquely Italian in flavor and tradition Following are several varieties of
Italian olive oils.
Extra Virgin —produced by cold pressing, it is the most flavorful of olive
oils. It is full, rich and fruity with peppery notes. With fine flavor and
pleasant aroma, it comes from the first pressing of the olive
Olive Oil —or Pure Olive Oil, as it is known in the United States, offers a
blend ol refined olive oil and Virgin or Extra Virgin olive oil. It has a
mellow flavor
• Extra Light Tasting —has a slightly sweet and delicate flavor
• Organic—made from olives grown within organic farming standards, it
has a fine fruity flavor
« Low Acidity —made with Extra Virgin olive oil that has less than half the
maximum acidity of regular Extra Virgin olive oil It has a very smooth
fruity flavor.
Following are some ideas and recipes that will help bring the rich tradition of
olive oil into your home this season
Discover More Ways To Enhance Your Family’s
Healthy Eating With Great Flavor
Write or call for a tree copy of 101 Ways to Use Filippo Berio Olive Oil
It contains easy to use health lips and lots of suggestions for adding olive oil to
your family’s diet every day With everything fiom breakfast ideas, appetizers,
sauces, and mam courses to beauty and household tips, this brochure has something
lor everyone For a free copy, write to
101 Ways to Use Filippo Berio Olive Oil
255 Route 17 South
Hackensack, NJ 07601
Quick Alternatives
Using Olive Oil
• Season vegetables with extra virgin
olive oil, lemon juice and herbs —a
great way to reduce salt while
enhancing the flavor
• When a recipe calls for melted butter,
margarine or for any other oil, substi
tute the same amount of olive oil
• Next time you’re bringing a house
gift, take a bottle of extra virgin olive
oil, Special Selection or Organic,
instead of a bottle of wine No
designated driver will be needed'
Healthy-Heart
Alternatives
• 98 million Americans —half the
population—have high cholesterol
• Olive oil has no cholesterol and no
salt—and actually lowers cholesterol
• Although olive oil has the same
number of calories as other oils, it is
low in polyunsaturated and saturated
fat, but high in monounsaturated fat.
Monounsaturated fat is the “good”
fat that lowers the harmful
cholesterol (Low density lipoproteins
or LDLs) while maintaining the
helpful cholesterol (High density
lipoproteins or HDLs) —in turn,
lowering total cholesterol levels
W'.
Skillet Shrimp with Rotlni
Warm-weather favorites tossed into
one dish—this recipe combines the
flavors and colors that will make it
one of the season’s favorites tor the
entire family.
3 tablespoons olive oil (pure or
extra light tasting)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups uncooked rotini (or other
curly pasta)
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup asparagus tips (or broccoli
florets)
3/4 pound raw medium shrimp,
shelled and deveined
3/4 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup pitted ripe olives
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
Salt and fteshly ground black pepper
In a large skillet, heat olive oil over
medium heat until hot. Add omon and
garlic, cook and stir 4 to 6 minutes, or
until onion is softened but not brown.
Add pasta; stir to coat pasta with oil.
Increase heat to high; pour in chicken
broth. Bnng to a boil.
Reduce heat to a medium-high;
cook, stirring occasionally, 12 to 14
minutes or until pasta is al dente
(tender but still firm).
Add asparagus Cook, stirring
frequently, 2 to 3 minutes or until
asparagus is tender-crisp. Add
shrimp, tomatoes, olives, oregano and
basil. Cook, stirring frequently, 3
minutes or until liquid is almost
absorbed and shrimp are opaque (do
not overcook shrimp)
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serves; 4 Prep time; 10 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Nutrient analyst per serving 428 calories,
30 5 g protein, 42 g carbohydrates, 210
mg cholesterol, 15 5 g total fat, 2 4 g sal
fat, 2 27 g poly lat, 9 4 g mono fat
Fresh Tomato Sauce
Fresh from your garden to the pot,
this sauce is something the entire
family will love for summer. The
best part: it’s quick and easy for even
one of summer’s hottest days and
on
ti
' will easily become a year-round
favorite. Steam some garden
vegetables and toss with cooked
pasta for a summer primavera.
3 pounds npe fresh plum tomatoes
1 large onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1 tablespoon dried basil leaves
Immerse tomatoes m boiling water
for 1 minute. Remove from water,
plunge into cold water and peel
skins, using a sharp paring knife.
In a heavy, non-aluminum
saucepan, saute onion 3 to 5 minutes
in olive oil until tender. Stir with a
wooden spoon.
Add tomatoes, pepper, sugar,
oregano and basil. Cover and simmer
over low heat for 45 minutes, stirring
occasionally.
If not used immediately, cool and
pour into a jar and cover with 1/4
inch of extra virgin olive oil to keep
flavor. Will keep in refrigerator for
one week.
Yield: 4 3/4 cups tomato sauce
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time- 50 minutes
Nutrient analysis per serving 205 calories,
37 g protein, 18 9 g carbohydrates, 65 g
dietary fiber, 0 mg cholesterol, 14 g total
fat, 2 g sat fat, 1 5 g poly fat, 10 g mono fat
Tri-color Pepper Salad
A simple salad of sautded bell
peppers is a delightful garnish for
any meal or picnic. It can be eaten
warm or prepared in advance and
served cold. Drizzle some Extra
Virgin olive oil on cold salad for an
extra rich flavor.
l/4cup extra light tasting olive oil
1 red bell pepper, cut into 2-inch
julienne strips
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into
2-inch julienne strips
1 green bell pepper, cut into
2-inch julienne strips
2 cloves garlic (or 2 shallots or
scallions), minced
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh
parsley
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over
medium heat. Add peppers and garlic
and sautd over medium heat for 15
minutes until soft.
When peppers are soft, add basil,
parsley, salt, and black pepper. Mix
well and serve at room temperature
or chilled.
Serves: 4 Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Nutrient analysis per serving- 136
calories;
7 g protein, 3 8 g carbohydrates, .8 g dietary
fiber, 0 mg cholesterol, 14 g total fat, 1 9 g
sat fat, 1.3 g poly fat, 10 g mono lal
Healthy Heart Biscuits
Just like your grandmother’s—but
updated for a healthier heart. Great
with all of summer’s favorite fruits
and berries.
2 cups unbleached all-purpose
flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup extra light tasting olive oil
2/3 cup 1 percent milk
Preheat oven to 400 F.
Sift flour, baking powder, salt, and
sugar into a bowl.
Add olive oil and milk and stir with
a wooden spoon to form a ball of soft
dough.
Knead dough about ten limes on a
lightly floured surface. Roll out dough
until 1/2-inch thick. Cut six or seven
biscuits with a 3-inch cutter or glass,
rerolhng dough scraps again and
cutting rounds until you have 8
biscuits.
Bake on ungreased baking sheet for
25 to 30 minutes until lightly
browned. Cool on wire racks.
Yield: 8 biscuits
Prep time: 15 minutes
Baking time: 25 minutes
Nulnent analysis per serving 245 Calones;
3.7 g protein, 26 g carbohydrates; 8 g dietary
tiber, 8 mg cholesterol, 14 g total fat, 2.1 g
sat fat, 1 5 g poly fat, 10 g mono fat