In Season - TM
March 2010  
In the News

Cooks Illustrated
includes California Olive Ranch Arbequina EVOO as "a
favorite staple" in "The Essential Pantry'"
March 2010 issue


Gov Swartz

Govenor Arnold
Schwarzenegger proclaims February 2010 as "California Olive Oil Month"

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EVOO FAQs

Debunking Misinformation about Cooking & Olive Oil - Part II

What is a 'Glug' of Olive Oil?

Med Diet May Lower Risk of Brain Damage

Meet Italy's Finest -
Its Olive Oil Police


Events in Season

Healthy Kitchens, Healthy Lives
Culinary Institute of America
St. Helena, CA
March 18 - 21


Rising Star Revue
StarChefs.com
Santa Monica, CA
March 18


Fresh Ideas Organic Marketplace
at the National Products Expo West
Anaheim, CA
March 11


Flavors of San Diego Culinary Gala
March 15
San Diego, CA








 It's Cabbage Season!

Cabbage
Cabbage is a bit like Rodney Dangerfield. It gets little respect. Cabbage, however, deserves more. And among savvy cooks it comes in for stellar treatment. Cooks in northern Italy add savoy cabbage to pasta and risotto. Korean cooks transform cabbage into cabbage kimichi.

Closer to home, our featured chef Ryan Scott caramelizes green cabbage, Granny Smith apples and onions and pairs that with Italian pancetta. Grilling guru Steven Raichlen likes to barbeque cabbage. And at Chez Panisse in Berkeley, Calif., cabbage is served with foie gras and caviar. "Its sweetness complements the duck and pork," writes owner Alice Waters in her book Chez Panisse Vegetables (HarperCollins, 1996).

Season: This underrated, inexpensive veggie is at its seasonal best in late fall and winter. But it's available year-round in many varieties. Cabbage is grown throughout the United States.

Family tree: Cabbage is a member of the Cruciferae family. Relatives include kale, broccoli, collards, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts. The three main cabbage types are red, green and savoy.

History: The ancient Egyptians and Greeks prized cabbage as a healthy food - it's loaded with vitamin C and fiber. Cabbage later spread to Europe. It eventually arrived on North American shores in the mid-16th century aboard one of the ships headed by French explorer Jacques Cartier.

Vital stats: California is the No. 1 cabbage-producing state, harvesting nearly 500 million pounds in 2009. New York is No. 2 and Texas is No. 3, according to the USDA. The United States as a whole produced 2.3 billion pounds.  China is the world's largest cabbage producer.

How to cook: Cabbage is good braised, steamed, stir-fried, and grilled - or raw, of course, as coleslaw. It's a hearty addition to soups. Try stuffing the leaves with ground pork or rice. Blanching removes some of the sulfurous compounds people don't like.

How to buy: Look for heads that are firm, tight and heavy for their size. The outer leaves should be crisp, shiny, and free of cracks. Savoy cabbage, however, has a looser head.

 Featured Cabbage Recipes
Pair with CA Olive Ranch EVOO


Courtesy of our Featured Chef Ryan Scott

Caramelized Cabbage with Pancetta & Apples

Carmelized Cabbage with PancettaCabbage, Potato & White Bean Soup


Additional contributions from:

Pork Cutlets with Cabbage
Reprinted from "EatingWell in Season"
Courtesy of The Countryman Press


Risotto Stuffed Cabbage Leaves with Roasted Walnuts
Courtesy of Marie Simmons


Thank you Viking Range for the following cabbage recipes:

Fish Tacos with Cilanto Slaw, Chipotle Creme & Pico de Gallo

Jicama Slaw

Tuna Reubens


Bon Appetit

 Featured Chef
Chef Ryan Scott
San Francisco, CA
Passionate Enthusiasm with a Talent
for Engaging an Audience


As a child, Ryan Scott's Christmas wish list included a food dehydrator and other kitchen utensils.   He's come a long way since then, both iRyan Scott 2n his cooking and other talents. You may recall watching Ryan Scott on Bravo's "Top Chef" a few seasons back. He's a classically trained chef and a graduate of the California Culinary Academy. He's worked alongside culinary notables such as Charlie Trotter, Gary Danko and Alan Wong. And he's got a real knack for engaging an audience.

"Give me an audience and I love to engage.  The more stories I tell, the more recipes I create," he says.  When not busy with his premiere private catering company or offering customized cooking classes, Chef Scott often  is found in the public eye.   He's remained highly visible in the local and national media since his "Top Chef" appearance in 2007.  He's a frequent guest chef on the ABC show in San Francisco, "View from the Bay." He's cooked several times alongside Kathy Lee on NBC's  "Today" show. And he has his own show, "Cooking with Ryan," on CBS' Los Banos affiliate. You can check out his recent segment featuring our extra virgin olive oil.   "I talk. I have fun. I really believe that food transcends friendship," he says.  "Food makes conversation. Food brings people together."

He began honing his cooking skills at a tender age.  "At age 9, one of my first cooking experiments was a meal for my brother - tuna quesadilla with canned chili over the top," he recalls.  "It's a meal my brother still makes today.  It makes him happy and that's what it's all about."

Chef Scott grew up in California's Central Valley. He's stayed true to his roots with an appreciation for the seasonal bounty.  "The heart of the Central Valley is fresh produce: watermelon, cantaloupes, tomatoes, lettuce greens, garlic, olive oil.  It's what makes the Central Valley such a beautiful place," he says.

Let the Seasons Speak for Themselves
Chef Scott draws inspiration in his cooking from California's bountiful agriculture.   He focuses his dishes around whatever is in peak season.  "You should always dictate your cooking from produce and vegetables first by selecting what's in season," he explains. "From there, look for what will compliment.  Cabbage, leeks, oranges, Fuji apples ... see what is in abundance, see what is bountiful, then plan your meal around it."

A self-proclaimed workaholic, Chef Scott finds time to contribute his culinary talents to many worthwhile organizations, including the American Heart Association and Meals on Wheels. He's also started an annual Thanksgiving Bag Lunch Giveaway for those in need.  "I care about the people that are close to me, and organizations that make a difference," he says.  "Giving back is what's crucial in this world.  If you are a celebrity and don't give back, then you are in this for the wrong reason."

Ryan Scott and Guy FieriChef Scott leads a hectic and varied schedule, one he enjoys thoroughly.   For example, celebrity chef Guy Fieri recently called and asked Chef Scott to join him on his "Roadhouse Tour."  His response: "It was like a kid going to Disneyland for the very first time! We had a blast!"  Even Chef Scott's mom was part of the action.  serving onstage as his sous chef.

(Read Northside Magazine's recap from the event)

So what's on the horizon for Ryan Scott?  "A book for people that can't cook and a book for those who can. It will include something for everyone." A new Web site launches  soon at www.cookingwithryanscott.com which will include a recipe of the week.  And what about a new restaurant?  Well, let's just say all he would tell us is his newest project -  "3SumEats" - will be "rolling out soon."  You can draw your own conclusions.
 Thank You

Stay Healthy in 2010 with California Olive Ranch!


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