News from Migliore Gourmet Foods

Olive trees are the oldest fruit trees and certainly are one of the most important fruit trees in history. Olive tree culture has been closely connected to the rise and fall of Mediterranean empires and other advanced civilizations throughout the ages. Because olive trees offered wealth and future food supplies to established civilizations, the agricultural nations became stable societies, resulting from a secure expectation from past experience of an uninterrupted food and olive oil supply.

Medical properties of olive oil were reported by many ancient Greek writers and philosophers, their importance in creating nutritional benefits and wealth for Greek citizens continues abundantly today.

The Migliore Extra Virgin Olive Oil is grown and produced in Northern California. Our Olive Oil is made with the Arbequina olive, which originally came from a region in Northern Spain called Catalona. The olives were brought into California farming only recently and have been proven in just a few years to do very well in our climate and soil.

The Olive and the Process
For consumption, Olive Oil is classified by how it was produced, by its chemistry, and by its flavor.   The oils that can be extracted from the olive fruit can be classified as follows;

Virgin means the oil was produced by the use of physical means and no chemical treatment. The term virgin oil referring to production is different from Virgin Oil on a retail label.

Refined means that the oil has been chemically treated to neutralize strong tastes (defects) and neutralize the acid content (free fatty acids). Refined oil is commonly regarded as lower quality than virgin oil. Retail labels that state Extra Virgin or Virgin Olive Oil cannot contain any refined oil.

Olive pomace oil means oil has been extracted from the pomace using chemical solvents, mostly hexane and by heat.

Today, during malaxation (churning) and the extraction process (spinning force) into decanters, the olive paste must be kept under 80.6 degree Fahrenheit. After the oil is pressed out of the paste, the dry pits and flesh are sometimes sold to refineries where steam and solvents are used to remove any residual oil. This oil is called olive pomace oil. Olives are harvested in the winter when it is cold. According to IOOC (International Olive Oil Council) regulations this is still considered "cold pressed".

First Press is no longer an official definition for olive oil. A century ago, oil was pressed in screw or hydraulic presses. The paste was subjected to increasingly high pressures with subsequent degradation in the flavor of the oil. Today the vast majority of oil is made in continuous centrifugal (housing with filter basket) presses. There is no second press.

How to care for your Olive Oil
Resist the temptation to place yourbeautiful Bahia bottle of Olive Oil on the windowsill. Light and heat are not good for Olive Oil. Instead, keep your olive oil in a cooler, darker location, tightly sealed (corked is good). Oil doesn't suddenly go rancid; it slowly becomes more oxidized and, as it does, the flavor suffers. Oxygen promotes rancidity. Olive oil is like other oils and can become rancid when exposed to air, light or high temperatures.

Taste Testing Olive Oil
1.  Pour a small amount of olive oil (1 Tablespoon) in a small glass. Cover glass and   shake until the oil adheres to the entire inside of surface. Warm oil in the glass until close to body temperature.
2. Lift glass and sniff. Olive oils have aromas just like wines.
3. Take a sip, but do not swallow it. Roll the olive oil around in your mouth for no less than 6 seconds and spit it out.
4.  A low quality of bad extra-virgin olive oil will leave a lasting aftertaste. An extra-virgin olive oil of high quality may be bitter tasting at first but will leave your mouth clean with no aftertaste and should have some degree of a peppery taste. The pepperiness is notice on finish and will not linger - it is only present when healthy, fresh olives were crushed to make the olive oil - this is why experts always look for this.
5. When tasting many oils, drink lots of water and eat a small piece of bread to cleanse your palate.

Health and Olive Oil
Olive Oil is very healthy oil. The oils contain fatty acids, which can be separated in three kinds: saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. The animal fats contain mostly saturated fat acids, the seed oils polyunsaturated and the olive oil contains mostly monounsaturated fat acids up to 83%. The oleic acid, the main component of olive oil, comprises such a monounsaturated fat acid.

Whenever possible, olive oil should replace saturated fats. Olive Oil also contains polyphenols, flavonoids, antioxidants, and minor constituents (vitamin E, beta-carotene, and squalene).

Additional benefits:
Lower "bad" cholesterol (LDL) in blood
Increase and maintain "good" cholesterol (HDL)
Lower your blood pressure
Benefits the function of the intestine
Prevention of cardiovascular diseases and the protection of the organism from the coronary arteries
The cure of gastric and duodenum ulcer, as it eases the digestion
The decline of the gastric juices
The best immersion of calcium by the organism
Reduce your risk of diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and certain cancers including prostate, colon, and breast cancer.
Revitalizes the skin