News from il Fustino oils & vinegars

In This Issue

Events

Recipes

Question:
Should I keep my Olive Oil in the refrigerator?

Answer:
No. Keep it in a cool place. Putting it in the fridge causes moisture
condensation, which accelerates spoilage.

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May 2010 Newsletter

Greetings!

Mother's Day May 9, 2010

Showing your appreciation with the gift of your time is a gift that will never go out of style.

Mother's Day is May 9th! Did you know Mother's Day is the single biggest restaurant day of the year? Why deal with the hassle of reservations, the awful prix fixe menu, and the crowds? Mom should be pampered on her very special day. Show her how much you care. Prepare her and your guests this sumptuous, yet easy, menu thoughtfully assembled by the staff of il Fustino. Remember, cooking also includes cleaning: don't leave her with the dishes. See Recipes.

Too Tired to Cook?

Tidbit dishes are also a great gift. Jill Butler's beautifully designed tidbit dishes from the Village Merchants Collection encompass the wealth and richness of European lifestyles, and are easily mixed and matched to achieve a uniquely exciting style. Made of high quality, durable porcelain Diameter - 4.75 inches Price: $7.50 each

il Fustino also offers handcrafted olive oil skin crèmes in three luxurious scents: soothing lavender, energizing eucalyptus, and sporty lemon. Pre-wrapped in an elegant black box embellished with woven raffia. $19.50 for 7 ounce jar

In the News

Santa Barbara Food & Home
Spring Issue
Page 22
"A Very Brief History of Soup"
Featuring: Laura Kirkley
& Chef James R. Kirkley, IV
LINK TO ARTICLE

Debunking Olive Oil Jargon

GRADES OF OLIVE OIL

Quality does matter; know what you're using.

Extra virgin: Extracted from the highest-quality olives. It must have less than 1 percent natural acidity. Great in salads.
Virgin: Processed mechanically (using pressure) and without heat, which changes the oil's acidity to 1 to 5 percent. Good for salad dressings and marinades.
Pure: A mix of refined olive oil (treated with steam and chemicals) and virgin oils. Its acidity ranges from 3 to 4 percent. Good for cooking.
Extracted or refined: Made from whole cull olives, and extracted during a second pressing with a chemical solvent. Sorry, can't recommend consuming, however, works great at cleaning stainless steel.

Source: Wikipedia

THE DA VINCI DECODED LABELS LEXICON

Terms to Know	Definition	The Real Deal
Blended olive oil	Combinatiion of various olive types, regions, and contries	Grocery store brands are often blended
Imported from Italy	Gives the impression that the olives were grown in Italy	The fact is, the oil was bottled there
100% pure olive oil	A quality found in retail grocery stores	Better grades include "virgin" on the label
Made from refined olive oil	Hints that the essence is inside the bottle	In reality, the taste and acidity were chemically produced
Light olive oil	Insinuates a low fat content	The term points to a lighter color, not fewer calories or less fat
From hand-picked olives	Suggests that Mom and Pop gave the olives personal TLC	Vague about the harvest method; hands-on or tree-shaking
First cold press	Implies this is the number-one oil that came from the first press of the olives	The key word is "cold," because if heat is used, the olive oil's chemistry is changed