Culinary uses of Olive Oil and Vinegar
Olive Oil
If you’ve ever eaten a raw olive, you have to wonder how on earth olives were ever discovered to be at all edible or to produce such a heavenly edible oil. Tree-ripened olives are very bitter and need a lot of preparation before they become edible.
Olives absorb the tastes, smells, and flavors of their region so depending on where they were grown and the plant variety, the oils will differ in flavor and quality. Our olives are hand selected Picual and Cornicabra varieties, which produce a bold, rich, yet mellow olive oil. We source exclusively from a region known as “The Garden of the Mediterranean.” Great devotion and meticulous attention goes into farming, harvesting, and processing our olives. At Gourmet ArtisanTM, flavor and quality are our highest priorities so we pride ourselves in bringing to you all the flavors and methods of the Old World to your table today.
Just as with wine, olive oil can be described as smooth, sweet, light, full-bodied, fragrant... But unlike fine wines, olive oil does not benefit from aging. It reaches its peak in its first year. Extra virgin oil degrades more quickly than the more refined oils. Storing it in a refrigerator may help to keep it fresh for longer, but it also makes it more difficult to work with. The vitamin E content helps to preserve it, but essentially, it should be stored away from heat and bright light. Using a dark glass container is the best method to keep it fresh. Our olive oil comes in a dark green glass bottle that helps keep the light out and the oil fresher, longer.
All oils have a temperature threshold at which they “function” properly. If they pass that threshold and get too hot they will produce a lot of smoke. An oil’s smoke point is the temperature at which it has become too hot. Our Gourmet Artisan Extra Virgin Olive Oils have a low smoke point, around 375 degrees Fahrenheit, which makes them more suitable for use in delicate salad dressings or marinades. You certainly can cook with Gourmet Artisan olive oil, and many chefs do, but you will get the best results if you cook it in dishes that require a lower heat.
Our olive oils are so fresh and delicious that using them uncooked is almost the best way to go! Mix our Organic Red Vinegar or Organic Balsamic Vinegar into a vinaigrette dressing, and you will have heaven on the table, or imagine an appetizer of Gourmet Artisan Extra Virgin Olive Oil infused with a little fresh pepper, basil, or thyme... into which, you and friends dip fresh organic bread or whole grain crackers. Try our method for infusing oils, it's a fun project that makes a great gift for party hostesses and more.
Vinegar
Vinegar is a staple in any kitchen. It’s used to season, pickle, preserve, tenderize, and accompany food. There are myriad uses for this wonderful ancient condiment. You’ll find different flavors, fragrances, sourness, acidity, and thicknesses of vinegars depending on their original source and the process used to ferment them. Inventive chefs have added herbs, spices, and fruits to vinegars to infuse them with additional flavor. Vinegar is often used as a fun accompanying condiment to dishes such as fish & chips, or corned beef & cabbage.
Our Gourmet Artisan Organic Red Vinegar is made from a fine Italian red wine which gives it a rich, robust flavor and beautiful rosé color – you could almost drink it! This beautiful and delicious vinegar is perfect for use with salads, Asian soups, or sprinkled over hot potatoes.
Our Organic Balsamic Vinegar is pure perfection! The word balsamic comes from the Italian word for “balm” – a soothing word for a soothing taste. Gourmet Artisan Balsamic Vinegar is sweet and mellow with very low acidity. It is made from grapes pressed and cooked into a dark, smooth, rich liquid, full of flavor. It is delicious as an enhancement to many dishes. Our Balsamic Vinegar may just make your favorite recipes that much better.
We’ll go one step further in our reverie about vinegar - if you have ever smelled chutney slow cooking on a stove, you will truly understand how enticing the aroma of vinegar can be. It is an essential component of any chutney, and chutney is an essential component of many dishes.
There is one aspect of vinegar that any chef should be aware of - vinegar is a solvent, so if stored in plastic or metal, it will become infused with polycarbons or metallic ions. Buy vinegars aged in wood and bottled in glass, ours is sold in an attractive glass bottle. When cooking with vinegar, use a nonreactive cooking pot – something like enamel, rather than metal.