FAQ

Extra virgin olive oil is fruit juice. It is the unrefined, pressed juice of selected olives. This juice must meet chemical analysis requirements to be labeled extra virgin olive oil.

Olive oil should be sealed and stored in a cool, dark place. A pantry or cabinet away from heat and light is recommended to maintain its freshness. Light, heat and air are the primary enemies of olive oil. Packaging in dark glass is also important to shield olive oil from UV rays and light. It does not need to be stored in the refrigerator.

The other enemy of olive oil is “time”. Olive oil does have a shelf life. All of our oils are unrefined and are therefore best consumed as close to the crush/production dates as possible. If stored properly, our oils will hold their fresh flavor for 12-14 months. Over time, the oils will gradually lose their fresh flavor and their polyphenols (antioxidants) and vitamins will decrease. It's important to remember olive oil is a perishable food–all bottled oil will go rancid eventually–but it is said when properly handled, sealed and stored in a cool dark place, olive oil will be 'good' for 18-24 months from the date it was harvested. If your bottle is older than two years, consider starting with a fresh one.

Certainly. You can sauté, grill, bake and fry in extra virgin! Just be careful not to smoke the oil and always work with the oil under controlled heat. Olive oil at high heat has the capacity to burn. Keep the temperature at or below 350 degrees and you should be fine.

Taste is the most obvious difference between olive oil and vegetable oils. Vegetable oils are basically tasteless, and merely add fats without adding taste. Extra virgin olive oil adds a specific fresh flavor all its own, making it a great replacement for butter and margarine in almost any situation. Extra virgin olive oil, plain or flavored, is becoming very popular as a dipping or topping for bread, as an addition to recipes in place of butter, as a component of marinades and salad dressings. Vegetable oils are usually extracted using petroleum-based chemical solvents, and then must be highly refined to remove impurities. Along with the impurities, refining removes taste, color and nutrients. Extra virgin olive oils are not processed or refined. Extra virgin olive oil is fresh pressed from the fruit of the olive tree, leaving the color, taste, vitamins & nutrients intact. The antioxidant components of the olive oil help slow natural oxidation over time.

Extra Virgin Olive oil is an important source of antioxidants. The most important are polyphenols, antioxidants, and tocopherols (vitamin E). There are as many as 5.5 mg of polyphenols antioxidant in every tablespoon of olive oil (15 ml) and 1.6 mg of Vitamin E per tablespoon of olive oil. Total proximate of antioxidants: 7 mg in every 15 ml of olive oil. The US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of antioxidents (vitamins, minerals, polyphenols, etc.) for a 25-year old male for Antioxidants is 120 mg/day. That means that extra virgin olive oil could be 12 % of the daily source of antioxidants in your diet if you just use two tablespoon of EVOO in your salads. And it could be almost 30 % if you drizzled it over fish/meat or roast vegetables or used it for bread dipping. WHY IT’S IMPORTANT TO CONSUME ANTIOXIDANTS? Antioxidants are associated with several healthful effects: - ATHEROSCLEROSIS: Oxidized low-density lipoproteins (LDL) contribute to the progression of human atherosclerosis. Antioxidants have been shown to prevent LDL modification caused by oxidation. The beneficial effects of a Mediterranean-type diet may be defined by the unique antioxidant properties of its phenolic compounds. - ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY: Olive polyphenols have been demonstrated to inhibit or delay the rate of growth bacteria such as Salmonella, Cholera, Staphylococcus, Pseudomonas, and Influenza in vitro. These data suggest a potential role of olive polyphenol antioxidants in promoting intestinal and respiratory human and animal wellness, and as an antimicrobial food additive in pest management programs. - HEART DISEASE: Researchers are fairly certain that oxidative modification of LDL-cholesterol (sometimes called “bad” cholesterol) promotes blockages in coronary arteries that may lead to atherosclerosis and possible heart attacks. Vitamin E may help prevent or delay coronary heart disease by limiting the oxidation of LDL-cholesterol. Research suggests that olive oil helps reduce inflammation throughout the human body. - CANCER: Recent studies have shown that the abundant phenolic antioxidant properties of olive oil have a potent effect on reactive oxygen species associated with colon and breast pathologies. Some polyphenol antioxidants, such as resveratrol, inhibit occurrence and/or growth of mammalian tumors. - SKIN DAMAGE AND PHOTOPROTECTION: The skin damage produced by overexposure to sunrays and environmental stress is related to the destructive activity of free oxygen related radicals produced by skin cells. Polyphenolic components of olive oil have been compared to traditional antioxidants used by the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industry to prevent skin damage. Results show polyphenols as having the highest activity as radical scavengers A variety of other beneficial health effects have been attributed to consumption of foods rich in polyphenolic antioxidants. Among these effects discussed are anti-aging consequences such as slowing the process of skin wrinkling.

Yes - Our EVOO's and our Custom blend Oils are certified - Kosher [Pareve] See our Kosher certificate here.

Yes - All our Olive Oils are gluten free. See our gluten statement here.

Yes - All our Olive Oils are dairy free. The butter flavor is derived from a plant based natural essential oil. Proprietary blend of botanical herbs. See our supplier's allergen information here. Specific details on our Spicy Calabrian Pesto Olive Oil can be found here.

Yes - the butter flavor is derived from a plant based natural essential oil. All our flavored oils are soy free. See our supplier's allergen information here. Specific details on our Spicy Calabrian Pesto Olive Oil can be found here.

Our extra virgin olive oils are produced using the modern technology of centrifuges to separate olive pulp, water and oil. Traditionally, olive mass was first pressed through fiber mats (first cold press) and then subsequently heated water was introduced for further extraction on the same mass (second press). Today, centrifuges provide an oxygen deprived environment for quick, single step extraction preserving the freshness of the fruit.

The base oil is always an Arbequina, as this variety is mild in bitterness and intensity. The base oil changes every 6 months just like our EVOO change. During the Northern Hemisphere harvest the base oil is a Portuguese Arbequina, when the harvest is during the Southern Hemisphere the base oil changes to a Chilean Arbequina. The rotation is done usually when the bulk of the oils change hemispheres. Oct- Nov crush = Late January, early February. May- Jun crush = Late August, early September.

Dark Balsamic Vinegar is made with Trebbiano grapes and on occasion with some Lambrusco grape must. The balsamic undergoes cooking and caramelizing in a copper kettle over an open wood fire before being aged the traditional Solera Method - Modena, Italy. The balsamic is placed in old wood barrels that previously held older batches of aged balsamic vinegar. These barrels, similar to wine barrels, are made from different woods including oak, chestnut, acacia, cherry, mulberry, ash and juniper. These woods add character to the vinegar. ​White Balsamic Vinegar is made by blending white grape must with 100% Italian barreled aged white wine vinegar, both made from Albana, Trebbiano and Montuni grapes which grow exclusively in the region of Modena, Italy. The traditionally cooked grape must is then lightly filtered to remove any skins from the cooked must and is placed into new white oak barrels for aging. The white balsamic condimento is less complex and has not been caramelized over an open wood fire in copper kettles, as the dark condimento has been.

A substance composed of a form of cellulose and acetic acid bacteria that develops fermenting alcoholic liquids, which turns alcohol into acetic acid with the help of oxygen from the air. It is added to wine, cider, or other alcoholic liquids to produce vinegar. Mother of vinegar can also form in store-bought vinegar if there is some on fermented sugar and/or alcohol contained in the vinegar. While not appetizing in appearance, mother of vinegar is completely harmless and the surrounding vinegar does not have to be discarded because of it. It can be filtered out using a coffee filter, used to start a bottle of vinegar, or simply left in and ignored.

No - our balsamic vinegars are not Kosher certified.

Yes - All our balsamic vinegars are gluten free. See our gluten statement here.

Yes - they are both Dairy Free and Vegan.

No - the sugar found in the balsamic vinegars are natural sugars from the fruit/ plant / ingredient. We do no not add any artificial colors, artificial flavors, ingredients, or preservatives to our products. Products are all natural.

No - our balsamic vinegars are unpasteurized therefore contain antimicrobial compounds, acetic acid, and antioxidants.

We recommend 5 years. The acidity in the vinegar acts as a natural preservative. We suggest to use within 5 years to obtain the best flavor profile. Vinegars do not really expire they simply becomes more acidic causing a change of appearance and flavor.