[RickFLM4]

[RickFLM4]

Originally Posted by m630

Lets talk olive oil, as it is the foundation of all good food, imho. seriously.

I suppose I take for granted where I live and the availability of high quality products as well as family/friends in Italy.

So for all, Olive oil is a product just like many others, there are good and then so so, and you should understand what the grades are.

Extra Virgin - for eating, drinking cooking, its all that I use. It is the first pressing of the olives

Virgin - second pressing of the olives.

Pure - third pressing of those same olives!

anything after pure is likely not 100% olive oil, there is no 'light' olive oil in reality.

so then you want to focus on Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and like many things, there is a very wide variety and price points, but trust me, like with everything, you get what you pay for.

Olive oil is green, it has to be if its from green olives! if it doesn't have a green tint well that tells you the quality.
However, many people many not appreciate this and think that buying a bottle of oil for a few $$ is all the same..no, olive oil is pricy when you buy high quality and rightly so as its the foundation for all that you eat when you cook and want to eat great food. I often have family friends send me by the gallon fresh pressed oil from Sicily. Now I know that is not possible for most, so I have a great option from a grower that has expanded globally.

If you would like to experience that taste which you are looking for, I may suggest you look up this company and order from them. I suggest you adopt a tree and get the full package. It will change your life.

I have never seen that olive oil but looked them up. Looks good. Think I’ll order a bottle.

[m630]

Originally Posted by RickFLM4

interesting! thank for posting. I do take exception with their results, I'm sorry California cannot compare to an Italian, let alone a Sicilian Olive oil. Of those they displayed, I use and like Colavita when I do not have my local Sicilian oils to use and Id recommend to anyone to try if they want a mid-tier oil that is usually in most supermarkets.

but that good point they show is that you should drink your olive oil, if you can't stomach it, then its not high quality as its so healthy straight up, never waste that oil at the bottom of the salad bowl!!!!

[m630]

Originally Posted by RickFLM4

I have never seen that olive oil but looked them up. Looks good. Think I’ll order a bottle.

They do not sell in stores, only direct... I hope you enjoy!!!!

[m630]

Originally Posted by M_Six

Oh, how I miss New England tomatoes. Something about the soil there makes them taste so much better. The tomatoes here in corn country are almost all hothouse or hydroponic and have little or no taste at all. Even ones grown in someone's garden are flat compared to the ones we used to get back east. The French would attribute it to Terroir.

Its one of those things u don't realize until you can't have them. I've eaten them near daily and often grown them throughout my life and I couldn't imagine not having great tomatoes available on demand.

I really enjoy the heirloom varieties, this was the prep for Turkey day

If I can ever assist, don't hesitate to ask ....

[dreamingat30fps]

Originally Posted by m630

Lets talk olive oil, as it is the foundation of all good food, imho. seriously.

I suppose I take for granted where I live and the availability of high quality products as well as family/friends in Italy.

So for all, Olive oil is a product just like many others, there are good and then so so, and you should understand what the grades are.

Extra Virgin - for eating, drinking cooking, its all that I use. It is the first pressing of the olives

Virgin - second pressing of the olives.

Pure - third pressing of those same olives!

anything after pure is likely not 100% olive oil, there is no 'light' olive oil in reality.

so then you want to focus on Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and like many things, there is a very wide variety and price points, but trust me, like with everything, you get what you pay for.

Olive oil is green, it has to be if its from green olives! if it doesn't have a green tint well that tells you the quality.
However, many people many not appreciate this and think that buying a bottle of oil for a few $$ is all the same..no, olive oil is pricy when you buy high quality and rightly so as its the foundation for all that you eat when you cook and want to eat great food. I often have family friends send me by the gallon fresh pressed oil from Sicily. Now I know that is not possible for most, so I have a great option from a grower that has expanded globally.

If you would like to experience that taste which you are looking for, I may suggest you look up this company and order from them. I suggest you adopt a tree and get the full package. It will change your life.

I'm going to have to try it! Everything we have tried is basically the same, rather flavorless oil. Fancier places seems to infuse the oil with other flavors. I mean... its OLIVE oil... they should all taste like freaking olives. Yes that one in Spain was the only one I've ever had that tasted like olives.

[dreamingat30fps]

Hmmm decided to find the place we ate the ham and olive oil at online. Looked at their menu online to see if I could find any clues. All it says is

Acorn-Fed Iberian Loin
Picual Olive Oil

Picual seems to be a kind of olive oil, unfortunately not a specific brand.

[RickFLM4]

Originally Posted by dreamingat30fps

Hmmm decided to find the place we ate the ham and olive oil at online. Looked at their menu online to see if I could find any clues. All it says is

Acorn-Fed Iberian Loin
Picual Olive Oil

Picual seems to be a kind of olive oil, unfortunately not a specific brand.

Picual is a type of olive. There is some Picual EVOO on the La Tienda site.

If really interested in finding exactly what you had before, try emailing or calling the restaurant. No guarantee you’ll be able to find it easily but at least you’ll know what it is.

[AlpineWhite_SJ]

Originally Posted by dreamingat30fps

Hmmm decided to find the place we ate the ham and olive oil at online. Looked at their menu online to see if I could find any clues. All it says is

Acorn-Fed Iberian Loin
Picual Olive Oil

Picual seems to be a kind of olive oil, unfortunately not a specific brand.

Looks like it’s a common type of Olive in Spain - you could order a couple brands and see if they come close

[dreamingat30fps]

Originally Posted by RickFLM4

Picual is a type of olive. There is some Picual EVOO on the La Tienda site.

If really interested in finding exactly what you had before, try emailing or calling the restaurant. No guarantee you’ll be able to find it easily but at least you’ll know what it is.

Originally Posted by AlpineWhite_SJ

Looks like it’s a common type of Olive in Spain - you could order a couple brands and see if they come close

Well I did some more research and read a review from someone who claimed to like it so much they bought a bottle.... hmmm... found their site and they seems to have a store. This is the only olive oil they sell on the store.

https://www.amazon.com/Oro-Bailen-Fa...grocery&sr=1-4

Gonna give it a shot and see!

[bobowar135]

Blue cheese and crackers, with a glass of port, happy days.

[FuriouslyFast]

I'll be doing cheese & chocolate fondue for NYE

[cmyx6go]

Originally Posted by dreamingat30fps

At home I usually just eat olives and feta cheese since that's what we typically have in the fridge. When we go out to places I love getting charcuterie boards when they have them.

However I have yet to find a meat or olive oil that matched the one I had in Spain at a particular restaurant. All the food in Spain was great, but only one place had the best olive oil I've ever had and one of the best hams I've ever had. I have been looking for something like it ever since and have yet to find it. The olive oil had a green tint to it and tasted like actual olives. The ham was like a serrano ham but with this amazing taste of hazelnuts. Never found anything like it, even in other parts of Spain.

Not sure what kind of Olive oil you are using. You have to use extra virgin olive oil. It tends to be more green in color. I was using Colavita Mediterranean Extra Virgin for a while. It had good flavor. You can google around for other Italian, Spanish or Greek brands.

EDIT - I should learn to read the rest of the posts before I respond. I see many jumped in already.

[cmyx6go]

Originally Posted by m630

Now to the thread. Luv cheese and olives. Love Love them! Whether for holidays or for a nite at home, you can't go wrong.

Now being from NY, not sure about that summer sausage name, but give me italian style cured meats all day long with my cheese and olives, and Im happy, along with a nice bottle of wine of course!

Id also suggest the inclusion of tomato as a great accent!

For the holiday I always do big spreads to start, sometimes as many as 10 or more cheeses along with different salami and soppressata and also pepperoni and prosciutto di parma.

If you luv olives and onions, i may suggest a traditional Bariese app, its made with green (sicilian) olives and vedalia onions and its made like a pan pizza. I do it two ways, the traditional way is made like a pie, ie another layer of dough on top of the pie, but for many friends and for parties to lighten it up I delete the top dough and just make as a sort of onions and olive pizza if you will. its devine!

Also, simply adding burrata to anything makes it great!!

Ive also gotten into roasting shishito peppers a few different ways, they are crowd pleasers every time I put out.

Ohh the options here, and Im hungry!!!

m630 Just give me that pan of peppers and a good fresh loaf of Italian bread and I'm a happy camper! I'm guessing you also have a handful of vowels in your name. I'd rather eat the antipasta than the meal. Great spread!

[m630]

Originally Posted by cmyx6go

m630 Just give me that pan of peppers and a good fresh loaf of Italian bread and I'm a happy camper! I'm guessing you also have a handful of vowels in your name. I'd rather eat the antipasta than the meal. Great spread!

Grazie!! Im with u, great italian bread and peppers n onions and im all good!

Ciao!

[UncleWede]

Why you guys have to go RUIN all those beautiful pictures of cheeses and meats and tomatoes with OLIVES and PICKLES??????

Course, I love olive OIL, I just can't stand to eat olives. I even have 2 trees in my back yard. Not mature enough to give any fruit yet, but hoping this year.

When I get in the mood for a snacking cheese, we seem to always have a quarter of Manchego in the fridge. I don't SHARE it with anyone but my wife though . . .

[KenB925]

My current cheeses of choice:
gruyere
brie
taleggio (like an Italian brie, a bit stinkier)
toma

[M_Six]

Originally Posted by UncleWede

Why you guys have to go RUIN all those beautiful pictures of cheeses and meats and tomatoes with OLIVES and PICKLES??????

Course, I love olive OIL, I just can't stand to eat olives. I even have 2 trees in my back yard. Not mature enough to give any fruit yet, but hoping this year.

When I get in the mood for a snacking cheese, we seem to always have a quarter of Manchego in the fridge. I don't SHARE it with anyone but my wife though . . .

Love me some tomatoes and OLIVES and PICKLES. Just bought some locally produced spicy bread and butter chips. Very tasty with the cheese. My sister grows and jars up her own bread and butter pickles, too.

[upstatedoc]

Originally Posted by dreamingat30fps

Hmmm decided to find the place we ate the ham and olive oil at online. Looked at their menu online to see if I could find any clues. All it says is

Acorn-Fed Iberian Loin
Picual Olive Oil

Picual seems to be a kind of olive oil, unfortunately not a specific brand.

my god man the nitrates

[M_Six]

Originally Posted by upstatedoc

my god man the nitrates

YOLO, dude, YOLO.

[Hawkeye]

I don't have a picture of it loaded up but I made a charcuterie board for my MIL since she hosts large family get togethers so often. Was a good Christmas gift.

[andrewmr]

Originally Posted by m630

Its one of those things u don't realize until you can't have them. I've eaten them near daily and often grown them throughout my life and I couldn't imagine not having great tomatoes available on demand.

The only good thing that comes out of New Jersey...... tomatoes.....