It Is Best To Make Your Own Flavored Oil

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We are often asked why we do not offer a flavored olive oil. The simplest answer is a flavored olive oil is not extra virgin because it includes additives. Some additives are worse than others. Any oil that has any vegetative matter in it, like herbs, goes rancid very quickly. Oils that are processed by adding fruit during the crush are less subject to oxidation but the additives still contribute to quick deterioration. Oftentimes producers will create a flavored oil from a sub-standard oil in order to mask the lesser quality oil.

Instead we recommend that you make your own infused oils when you want them in the quantity that you want them. In this way all your separate ingredients are as fresh as possible. Making your own infused oil is as simple as making a salad dressing, simply add some lemon, whisk, and let set a little while. You can also heat the oil in a pan and add your favorite spices to make a savory infused oil. It is very simple and tasty and most importantly very fresh.

Flavored oils are easy to use and we have tasted some that were quite good. But in the end we prefer to go with the best of both worlds by making our own with the freshest olive oil and the freshest ingredients.

Rachel Ray’s California Olive Oil Trail

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We were delighted to learn that Rachel Ray included Apollo Olive Oil as one of eight Northern California olive oil producers featured in the travel section of her June magazine. Recognition from such a national food icon is a great feather in our cap, and we welcome your visit! Just please call ahead to be sure one of us can take you around.

Polyphenols are a Many Splendored Thing

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Polyphenols are powerful antioxidants that are found in real extra virgin olive oil. Until recently, the main benefit of olive oil was believed to come from its heart-safe monounsaturated fat. However, recent studies have shown that even more health benefits come from the polyphenols and antioxidants in real extra virgin olive oil. Of the thirty or so polyphenols in olive oil, one in particular, hydroxytyrosol, is primarily responsible for the reduction of inflammation. Companies have sprung up to extract hydroxytyrosol from olive oil, to create concentrated medicinal forms of it for sale to the public.

The question naturally arises – Is it better to take a concentrated extract of a single polyphenol, or to get the whole spectrum found in real extra virgin olive oil, which is a natural, raw product? Well, nutrition expert, Prof. John Finley, believes firmly that it is better to get our antioxidants from whole foods rather than from extracts. In general, the different ingredients in whole foods act as catalysts for each other, synergistically giving benefits that outweigh that of taking a singular, concentrated extract. Not to mention that the long-term effects of taking large doses of single compounds is not well understood. In his view, it is better to consume our food the way nature has created it; it is a much more gentle and holistic approach to maintaining good health. Here’s the entire article with Prof. John Finley.

To Filter or Not to Filter, That is the Question.

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We’re frequently asked if we filter our oils. This question often comes from reading some faulty information on the internet or thinking olive oil is somehow similar to apple juice in this regard.

We filter our oils with mechanical means – meaning there is no chemical reaction. The newly milled oils are just passed through very fine meshes and a special felted paper designed specifically for trapping the olive particles and juices. Based on the recommendations of Marco Mugelli, the pioneer of naturally preserving olive oil polyphenols, we do this in-line, immediately after the oil is extracted and before it is pumped into a tank. This way, almost no sediment remains and there’s no chance anaerobic decomposition of the sediment will produce off smells during storage. Once spoilage begins to happen, other chemical processes kick in that rapidly lead to oxidation, rancidity, and unpleasant smells and tastes.

Some people centrifuge their oil to remove particulate matter, but this method introduces a lot of oxygen which reacts with the antioxidants in the oil. We also used this method early on, but we found that our oils lost their freshness due to the excessive oxidation much more quickly.

Others rack their oils the old-fashioned way to remove the vegetable water and particulate matter. After a cloudy oil has been in a tank for days or weeks, the sediment will have settled to the bottom, and then the clear oil is pumped into another container. We used to use this method early on as well and found the same problem with the freshness not lasting as long as we wanted.

Some olive oils are sold as “unfiltered”, conjuring up the benefits of unfiltered apple juice – as though this was a positive aspect in olive oil; it is not. The difference is that fresh, unfiltered apple juice is consumed almost immediately, whereas extra virgin olive oil, even though it is also a fresh product, is supposed to last for about two years. Particles suspended in olive oil usually begin anaerobic spoilage within a month or two, which is also one reason we never put herbs or other things into our oils.

Two years ago we had the polyphenol levels analyzed twice – as soon as the oils were made and again after the summer, 8 months later. We found, to our surprise, that the levels hadn’t changed a bit! Our oils are very stable because we take every precaution to avoid oxidation and prevent spoilage. We’re confident that immediate mechanical filtering is one of the keys to the exceptionally high polyphenols, and beautiful award-winning aromas and flavors – as well as the long shelf life of our oils.

Eat, Drink, and Be Local

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This year, our little rural community around Oregon House has experienced the spontaneous flowering of a local food movement that Apollo Olive Oil is proudly supporting. It all started very simply, with a small group of local food lovers and farmers meeting to explore how we can help our own neighbors enjoy the great produce growing right here. It turned out that most of our community had no idea how many wonderful things are quietly being produced right here in the hills of north Yuba county. Our rural area is tucked far away from any large grocery stores, so it made sense to many of us to bring our neighbors together with the local food producers.

This simple, initial effort has blossomed happily into a number of creative and practical ideas that have helped our local farmers sell their produce nearby, while delivering amazingly fresh, tasty food to their delighted neighbors. Now, the tiny, local farmer’s markets are cooperating in advertising for each other. The local community center hosts a wine-tasting lunch each Saturday that features local foods and wines (where Gianni volunteers to setup, wait tables, and clean up). Several maps of the local farm and wineries have been produced for visitors to tour farms in the area, meet producers, and learn about the wealth of real, good food growing right here. All the local wineries got together and created a “North Sierra Wine Trail and Discovery Adventure” to allow visitors to experience the area’s hidden gems. And, inspired by all this activity, a few individuals have started their own roadside farm stands.

This food movement has neighbors sharing their talents, making new friendships, and strengthening the local community – besides eating better and promoting neighborly business! We highly recommend all small town communities give it a try – it is well worth the effort.

Check out the first annual Wine Trail event  THIS WEEKEND – you can come either Saturday or Sunday.

The wine-tasting lunches are on Saturdays, through Labor Day.

Finally, here’s the web site promoting our new local initiative, North Yuba GROWN.

Taking Home the Trophy

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This weekend we headed down to the Yolo County fairgrounds to accept the trophy for the “Best of the Best” California olive oil, won by our 2012 Gold Series Coratina. The local press was there to mark the event. The judges found our Coratina to be the best organic olive oil and then, when judged against the best non-organic olive oils, it was again found to be the best overall.  We really like this little-known variety, and with over 250 olive oils in the competition this year, we’re happy it got the recognition it deserves.

Pictured (left to right) – Jean Malcolm, Office Staff, Umberto Stefanini, son,  Gianni Stefanini, Diana Stefanini owners of Apollo Olive Oil and Bart Vannucci, Director, Yolo County Fair Board.

Extra Virginity – A Book Worth Reading

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Extra Virginity – The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil

Tom Mueller’s new book was just released on December 5 and is available at Amazon.com. It is an engrossing book with a simple and direct style that is so fun to read it took just a few sittings to finish. It weaves the history of olive oil among wonderful anecdotes of the fascinating people and places he has visited through the years. You will learn countless surprising facts, like the tradition of olive oil fraud is over 5000 years old, documented by cuneiform tablets found near modern day Aleppo in Syria that describe combating olive oil fraud by naming an “olive oil surveillance team at Nuzar.” He tells the 19th-20th century tale of butter vs the newly invented margarine that illustrates that food fraud in the US is old and common place.

He also tells many personal stories of deeply committed small producers struggling to make high quality olive oil. You join Mr. Mueller in his own journey in going from knowing little about olive oil to appreciating its many nuances and in doing so you learn a great deal along the way. And of course, along the way,  you learn the essential healthful benefits of real extra virgin olive oil’s bitterness and pungency that at first are hard to understand but then become your friend and you look for them in every olive oil you taste. In the end you are left with a renewed appreciation of the producers of real extra virgin olive oil and the individuals who can appreciate its deep gifts.

Olive Oil Protects Against Stroke

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The link below is from an ABC News Health article about a recent study from France that shows a correlation between reduced stroke risk and high consumption of extra virgin olive oil. They studied 7,625 participants over a period of 5.25 years. While they accounted for other dietary factors they mention you cannot separate the fact that extra virgin olive oil makes other foods that are healthy for you taste better so you eat more of them like fruits, vegetable, legumes, and fish. They found that the higher the consumption of extra virgin olive oil the lower the risk of stroke. The study did not distinguish if the olive oil consumed was specifically extra virgin but they noted all olive oil sold in France is extra virgin.

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/CardiacHealth/olive-oil-protects-stroke/story?id=13849901

Another UC Davis Study Confirms Poor Quality of National Brands

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The link below details a second study made by UC Davis confirming their earlier study that the most popular national brands of olive oil fail sensory testing and the IOOC standards while at the same time passing the three traditional chemical tests for determining high quality olive oil. The earlier study was criticized by some large producers as being biased so for this study they took larger samples and had two labs accredited by the IOOC to do the analysis. The results were essentially the same as the results in the earlier study.

It is interesting that a human taste panel can still detect more defects caused by oxidation than the established chemical tests. This is why new tests are being developed, primarily by Australia and Germany, to be able to better detect oxidation in olive oil. The study also details the findings using these new methods of chemical anaysis. It is worth reading the entire study.

http://www.olivecenter.ucdavis.edu/report%20041211%20final%20reduced.pdf