News May 2008
| 04.22.2008 |
New Products Abound at The Olive Tap
Fresh Extra Virgin Olive Oil is always available here at The Olive Tap. We source oils from both the Northern and Southern hemisphere, so you always have selections that are just a few months old.
The fine folks at Boundary Bend on the Murray River in Australia have provided us with some outstanding oils that continue to be hits here at The Olive Tap. Recently they received several awards for these oils, including Blue, Gold, Silver and Bronze ribbons. These guys make unbelievably high quality, great tasting EVOO year in and year out. This year they have broadened the selection to include a rare Picholine Extra Virgin Olive Oil. We currently have this fine Picholine, a sweet Hojiblanca, a Barnea, and an outstanding Koroneiki.
Picholine, referred to as the Olive of Provence, France is characterized by Charles Quest-Ritson as "lacking bitterness, mild, almost sweet. It is full of fruit, and ever so lightly peppery, pale in color, well balanced, rich and elegant." We have a limited supply of approximately 100 bottles remaining of this wonderful oil, so don't delay in getting some before it runs out.
The Hojiblanca is every bit as good as last years, and has already made a hit with Olive Tap customers. Those of you who have ordered Hoji in the past will appreciate its light buttery flavor and texture.
The Sweet Barnea is a new oil here at the Olive Tap. It replaces the extremely mild and buttery Manzanillo we offered last winter. Barnea is so mild, it is the neutral flavored olive oil of choice for baking, where no olive flavor is desired. This is also a great choice for those thast want the health benefits of Extra Virgin Olive Oil, but not the taste.
The Koroneiki may well be the finest of the lot. Native to the Pellopenesian penninsula in Greece, the Koroneiki olive produces a very well-balanced and flavorful oil. It is sweet and fruity, and has a high polyphenol count making it both good tasting and very good for your health. It is the Polyphenols that give Extra Virgin Olive Oil its heart healthy and cancer preventative properties, and this Koroneiki has a high count well into the 200's.
Vincotto is coming to The Olive Tap.
A favorite Southern Italian condiment, Vincotto is virtually unknown here in the United States. The Olive Tap plans on changing that. Vin Cotto translated means cooked wine. The Calogiuri family uses two distinct kinds of grapes, crushes them and cooks the resultant juice (must) until it is reduced by 80%. It is then placed in wooden barrels with a starter to begin a 4-year process that produces a thick, sweet product that adds a layer of flavor to your favorite foods.
The Olive Tap will be offering Vincotto in several flavors and styles including Originale, Hot Pepper, Carob, Orange, and Sweet Lemon. We currently have 250 ml bottles starting at $16.95, and anticipate offering 100 ml bottles in March.
See our article: How to use Vincotto and Vincotto Recipes in our Recipe area.
Pear White Balsamic Vinegar is now available.
New to The Olive Tap for March, this sweet-tart Pear Flavored Balsamic Vinegar has great potential as a spring and summer favorite. The Pear flavor is not too strong, but it is definately present in this pleasing taste combination. Great in salads, we see a lot of potential when it is drizzled over steamed, roasted and grilled vegetables.
Sign up for our new Olive Tap newsletter
Starting in late September, we will publish a monthly e-mail newsletter. We have struggled with printing a newsletter that we could economically get out to over 3,000 loyal Olive Tap customers. By going digital, we can get more information out in a timely and easy to read format.
If you are not on our e-mail newsletter list, go to the newsletter page on this website and send us a request.
The New Olive Tap Sampler is a big hit.
Our new Olive Tap Sampler features 5 of our most popular Olive Oils and Balsamic Vinegars in 100 ml bottles. If you are not sure of what you want to order, or need a special gift with lots of variety, the Sampler will fill the bill. Check it out in the Gift Basket section of the catalog.
