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We (ahem, I) love food. I feel like it’s really my life purpose, part of the human experience. I’ve said many times my dream job would be to travel the world and eat and be Anthony Bordain. I still believe that and have sort of been able to achieve that. We travel a lot and I always make a point to eat at the local joints. Plus, we live in NYC, the mecca of international cuisine. And Queens is ground zero for ethnic flavors. Greek? Indian? Italian? Mexican? Forget it. We go beyond that. It’s which Island in Greece, which part of Mexico and let’s not even go into Sicilian vs. the rest of Italy.
And now, all this + quarantine has brought out the best chef in all of us. Go ahead and yourself on the back – I bet you even make better chicken nuggets now than you did in 2019.
And the fun part? There are simple staples that you can keep on-hand that will flavor ALL your dishes better. Like olive oil.
Fun fact: European Extra virgin olive oil is made by pressing olive oil, without heat or chemicals; it’s known as the first cold-pressed olive oil. Extra virgin olive oil is virtually free of acidity—below 0.8%. If the percentage of oleic acid (fatty acid) is too high, it indicates improper production and rancidity – meaning it won’t taste right. A panel of trained, expert tasters tests for taste defects and the presence of positive attributes of fruitiness, bitterness, and spiciness. If the oil doesn’t have the signature fruity taste and harmonious balance, it won’t receive an Extra Virgin rating.
It also has a high smoking point of 400°F, so it is suitable for cooking and baking. Note – you shouldn’t be using oils in sautees if they don’t have a high smoke point – it can bring out carcinogens! Use those to drizzle on salads and breads raw.
This is why I love using extra virgin olive oil in my sauteed and roasted veggies, and of course the signature Italian dish – risotto. I drizzle it on my salads, my bread, basically everything. I also love it in many of my dips (see my roasted red pepper dip here), and of course, it’s a staple in my Italian cooking.
So what’s a great brand or option? Right now I am loving: Le Stagioni d’ Italia. They take great pride in bringing authentic Italian foods from seed to
shelf, selecting seeds, harvesting crops, and packaging foods in their state-of-the-art production facilities in Northern Italy. Not only do they make olive oil, they make your risotto rice, too (yes! There is different rice to use for risotto!).
Le Stagioni d’ Italia’s short, fully traceable supply chain is guaranteed sustainable and the great care they take with processing creates exceptional taste. It’s also harvested in Italy, it is vegan, gluten-free, and contains no additives or preservatives.
Do you have a favorite olive oil or recipe? Share with me below! 🙂
This is a sponsored post on behalf of Flavor Your Life and Mom’s Meet. All opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting Football Food and Motherhood!
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