Jim Dixon
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Posts posted by Jim Dixon
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This opinion counts, even if I'm a producer, doesn't it?
I think so, but of course I sell the stuff, too.
When I started importing olive oil I wanted to know more about its healthful properties. I eventually came across The Oiling of America by Mary Enig and Sally Fallon. The authors are the execs of the Weston A Price Foundation, and while I don't agree with all of the WAP positions on food, this piece about dietary fats is pretty convincing. Enig basically discovered the dangers of trans fats long ago, and that she was vilified by the industry lobby gives her even more street cred.
Here's another more recent article by Enig and Fallon about canola. It seems fairly well-balanced, if a little long. Read down to the end for the conclusions, including this tidbit:
Modern oil processing is a different thing entirely. The oil is removed by a combination of high temperature mechanical pressing and solvent extraction. Traces of the solvent (usually hexane) remain in the oil, even after considerable refining. Like all modern vegetable oils, canola oil goes through the process of caustic refining, bleaching and degumming--all of which involve high temperatures or chemicals of questionable safety. And because canola oil is high in omega-3 fatty acids, which easily become rancid and foul-smelling when subjected to oxygen and high temperatures, it must be deodorized. The standard deodorization process removes a large portion of the omega-3 fatty acids by turning them into trans fatty acids. Although the Canadian government lists the trans content of canola at a minimal 0.2 percent, research at the University of Florida at Gainesville, found trans levels as high as 4.6 percent in commercial liquid oil.Rancidity is an issue that's often overlooked. As I understand it, ingesting rancid oils increases the level of free radicals in the body (aka oxidants). I won't try to explain the health implications, but the evidence for the health benefits of antioxidants seems overwhelming, so it makes sense that you don't want to consume oxidants.
But for me, the health benefits of extra virgin olive oil are just gravy. It makes almost everything taste good.
Jim
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For most olive oils (except for the artisanal presses) the oil is extracted by sinolea - small knives that cut at the olives over and over, and then centrifuged. Oil is classified as "extra virgin" only if it meets the less than 1% standard of acidity.
Sinolea presses aren't used that much anymore because of the problems of cleaning the "knives," which are actually more like little spatulas. The olives are crushed as with any other press, but the blades dip into the paste and extract the oil using the surface tension that makes the oil cling to the blade. The majority of the better oils are produced using 2 or 3-phrase continuous presses. They separate the oil from the paste more rapidly, and that's key for high quality oil.
There are other criteria that determine extra virgin status beyond the level of free fatty acids expressed as oleic acid (which is not the same thing as "acidity" as most people understand it). See the IOOC web site for more details.
Extra virgin and virgin oils differ only in the level of free fatty acids, but "pure" and all other grades have been refined or rectified. Virgin oil is blended back in to give these oils some flavor, but they have very little of the healthful properties that justify their cost. I think you're better off not using them at all, especially considering the use of benzene, hexane, or other nasty organic chemicals in the refining process.
As the Italian posters have noted, the "low smoke point" is not too relevant unless you're deep frying at very temperatures. Extra virgin is fine for home frying at 375F, although it's a little spendy...however, it can be reused several times (more on frying at the IOOC site, too).
My own feeling is that if you're concerned about health, you should avoid any highly processed foods, and canola, as well as all of the other vegetable oils, definitely fit that category. I use extra virgin olive oil for everything and don't think it has a strong flavor (there is no standard flavor for extra virgin olive oil anyway...it can range from very mild to incredibly bitter as long as the oil scores 6.5 or better in an organoleptic evaluation). But if you want a neutral oil, look for expeller pressed seed oils.
Extra virgin olive oil has other healthful properties besides just being a monosaturate. It has high levels of antioxidants, flavinoids, and other phytonutrients.
Jim
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Oil pressed in 2001 is now 5 years old. While the cold storage might have slowed the process, it's more than likely oxydized to the point of rancidity.
I think you're better off just tossing it.
Jim
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I bought one of those knives from Lee Valley earlier this year. It might be a little big for steak knife (unless you want that big ass steak house knife effect), but it's a great knife. Carbon steel, so you have to be sure to wipe it dry after washing, and it'll pick some stains but that's just part of the deal.
Just last week Judith scored an old carbon steel chef's knife at a garage sale. Blade's about 12 inches, knife maybe 17 inches overall, double-taper, handle still nice and tight. I may not use often, but for $2 I'm very happy to have it.
I generally prefer a sharp, straight blade, but someone gave us a set of German stainless steel serrated steak knives (can't remember which brand, and the logo's worn off the blade) that we use when we need a sharp knife at the table.
If it was me, I'd get the Laguioles. If you're not fussy about which of the many 'original' firms make them, you can usually find them on Amazon. Lee Valley sells, them, too.
Jim
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After many years of brining (no problem with gravy, either), last year I pre-salted the turkey instead. I rubbed sea salt over the exterior, with more on the breast side, then let it dry out overnight in the refirgerator uncovered. Roasted unstuffed and got jucy white meat and nice crispy skin. I plan to do the same this Thanksgiving.
Jim
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Google these:
Le Pigeon, Simpatica, clarklewis, Navarre, Por Que No, Pok Pok
Jim
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Does that mean that this is just about the worst time of year to be buying olive oil from Italy? When does the 2006 harvest start showing up in the U.S.?
Not really. Well made extra virgin olive oil is naturally high in antioxidants (tocopherols, phenols, etc) and will last for about 2 years before it shows signs of oxidation or rancidity. The flavor does mellow a bit over time, so that "peppery" bite may diminish, which some people prefer.
Most Italian oil producers rack or decant the new oil for at least several weeks, some longer, to allow the fine particles to settle out. There are mixed opinions about filtering, but a few of the best producers will gravity filter through cotton for the same reason. The particles can hasten oxidation, and there's an aesthetic consideration as well. Some prefer the cloudy new oil, but just as many prefer their oil to be free of sediment.
I'll probably express air freight a little of the new oil for a restuarant customer, but economics dictate most oil from italy comes by boat. Importers on the east coast have the advantage, but it can still take a few weeks for transport.
So the majority of the oil from the coming press (2006, although some use 2007 since that's when the oil is consumed) won't get here until early next year. We use a lot of olive oil (that's why I started importing it myself), and I wouldn't wait that long. Buy what you need until the new stuff gets here.
Back the Manni oil....it's interesting to see the term "cold pressed" on the box. It's really a marketing phrase and doesn't accurately describe how olive oil is produced any more. IOOC standards allow warm water (up to 26C), which doesn't affect the oil and in fact allows a faster malaxation (sort of like kneading the paste...it agglomerates the oil molecules). Speed is the important factor once the fruit is crushed, and the best oils are all made using modern continous presses.
The phrase "organic farming" may be a violation of federal law if the oil isn't certified by an FDA-approved agancy. That would be an interesting slip for a firm like Whole Foods
Jim
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WARNING
Shameless self-promotion coming up
I import oil directly from several small producers in different parts of Italy and sell it at what I think are reasonable prices (from about $35 to $60 per liter, altho' the bottles are typically 375 ml). All my oils are from the most recent pressing, which in Italy is usually in November.
Prices and ordering info on my site, Real Good Food.
Jim
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eat nothing but lobster roll until it's gone....
Jim
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Rona,
I'll be there on the 12th. I'm usually next to Fred Carlo's sausage stand, so follow your nose to the prepared food aisle (it cuts across the market space near the top or south end).
PFM allows me to sell oil and salt once each month as a 'special vendor.' It's a category that provides shoppers access to foods that are complimentary to the regular market offerings but may not be strictly local.
Jim
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I've been using Ristretto Roasters on NE 42nd just off Fremont. Incredible, small batch, medium roast beans...I'm making the best espresso ever.
Jim
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The Stanich burger is more of an historical icon than good eatin'....there are better versions (eg, made with better beef, served on better buns) all over town.
You can eat pizza for lunch at Nostrana, then hit Apizza Scholls for dinner (go early and be prepared to wait). Ken's is supposed to open before too long, and it's conveniently located roughly between the other two in SE Portland.
While the Hebberoy soap opera has been fueling the rumor mill, the food at clarklewis is still unbelievably good. Navarre's menu has been growing lately and is worht a visit. Por Que No on Mississippi has great ceviche and killer margaritas. Bastas' happy hour menu offers some real bargains. The Simpatica brunch shouldn't be missed, either.
Jim
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My stepson Aaron was the manager at clarklewis until last month (off to NYU law school), and he ws so enthusiastic about Abra's vin de noix we decided to hide the bottle (he's camped in our basement for another couple of weeks before he heads back east).
I'm keeping a close eye on the walnuts so I can make my own, too. I'm happy to ship to anybody else (up to a point, anyway). Let me know if you're interested.
Jim
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How can I ensure that an olive oil in the store is "fresh" - is there an expiration date?
In the EU olive oil is required to have a 'best by' date on the label. My Italian suppliers generally make it about 18 months from harvest and pressing, which in the Mediterranean olive belt is usually around the end of October. I like to put the harvest year on my labels, but I use something like 'harvested and pressed 11/05' for the most recent pressing. Some distributors like to call oil from this harvest '2006' oil since most of it is consumed in '06.
In the US there is no dating requirement, just as there are no real restrictions on what can be called 'extra virgin.' Unless you have a supplier you know and trust, I think you're more likely to find a California oil that's fresher than most of the rest of the stuff in the stores. Look for a COOC certified label (often a small gold seal on the label) to be sure the oil meets the chemical, pressing, and flavor criteria.
Or you can order a bottle from me.
Jim
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From my slightly outdated page on barbecue...
Drink dark beer. Japanese researchers, in an article published in the January 1999 issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry (pretty standard reading for bbq lovers), showed that the 24 beers they tested showed "potent inhibitory effect" against mutagens found in several types of HAAS. Dark beer worked best.Jim
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More than ever, I'm convinced it's the beans.
For the past couple of years I've been eating beans grown by Anthony & Carol Boutard at Ayers Creek Farm (no website, but here's an article about them) and by a group of farmers in eastern Washington & Oregon called Shepherd's Grain.
It may be hard to believe if you've only had canned beans or the frequently ancient dried beans sold at most markets (even in Italy...I once bought a pound of dried beans that looked good but never got tender, a sure sign of age), but the difference is about the same as drinking canned Folgers versus freshly roasted and ground coffee.
I always cook the beans separately (in the same pot I talked about above with just water, olive oil, and salt), and they're so good I eat a lot of them plain. If you want good bean soup, you have to start with good beans (ditto for garbanzos...Shepherd's Grain offers killer garbanzos).
Jim
ps..edited to add that you can good beans by mail from Rancho Gordo
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When I was a kid it was taken as gospel (by the other kids, anyway) that you could kill a person by getting some 'teflon paint' (I've never seen any), applying it to waxed paper, peeling some off after it dried, and inserting a sliver into a cigarette (everybody smoked back then). When the target lit up, they'd inhale the teflon and die.
Jim
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So, before I delve into making potato pancakes, what should I serve with them?
Warning: Culturally incorrect content follows.
Ketchup!
While I'm still partial to my TexMex latkes, I added a handful of Parmigiano to a batch the other night. Very tasty.
Jim
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Warning: Shameless Self Promotion
If you're looking for good olive oil, visit my site (link below in signature). I import directly from small producers in Italy. I also have a very good oil from California, although it's not listed on the web site (which, you'll notice, needs updating...sue me, I'm busy). And, contrary to what my site says, I do have the oil from Don Alfonso back in stock. Email me for details.
As for the 'fresh-pressed' thing, almost all oils from the northern hemisphere are produced in the fall. The 'peppery' quality that produces that back of the throat burn is officially called 'pungency' and is a good indicator of the level of phenolic compounds (the antioxidants in the oil). It is a desirable quality provided it's balanced with fruity and aromatic qualities. You don't notice it so much when the oil is consumed with food.
It's likely that extra virgin olive oil is a very healthful food, but more important is the fact that it is delicious, and it makes the other healthful foods (fresh vegetables, grains, etc) taste even better.
Jim
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Charles,
Jeans are okay anywhere in Portland...I've been eating at clarklewis in shorts and flip flops the last few weeks. If you don't have a dinner reservation, go for lunch.
I like my neighborhood wine shop, Great Wine Buys on NE 15th and Broadway.
See you Friday.
Jim
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Beans, onions, cabbage, carrots, potatoes
olive oil (get something cheap but still extra virgin), bacon (buy the ends and pieces)
Take advantage and sales and your freezer
You may have to work a little more, but you can eat well.
Jim
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Here's an older story about family supper....
Jim
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So-called ‘lite’ olive oil isn’t really extra virgin, even if that’s what it says on the label. There are no regulations on the use of the term in the US, although the California Olive Oil Council has petitioned the FDA to adopt the IOOC’s rules. The lite oil is likely a blend of virgin oil and refined or rectified oil, olive oil that’s been processed to remove flavor defects (and the rest of the flavor, too). I wouldn’t worry too much about it going bad, but I wouldn’t personally use it, either.
True extra virgin oils (virgin and extra virgin are oils produced under IOOC standards and differ in the level of free fatty acid expressed as oleic acid) have a variable shelf life depending on the level of phenolic compounds present (polyphenols and tocophenols). These are antioxidants, the same compounds that give olive oil some of its healthful qualities, and also slow the rate of oxidation (oxidation is the process of going rancid). The phenols are responsible for what is often called a peppery flavor (pungency is the official term), actually a chemical irritant, altho’ a desirable one, that should be balanced with the fruity and bitter flavors.
As Jason noted, estate-quality oils typically have higher levels of phenols, but they can also vary since the phenols also vary from year to year depending on weather, growing, harvest practices, and pressing conditions. But in general, a good olive oil, stored away from exposure to air and light, will last for 2-3 years before showing obvious signs of deterioration.
Freshness is hard to apply to olive oil. In the Mediterranean oil is pressed only in the late fall and early winter, so the only really fresh oil is the viscous, bright yellow-green cloudy stuff you buy at the frantoio.
I don’t recommend refrigeration. Water can condense in the container and drip into the oil. And I remember reading somewhere that oil that was frozen tended to oxidize more rapidly after warming.
If you buy in bulk, you can decant into bottles (dark glass, please) to reduce the amount of oil exposed to the air. You can also use one of those wine preservers that either suck the air out or inject some inert gas into the head space. Store the oil in a cool dark place.
But the best way to ensure that your oil stays ‘fresh’ is to use it liberally. I tell my customers if they don’t go through a 375 ml bottle in a month they’re not eating enough olive oil.
Please remember..I’m not a food scientist. I just sell the stuff (follow the link below).
Jim
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The menu just changed, so some of these may not be available...
The grilled squid appetizer, house-cured boccarones, duck fat potatoes, and porchetta were all amazing. The clarklewis pasta maker, Eduardo, also makes fresh pasta daily for the Gotham, so I always get some kind of pasta. Uncle Margaret's chicken liver ragu is great, but the very simple bevette with pepper and pecorino shows off the pasta itself a little more.
My relationship with the ripe empire is complex (some of my best olive oil customers, employers of my children, and good, talented people who I'm happy to call friends), but theirs is the food I eat most often when I have to pay for it myself.
Jim
Olive Oil Questions, Options, Favorites
in Kitchen Consumer
Posted
If they're blends, they'll have less virgin oil, and virgin oil has the most healthful properties. So the short answer would have to be, "no."
While "Pure EVOO" doesn't fall under the IOOC labeling definitions (and I've never seen any oil labeled as such), you might find it in the US because the FDA has yet to adopt the international standards for olive oil. And that does mean that inexpensive olive oils labeled extra virgin could very well be a blend of refined or rectified oil and virgin oil.
Refined or rectified oils go through basically the same process. The term rectified is used to describe oils that have flavor defects that must be corrected or "rectified" before they're fit to eat. While not all refined or rectified oils are produced using solvents, there's no way of knowing, especially since there are no standards for labeling.
My position is that since you'll be paying a premium for olive oil whether you want the flavor or health benefits, you should stick with true extra virgin olive oil. The conundrum is that because of the FDA's antiquated rules, it's hard to be sure if that oil at the supermarket labeled 'extra virgin' really is.
Here's the short version of the IOOC definition for virgin olive oils:
The 'other characteristics' refer to the organoleptic score of 6.5 or higher, but it should be noted that not every olive oil is tasted and scored....however, virgin oils must pass the test if they are tasted and scored. California olive oils certifed by the California Olive Oil Council have all been tasted and scored.
To ensure you're getting true extra virgin olive oil, you need to find a source you can trust <shameless self promotion> like me </shameless self promotion>, or look for the COOC certification on California oils.
Jim