Life with the olive

Cooking with olive oil has been around for thousands of years. Not only is it versatile, in that it can be used for sautéing, stir-frying, browning, marinades and as a main player in a host of condiments, pure olive oil is one of the key elements to a healthy mediterranean-style diet. enjoy as a bread dipper with a scratch of fresh garlic or simply drizzle it over some fresh vegetables and toss them on the grill. The following are some great local choices when shopping for the best.

VIVA OLIVA over her first few years, Newville has developed a devoted, local following. favorite flavors of customers include: mushroom and sage; herbs de Provence; and Persian lime cayenne. She also offers over 20 unique flavors of balsamic vinegars, which can be sampled in store.

Paseo Nuevo shop Viva oliva opened four years ago under the skillful hand of Andi Newville. A woodworker by trade, she handcrafted all the luxurious cabinetry in the store. After a series of health challenges, Newville discovered the benefits of polyphenol, which is abundant in extra virgin olive oil, and thus became a fanatic. She explains, “eVoo cleanses arteries and flushes out the system. It’s an anti-inflammatory and pain reliever.” oh, and it tastes delicious too!

Viva oliva sources oil year round, so it’s incredibly fresh. The Northern hemisphere harvests between octoberdecember and the Southern hemisphere runs April-June. Cold pressed extra virgin olive oil arrives less than two months later into her shop. Newville tests chemistry levels to ensure quality on all her oils.

Viva oliva recently expanded to include additional accouterments, such as salts, seasonings, decanters and dishware. vivaoliva.com

IL FuSTINO

“olive oil is a high touch business,” says Jim Kirkley, co-owner, along with his wife Laura, of Il fustino stores in San Roque and the new Santa Barbara Public market. “People have to taste it to buy it, so we take our time to educate our customers.”

People love to wander the store and sample, however Kirkley does warn of palette fatigue, which leaves newbies feeling overwhelmed with choice.

After seeing a similar idea on a vacation, the foodie couple brought the concept back to Santa Barbara and built their first store in 2008. The Kirkley’s game plan for Il fustino was to create a regional, small-production, high-quality olive oil company and to purchase their entire stock exclusively from prize-winning, California-based olive growers to ensure consistency.

The boutique operation offers corporate gift baskets with local, artisan products, including a selection of extra virgin olive oils, candies and jellies. for more info visit www.ilfustino.com

GLOBAL GARDeNS

Theo Stephan has long known about the treasures of olive oil. Back in 1997, she was the first to plant olive trees in Santa Barbara County. Imported from Crete, these trees have now flourished into a grove of 2000 in Los Alamos.

foodies flock to Caliterranean Cafe, her restaurant, which offers cooking classes and a range of delectable eats. A leader in the organic, cold-pressed olive oil movement, Stephan wrote the definitive book on vinegars and extra-virgin olive oils and has plenty of suggestions about how to put them to work in your kitchen.

first up, Stephan notices a trend with desserts using olive oil. She says, “People are cutting down on sugar and have metabolism concerns. olive oil offers a healthy fat replacement.” She also promises the best chocolate cookie you have ever tasted—and yes, it’s made with extra virgin olive oil, which adds exquisite dimension to the flavor.

ever adventurous in her kitchen Stephan also mentions other favorite items made with extra virgin olive oil: baklava, tortillas, salmon, leg of lamb, and pasta with raw vegetables. Stephan adds, “once people taste real, local, extra virgin olive oil, they are shocked. for more info, visit: www.globalgardensonline.com

By Jenn Kennedy