Olive Oil, Balsamic Vinegars, and Specialty Oils in the New Year

Not only is 2009 coming to an end, but with the conclusion of 2009, so ends the last DECADE of our lives! Can you believe it? Beginning in 2000, when everyone thought Y2k was going to possibly end life as we knew it, to the scandals and historic celebrity deaths that happened (especially in the past year), we sure have been through a lot! With the decline of our economy, people are starting to really realize how precious life really is. Experience it all to the fullest!  And of course… taste all of the delicious things life has to offer!

Cooking is once again becoming an important part of people’s lives. Gourmet food and fine cuisine from home isn’t so uncommon anymore. Buying finer ingredients like high quality Olive Oils and Vinegars will also be a trend that continues to grow in 2010. As people’s tastes become more discerning, so their buying habits will shift and change.

We love being apart of this industry that fosters growth, health, nutrition, family gatherings, and friendly gatherings.

We are looking continuing on the legacy of being the Best in Olive Oils and Vinegars – and of course supplying Wholesale Olive Oil and Bulk Vinegars to our valued clients.

Cibaria wishes you a safe and prosperous New Year! Happy 2010!

Merry Christmas From Cibaria!

It’s everyone’s favorite time of year. Delicious food, gifts, wonderful drinks, great company, and decorated homes. Can you believe this will already be the last Christmas of the decade? We can’t!

We want to wish all of our customers, brokers and friends, a Very Merry Christmas! We’re thankful for all of you!

Merry Christmas from Cibaria International!

Please Note that Our Facility will be closed on December 24th and 25th, as well as on December 31st, and 1st.

Bulk Olive Oil – Wholesale Olive Oil - Olive Oil Supplier

The Secret to Buying Wonderful Olive Oil

Deciphering what olive oil to select can often be as tough as choosing wine. Just as wine, tastes also vary quite a bit. Your friends may like a more peppery olive oil, while you may like something fruitier, or perhaps one with more buttery tones. The art of choosing the perfect olive oil really is a very personalized one.  When standing at your local grocery store or while browsing a fine foods website, you’re faced with an immense amount of different options. Various regional varietals are available, different styles, and of course different brands. How do you know what quality olive oil really is?  Today, we’re going to find out!

Since olive oil is used for so many different purposes, choosing an olive oil for an individual dish may not be a sound idea, unless you’re a five-star chef with a hefty budget in hand. In most cases, you’ll want to get the best use out of a finer olive oil, so you must be sure you are 100% happy with it, and that it’s versatile in your cooking style.

Regional Olive Oils, and What You Should Know

Greek Olive Oil: Greece is one of the top three olive oil producing countries, and Greek olive oil is the finest in the world. Greece devotes 60% of its cultivated land to olive growing. Before buying you should consider that green olive oil is most likely a product of green olives, harvested before ripening, and is highly prized by many. Golden-yellow olive oil is generally the product of olives that have been allowed to ripen longer. Both green and golden-yellow oils can be extra virgin oils.A bitter or sharp taste usually indicates that the olives were not ripe when picked. Oil made from ripe olives has a mild, fruity taste. Taste is entirely a matter of preference, and oils made from both unripened and ripened olives have wide appeal.

Italian Olive Oil: The Italians take great pride in their superb olive oil production and bottling. Some of the finest olive oils in the world are also produced in Italy. In fact, many of the world’s top olive oil awards and honors come straight out of Italy, and many of the winning olive oils are produced right in Italy. Since many regions of Italy produce olive oil, the tastes can vary greatly from region to region, and from crop to crop. Since the variety is so large, it is best to try your hand at many different regions, and take notes on which flavors you liked and disliked from specific regions, while narrowing down your top choices.

Spanish Olive Oil: Of the European production, 93% comes from Spain, Italy and Greece. Smooth, Vibrant, Bold. Just like a fine wine, the varietal, climate and region determine an olive oil’s taste. From the southern olive groves of Andalucía to the northern region of Catalonia, Spain, the number one producer of olive oil, offers the largest variety of unique oils that are as distinctive and diverse as nature itself. They will heighten the flavor of your meals and really do well in most dishes.

Turkish Olive Oil: For years Turkey has been the 3rd largest producers of olive oil, right after Italy and Spain. The olive oils of some small producers are treated like fine vintage wines, and are often grown by wine producers. Some of these oils are priced like fine wines as well. The great varieties of subtle flavors and textures from different regions, producers & vintages make them well worth trying. Used sparingly in salads and dips, a bottle should last weeks or months.

California Olive Oil: California is a newcomer to the game of olive oil processing, and their quality is consistently getting better and better. There are now over 200 producers of world-class olive oil in California. Since California olive oils are generally a bit more “peppery” and have a bit more of a bite than most of their European counterparts, your preference generally lies in the fruitiness, but especially the amount of “peppery” bite at the back of your tongue after tasting the oil. Some oils elicit a cough or two..or more. Thus, gaining labels such as “one cough oils” or “two cough oils” and so on.

There are many other regions of olive oil, each producing it’s own unique flavors. A good idea for someone looking to learn what best suits their tastes is simple good note taking. If you’ve got an iPhone, the Evernote app is great for things like this. Otherwise, a simple notebook will do the trick. Log the brand, region, and tastes. You can get really into it and download and fill out Olive Oil Tasting sheets from the internet.

Other Tips to Remember when Purchasing Olive Oil

• Although rarely found on store shelves today, oils that have been bottled in reactive metal containers such as copper, should not be purchased.
• The quality and flavor will differ greatly between different brands of olive oil. Some shops specializing in olive oil may offer samples to help you decide on a specific selection. Prices for a half liter of high quality extra virgin olive oil may range from $7 to $32, which is comparable to a bottle of wine. In order to be a bit more affordable, expensive olive oils can be purchased in smaller sizes and then used occasionally for salads or as a condiment.
• When purchasing an expensive, single estate olive oil, the age of the oil is important. Look for the harvest date on the label and ask questions before buying. Olive oil does not improve with age, so any oil that is older than 1½ years should not be purchased. Olive oil is always of the best quality in the year it is produced, unlike wine, which may require several years to reach its peak.
• Other popular sources for purchasing high quality edible oils are mail order catalogs and the Internet. Many individual edible oil producers issue catalogs and/or have Web sites that allow consumers worldwide to purchase various products.