Ah yes, and they also just happen to feature some ingredients that we’re quite fond of – such as Olive Oil or Balsamic Vinegar!

‘Ino’s Tuna with Black Olive Pesto Panini

For Pesto’s, we recommend a nice, hearty Extra Virgin Olive Oil such as a Spanish Olive Oil. Cibaria’s Signature Olive Oil featuring Spanish EVOO’s such as Hojiblanca, Picual, and Arbequina varietals would work incredibly well in this dish.

What It Takes:

Lemony Olive Oil Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips

Food Writer, Mellisa Clark has created a heavenly delight with this delicious Olive Oil Bread that features almost everyone’s weakness…chocolate chips. This recipe is featured in her book, that is due out later this year. For baking light, sweet, breads such as this one, we recommend a smooth Tunisian Extra Virgin Olive Oil, or even the famed Fior D’Italia Extra Virgin Olive Oil Tin. (Everyone should have one of these on standby in their kitchen, and we’re not just saying that because it’s our brand!)

What It Takes:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup coarsely chopped bittersweet chocolate
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 1/2 cups mashed, VERY ripe bananas (3 to 4 bananas)
• 1/4 cup sour cream or plain, whole milk yogurt
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

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• Welcome to Cibaria’s Blog!
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It’s Christmas time again! That means shopping, fun, and FOOD! We can assist in all three of these with our delicious line of mouth-watering Gourmet Olive Oil Gift Sets.  These beautifully packaged Olive Oil, Balsamic Vinegar and Specialty Oil gift sets feature amazing combinations of some of our finest oils and vinegars from around the world. Give your family, friends and colleagues the most delicious gift they’ve ever received! A classy way to say “Merry Christmas”!

One of our most popular Olive Oil Gift Sets includes our famed Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil and our delectable 25 Star Balsamic Vinegar of Modena! This is one that everyone will absolutely adore – from the most seasoned chef or foodie, to the rushed mother/cook!

For a little more added adventure – Cibaria has created a gift pack that features yet another one of our world-famous oils. Our Moroccan Olive Oil, Signature Olive Oil, and 25 Star Balsamic Vinegar Gift sets is a great way to give them a bit more variety in their oils, while choosing a high-end product that they are sure to appreciate.

After a lot of research in the field (We never miss an opportunity to eat!), We’ve arrived at the conclusion that there’s a correlation between good food and good ingredients! Hence, the choices we’ve made here. Exotic Moroccan Extra Virgin Olive Oil, our unique Cibaria Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and a perfectly Aged 25 Star Balsamic Vinegar of Modena that stops the show every time! With this trio the difference is remarkable. Our choice for when only the best will do.

We’ve paired two of our world-famous balsamic vinegars into one beautiful box to form a dynamic duo of delicious Italian Balsamic flavor! This is truly a Balsamic lovers dream, and it will make you a balsamic vinegar lover if you already aren’t one!  From the vineyards of Italy’s renowned Modena region, this pair is a must have for Balsamic enthusiast everywhere. An Italian treasure that is a welcome addition to any dinner table, and you will be too after this gift.

Whether you’re looking to impress your friends by giving amazing selections of world-class oils, or simply looking to introduce your loved ones to the wide variety of luxury olive oils and vinegars that exist, we’ve got you covered. If you are in need of a gift set that isn’t listed on our site, please contact us and place your request! We’d love to accommodate you!

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• Brilliant Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes
• New Flavored Balsamic Vinegars and Infused Olive Oils
• Olive Oil, Balsamic Vinegars, and Specialty Oils in the New Year
• Exploring The Wide World of Healthy Cooking Oils
• Getting Creative With Cooking Oils

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The first and most important thing to remember is to keep their favorite tastes in mind and attribute an overall theme to their “likes”.  Does this person prefer the finer things in life? Are their tasted more refined? Classical? How about their cooking style? If they have a blog or an online recipe collection – take a look and find common ground among all of their food favorites. From there, you’ll know what their inadvertent food favorites are, thus making it much easier to appeal to their tastes when buying them holiday / Christmas gifts.

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While not everyone has refined cooking tastes, you’ll find that people’s tastes differ quite dramatically. Some strive for fast/easy dishes, while others lean more towards rich, family-friendly foods that are reminiscent of America’s Southern regions. Others found their passion for cooking while learning to live a healthier lifestyle. Others simply admire from afar, but haven’t taken the full-on plunge into a “foodie lifestyle”. In this case, ask about their favorite cooking shows, who they admire, and what dishes that person made which appealed to them.

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Once you’ve gathered this information, Holiday gift giving becomes a fun and exciting adventure into the world of culinary tools, oils, condiments, sauces, utensils, and appliances!

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Presenting our 2010 Holiday Gift Ideas for Foodies, Chefs, and Cooks!

The Breville Panini Press

Whether you’re a seasoned chef, or a passionate Foodie, this Holiday / Christmas Gift idea screams creativity and exploration. Since Panini’s are one of those foods that can be done in SO many ways, this amazing tool really warms the plate, and the heart! PS: This nifty device also was chosen as one of Ms. Oprah Winfrey’s Favorite Things for 2010! – Listed on Williams-Sonoma

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Italian Olive Oil and 25 Star Balsamic Vinegar of Modena (Aged) Gift Set

Whether your foodie friend craves the finer things in life, or just likes good food and quality ingredients, this Gourmet Gift Set from Cibaria Fine Oils will NOT disappoint! Featuring an AMAZING Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil and an Aged 25 Star Balsamic Vinegar of Modena, Italy – You really can’t go wrong with this gift.  This balsamic isn’t just any ol’ balsamic – it’s rich, dark, and a bit thicker than most balsamics (think of a reduction!) and it’s perfect blend of sweet / tart tastes go amazing with your favorite bread, pasta, or as a marinade. (or even on ice cream!) There really is no wrong way to enjoy this one! Listed at Cibaria Fine Oils – Gourmet Olive Oil and Balsamic Gift Set

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Dean and Deluca’s Glorious Cheese Gift

A nice, gift that pretty much anyone would appreciate – cheese! How can you go wrong with cheese? The general masses haven’t had cheeses this good, so even your non-foodie friends would appreciate this cheese set that features cheeses they have only dreamed of!

Dean and Deluca packaged their “favorite” (which we agree on) Brillat with some colavolpe stuffed figs with almonds, a jar of all-natural Italian Lime Honey, and a jar of all-natural Robert Lambert champagne Jelly. They suggest serving the cheese and figs on crackers, with a dollop of honey or jam (or both) to enjoy this delicious and unique treat.

Listed on Dean and Deluca

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Zevro’s Magnetic Spice Rack

This sleek and futuristic gadget does a lot more than just look great on your kitchen counter, it provides an easy and accessible way to keep your favorite fresh spices organized and good-tasting. Being magnetic, it makes it easy to grab and put away your spices as you cook, instead of leaving them all sprawled across the kitchen counter tops.

Listed on Zevro

Wusthof Gourmet 18-Piece Knife Set with Block

Because no chef or cook’s kitchen is complete without a top-quality knife set! This gourmet gift idea is brought to you straight from Germany – where the cars are fast,  the beer is essential, and the food is even better! These gourmet knives feature laser-cut, high carbon steel blades with stain resistant alloy. They are also traditionally cut, for a nice, even look in any kitchen. They come packed in their slotted oak block, ready for you to use in your culinary adventures!

Listed at Amazon

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Jura Capresso Impressa S9 One Touch

This beautiful piece of gadgetry boasts a plethora of functions, all easy to use, and very reliable. While worth it’s $2000+ price tag, this machine exudes gourmet class when it comes to espresso and coffee.

Make a cappuccino, cafe’ mocha, latte, or a latte’ macchiato, all with the touch of just one button. Features our programmable buttons that let you personalize your coffee size, strength, and temperature.

What an impressive Christmas gift! We’re definitely standing behind this one, as the quality of our morning coffee usually deciphers the rest of our day! For those looking for something a little less flashy and/or pricey, the next best place to view gourmet espresso machines would definitely be Amazon.com.

Listed at Sur La Table

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What are some of YOUR favorite Holiday Foodie and Chef gift ideas for the 2010 season? We’d love to hear about them!

Other Posts You May Find Interesting:

• Gourmet Holiday Gift Giving – How to Shop for a Chef or Foodie!

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Tunisian Extra Virgin Olive Oil and

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Organic Tunisian Extra Virgin olive Oil

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Both new olive oils come in 500ml quantities, and are sure to leave you wanting to use it in everything. This olive oil has a smooth flavor, and is amazingly fresh and vibrant. Perfect as a Holiday / Christmas Gourmet gift, or to use yourself. You can’t go wrong with oil from the amazing Mediterranean country of Tunisia. (Which boasts a near-perfect climate for amazing olives!)

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Tunisia is one of the oldest known Olive Oil producing countries, and they even are home to one of the world’s oldest Olive trees. It is estimated that this tree is at least a few thousand years old.

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This fine olive oil is imported directly from the beautiful country of Tunisia. This long-time olive oil producing country has many olive oil trees that exceed 100 years old. It is also the home of the world’s oldest olive oil tree. In November the fruit is hand­picked in the tra­di­tional way, the ripe olives being raked from the branches with a spe­cial comb. They are care­fully sorted and then crushed straight away. Tunisian Olive Oil is recognized by many chefs and connoisseurs as one of the best olive oils to utilize. This is a smooth, rich olive oil, that is very versatile.

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Olive Oil and Tunisia – The History

For thousands of years, olive oil had been prominent in all the great civilizations that have prospered in Tunisia. The olive tree was cultivated by the Phoenicians, the Greeks, the Carthaginians, the Romans and the Arabs, in a tradition that has been passed down from father to son ever since.

Olive cultivation in Tunisia dates back to the 8th century BC, even before the founding of Carthage by the Queen Dido. The Phoenicians were the first to introduce this crop to North Africa.

In the Carthaginian period, olive cultivation started to spread an account of several advantages granted to olive-growers.
Romans continued the expansion of olive-growing stepped up irrigation, olive oil extraction techniques. Excavations at Sufeitula (present-day Sbeitla) and Thysdrus (El Jem) and Roman mosaics discovered in Sousse, attest the widespread culture of olive-trees throughout Tunisia.

Tunisia is the largest olive oil producer outside the European Union, and comes fourth in the world following Spain, Italy and Greece.

Since ancient times, olive oil was used for various purposes: Athletes used it to massage their muscles to make them suppler, women used it to keep their skin looking young, it was thought to be a strengthening tonic which helped prevent baldness, and with addition of wine and spices, it was used for cosmetic.

The collection of the archeological and ethnographic objects and utensils attest the importance of olive oil in the everyday life and people’s art living throughout the History of Tunisia.

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Because our Gourmet Olive Oils and Vinegars are anything but ordinary!

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Our Gourmet Olive Oils and Balsamic Vinegars are packed at our facility – under very strict guidelines. They are also fresher than most of the products that you’d find in your local store.

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Another great reason our delicious Olive Oils and Vinegars are top-notch is because of the variety that we offer. You can literally take your taste buds on a world-wide adventure, but trying Olive Oils from around the world. Some of our favorite international olive oil experiences are:

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- Gourmet Italian Olive Oil

- Arbequina Olive Oil

- Spanish Olive Oil

- And many more!

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Gourmet Olive Oil has truly earned it’s name as a new staple in the American household’s pantry. While not only being very healthy, it is considered one of the most versatile cooking oils around. It is also great as a salad dressing, or even as a dip for your favorite bread. Our olive oils are selected through a rigorous process of tasting, and testing by a seasoned olive oil expert who has been in the industry for over 30 years. With great care and detail, Cibaria brings you incredibly delicious Gourmet Olive Oils and Vinegars from around the world!

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• Win Olive Oil From CA Olive Oil Ranch!

Back to the blog redesign – We’ve updated the color scheme and navigation. It’s extremely simple, and really allows us to focus on the content – which we hope to add additional regular contributors to very soon! If you’re interested in this great opportunity – feel free to contact us via this blog’s contact page, or leave a comment! If you’ve got a taste for good food and cooking, we’d love to have you!

We welcome any feedback on your holiday requests this year, and are looking forward to an amazing Christmas season with plentiful gifts and gourmet treats for you to give and receive!

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• Brilliant Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes

In addition to these wonderful selections, these oils will also be available for bulk purchases in various quantities. Please contact us for pricing, details, and up-to-date quotes via our website’s contact form, or through our live online chat.

Some of the delicious flavors of infused olive oils are basil, garlic, black pepper, habanero, jalapeno, oregano and scallion. A few of the flavored balsamic vinegars include anise, apricot, blackberry, cinnamon, fig, passion fruit, peach melba, pineapple, and vanilla – among many other great flavors and tastes.

This new product line will be launching very soon in our online retail store, as well as being made available to our bulk customers. Whether your buying retail or bulk, you’ll be sure to love these new infused olive oil and flavored balsamic vinegar selections!

Keep an eye out for these amazing new products being offered by Cibaria International, Inc!

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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.

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Just a few things chefs, foodies, and everyday cooks fret over:

• Ingredients
• Recipes
• Recipe tweaking and outcome
• Specialty ingredients
• Preferred Brands of products used
• Pots
• Pans
• Measuring cups
• Mixers
• Special techniques that help along the way

Imagine after years of trying recipes, that you have to remember most of these elements the old fashioned way? Pen and paper were likely your grandmother’s way of keeping track of her prized recipes. Papers get lost, tossed in boxes, and forgotten about in the attic. That prized recipe that you wish you had the time to make again is now a buried memory in the back of your mind, amidst the new recipes and new ingredients you’re toying with.

Now onto the fun part! With the internet at our disposal, recipe books are no longer the primary way to obtain and organize recipes. They can’t help us remember much when it comes to notes, or what we’d do differently the next time we got around to making that culinary masterpiece.

What can a person do?

Evernote! What is evernote? It’s an online organizing resource that literally lets you place your world into clips, files, photos, notes, and whatever you need to organize the best way for YOU.

Evernote is especially useful for foodies and cooks because of it’s clipping and instant photo intake properties. Want to snap a shot of that recipe you just made to add to your own recipe book? Discover a new find that you HAVE to save!? Declutter your browser bookmarks, and use evernote. We use it for all kinds of things, and can’t sing it’s praises enough.

Here’s some useful ideas to help you get Organized:

- 10 ways to run a restaurant with Evernote: http://s.evernote.com/foodrestaurant
- Cooking a meal with Top Chef contestant Laurine Wickett (video): http://s.evernote.com/foodtopchef
- Using Evernote to digitize a prized family recipe book: http://s.evernote.com/foodcookbook
- Evernote’s CEO’s catalog of everything he ate while visiting Japan: http://s.evernote.com/foodjapan
- Evernote as a food blogger’s tool: http://s.evernote.com/foodblog
For more information on Evernote, go to www.Evernote.com

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Extra-virgin olive oil

Specifically, the compound oleocanthal in extra-virgin olive oil has been found to alter the structure of certain toxic proteins associated with Alzheimer’s. Researchers say the discovery could lead to successful immunotherapy treatments against the disease.

Beta-amyloid oligomers, or ADDLs, bind themselves to the neural synapses of the brain and disrupt nerve cell function, which is one of the first processes associated with Alzheimer’s, according to researchers at Monell Chemical Senses Center. By exposing ADDLs to oleocanthal, researchers were able to increase the size of the ADDLs, stopping them from binding to the synapses of the hippocampus, the memory-control center of the brain that is often first affected by Alzheimer’s disease.

Researchers also discovered that, once the ADDLs had been enlarged by the oleocanthal, they became a better target for antibodies, the immune system’s natural defense mechanism. Clinical trials must support the laboratory results for progress toward potential treatments to occur, experts cautioned. The results of the study will appear in the Oct. 15 edition of the journal Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology.

(from Mcknights.com)

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