Posted by Sidra Forman on Thu, Apr 29, 2010
Basic Information
Birthday: According to estimates, around 4500 B.C.
Hometown: The olive tree is native of the Mediterranean region. I wasn't introduced to the United States until 1492 when I was brought here by Christopher Columbus.
Family Members: I come from the olive, a fruit that grows on the olive tree (which is actually considered an evergreen tree!).
Personal Information
Fans: I'm a favorite of chefs and nutritionists. Chefs prefer me over other oils because of my unique and delicious taste, which complements a wide variety of foods. And nutritionists sing my praises because I'm rich in healthy monounsaturated fats, which have been shown to help reduce the risk of heart disease by lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol and increasing HDL (good) cholesterol.
Favorite Activities: I love to be drizzled over poultry or fish for added flavor. I also like to dress vegetables or finish a whole-grain or bean salad. Another favorite seasonal activity: Being used to lightly cook some spring asparagus or to dress a delicious salad of spring greens (combine one to three teaspoons of high-quality extra virgin olive oil—depending on the calorie count of the rest of the meal—with a squeeze of lemon, a pinch of salt and black pepper to taste.)
Favorite Fact: If you store me properly (in a cool, dark place) I can last for two years, though I'm most flavorful in the first two months. If you store me in the fridge, you'll have to let me come back to room temperature, so the crystals melt, before using.
About Me: I'm available in various forms, depending on how I'm processed. There's Extra Virgin, which comes from the first pressing of the olives. It has a very low rate of acidity, making it ideal for salads and other non-cooking uses. Virgin oil also comes from the first cold pressing, but it's higher in acidity. It has a slightly higher smoke point (the temperature at which the oil starts to smoke) so it can be used both in cooked and uncooked dishes. Olive oil that's not marked Extra Virgin or Virgin are made from later pressings of the olives. They have higher smoke points, and are therefore better for cooking, but they lack the depth of flavor important for dressings.
Favorite Quotation: "Olive oil... asparagus...if your mother wasn't so fancy, we could shop at the gas station like normal people." —Homer Simpson of The Simpsons
Posted by Willow Jarosh on Tue, Jan 26, 2010
If there's one kitchen staple every dieter has in his or her pantry, I'd be that it would be a bottle of cooking oil spray. And that's certainly a smart move: The product makes lower fat roasting a snap and also helps keep a lid on the amount of fat needed to sauté.
While I adore olive oil cooking spray, I also love the planet. Aerosol cans damage the ozone and produce lots of waste. That's why I was super thrilled when I found the Misto Gourmet Sprayer,
an air-pressurized stainless steel canister that you fill—and
refill—with oil (as well as other liquids, like vinegar or lemon or
lime juice). One glass bottle of olive oil lasts a lot longer than a can of cooking spray. In fact, I find that one bottle of oil allows me to do the same amount of cooking as two to three cans of cooking spray. Not to mention, not all areas recycle aerosol cans, but most do recycle glass.
You can find the Misto sprayer at Bed Bath & Beyond and also on Amazon.com for less than $10. The Misto is so chic looking that its mere presence in my kitchen has inspired me to branch out in my cooking spray uses. Here are just a few ways I use it:
• Mist the outside of a whole chicken or turkey (or piece of chicken breast) while roasting so it doesn't dry out.
• Mist air-popped popcorn before tossing with dried herbs for a flavorful popcorn snack.
• Mist whole-grain toast, then rub it with a clove of garlic for simple (and non-greasy) garlic bread.
• Mist my cast iron skillet between uses to keep it non-stick.
• Mist my salad before topping with balsamic vinegar to keep my dressing calories from getting out of hand.