[2] An event for journalists, in the art of blending (photo by Eitan Schapsis | © THE NIBBLE).

[3] Three different blends offer different flavor profiles (photo © Oleificio Zucchi).
 
 
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*EVOO is an acronym for extra virgin olive oil.
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Occasionally, we have called out a few as Top Pick Of The Week, but it’s hard to do so: There are so many EVOOs* that deserve your attention.

Zucchi 1810 olive oil is a brand available at better supermarkets and specialty food stores. At less than $10 a bottle, it tastes as good as olive oils which are twice the price.

> The history of olive oil is below.

> The history of olives.

> The different types of olives and olive oil: a photo glossary.
 
 
ABOUT ZUCCHI

Oleificio Zucchi was founded in 1810 near Lodi in northern Italy. It’s now in the hands of the seventh generation.

By the 1990s, constant growth made it necessary to move the business to its current 86,000-square-foot facility in Cremona. The production capacity is now almost 400,000 gallons/day of packaged oil!

While that’s a lot of olive oil, the company produces oils that taste as good as some oils that are produced in small, artisan facilities.

Using state-of-the-art technology, Zucchi has created an “olive oil cellar,” Italy’s largest temperature-controlled storage facility, maintained at a constant 60°F and capable of storing some 5,300 tons of extra virgin olive oil.

The goal is to deliver an excellent oil whose organoleptic properties—taste, aroma, appearance—remain constant over time.

The company is proud of its sustainability and traceability: a sustainable supply chain founded on environmental sustainability, transparency at every step of production (traceability—you can trace your bottle with the QR code on the label), and fair wages for workers.
 
 
THE ART OF BLENDING

You may notice single-cultivar olive oils: arbequina, cerignola, frantoia, and scores more. (There are more than 500 different cultivars in Italy alone, although some are better for eating than for pressing into oil.)

While single-cultivar oils are usually the province of artisan growers, the majority of olive oils are a blend of several cultivars (varieties) each of which brings a unique flavor profile to the blend.

In the blending room, finding the right balance between fruity and peppery, bold and delicate requires knowledge and skill. The objective is to find the best blend of cultivars (and origins, since olives planted in different regions can have different personalities), and the best percentages of each.

The art of blending is the ability to create oils with specific personalities that appeal to different consumer tastes.

It is a fascinating procedure, and we have been fortunate to try it at a Zucchi blending event (photo #2).

Just think of how both Americans’ use of olive oil, and our culinary trends, have changed over the last 30 years, and you’ll see why producers continually seek optimal blends.

There are an infinite number of blends, but here are the different flavor styles of olive oil with which to begin.

Which blend is right for you? It’s only by tasting that you know if you’d rather dress your salad with an oil that’s buttery, fruity, or peppery; mild, robust, or intense.

Head down the olive oil aisle and you’re likely to find different blends of Zucchi EVOO: Heritage, Italiano, Organic, and Sweet & Fruity (“sweet” refers to the fruit flavors).

There are also three flavored EVOOs: Chili Pepper, Garlic, and Pesto.

All are delicious; we use all of them. You can find a 500ml/16.9-ounce bottle for $9.99.

> Discover more at Zucchi.com.
 
 
TIPS FOR STORING YOUR OILS

It’s easy for olive oil to go rancid if it isn’t stored properly, or if it’s too old. Here are the three things to remember.

1. To conserve any oil’s sensory and nutritional properties, seal the container tightly after each use.

2. Keep it away from light. In fact, like wine, the bottle should be green or other dark glass to filter out the light.

3. Store it below 68°F/20°. The ideal range is between 53°F/12°C and 46°F/18°C). This means: Find a cool spot in the kitchen, never next to the stove or oven.

Even so, use up the olive oil as quickly as you can. While some olive cultivars age better than others, and we’ve successfully used oils that are two years old, ideally don’t buy more than you’ll use in 6 months or so.

Also, look for a bottling date before you buy the bottle. Fresh is best.

—Contributed by Eitan Schapsis
 
 

The olive tree is native to the Mediterranean basin; wild olives were collected by Neolithic peoples as early as the 8th millennium B.C.E. The wild trees are believed to have originated in Greece and were first domesticated in one of three places: Asia Minor, the Levant†, or in Mesopotamia (source).

Olive tree cultivation reached Iberia (Spain) and Etruscan Etruria (western Italy) well before the 8th century B.C.E. It spread to southern Gaul (France) in the 7th century B.C.E.
 
 
The First Olive Oil

Archaeological evidence shows that olives were pressed into olive oil by 6000 B.C.E.

It was used every day, multiple times a day. Besides as food, olive oil was used for religious rituals and medicines, as lamp fuel, in soap, and in hair and skin care applications. It was a necessity in the ancient world.

Olive oil was common in ancient Greek and Roman cuisine. As the Roman Empire expanded, olive trees were planted throughout the Mediterranean basin during the reign of the Roman Empire.

While the first trees were brought to the Iberian peninsula by the Phoenicians and the Greeks, olive cultivation in Hispania, as the Romans called it, was expanded considerably by them, as they also improved the techniques of oil production.

Palates were picky even in ancient times. Olive oil from Hispania was highly regarded by the Romans. But the historian Pliny the Elder, writing in the 1st century C.E., expressed his preference for Italian olive oil: Italy had “excellent olive oil at reasonable prices…the best in the Mediterranean.”

[5] Olive trees (photo © O Olive Oil).

[6] Egyptians pressing oil by twisting a bag of olives.

 
 
OLIVE OIL TRIVIA

 
 
MORE ABOUT OLIVE OIL

> Extra Virgin Olive Oil: An Overview

> Glossary Of Olive Oil Types & Terminology

> How To Taste Olive Oil (And Have A Tasting Party!)

> The Different Flavors Of Olive Oil

> Why You Should Replace Butter With Olive Oil

> Food Fun: An Olive Oil Martini

> Beware Of Fake italian Olive Oil

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†The Levant was a large area in southwest Asia: south of the Taurus Mountains, with the Mediterranean Sea as the western boundary, and the north Arabian Desert and Mesopotamia in the east. “Levant” is an English term that first appeared in 1497. It originally referred to the “Mediterranean lands east of Italy.” The historical area comprises modern-day Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, and Syria. Among other popular foods, Levantine cuisine gave birth to baklava, falafel, kebabs, mezze (including tabbouleh, hummus, and baba ghanoush), pita, and za’atar, among other dishes that are enjoyed in the U.S. and around the world.
 
 

CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM.

[2] Yummy yogurt bars—refrigerated, not frozen—from Clio Snacks. The halved bars show the consistency of the yogurt (photos courtesy Clio Snacks).

[3] Sparkling Diet Cranberry from Ocean Spray: just 10 calories a can (photo courtesy Ocean Spray).

Some of them are good, some great, some just not right for us. Here, five products that are right for us, in alphabetical order.
 
1. BANNER ROAD BAKING COMPANY GRANOLA

While Banner Road granolas are delicious on any morning, we particularly like them as house gifts. $12 per 11-ounce cylinder, and $6 for the four ounce size (a great party favor or stocking stuffer).

The gift appeal comes from the charming packaging (photo #1), evoking the rustic goodness which the healthy blend of ingredients provides.

The granola is gluten free, some flavors are vegan, some ingredients are organic, and a serving has just 5g of sweetener per 1.7-ounce bar.

This granola is made in clusters, the grains and seeds (oats, seeds, quinoa) baked into clusters that provide sweet crunch. The binders are extra virgin olive oil and, depending on the flavor, honey, maple syrup, molasses or tapioca syrup. Flavors include:

 
GET YOURS AT BANNERROAD.COM.
 
 
2. CLIO GREEK YOGURT BARS

What happens when you cross a cup of yogurt with a frozen yogurt bar?

A very tasty snack: Clio’s Greek Yogurt Bars, a refrigerated bar of yogurt enrobed in dark chocolate (photo #2). They are yummy!

The yogurt is thicker than standard yogurt cups, in:

 
You can turn them into dessert with fresh fruit or a dessert sauce like caramel; or make them food fun by inserting an ice-pop stick

Each gluten-free bar as 8g protein, 140 calories and billions of probiotics. The line is certified kosher by OU.

DISCOVER MORE AT CLIOSNACKS.COM.

Our new favorite low-calorie sparkling drink is Diet Sparkling Cranberry from Ocean Spray, made with their cranberry juice.

At 10 calories per 8.4-ounce can, it’s a caloric bargain. But amazingly, there is no artificial sweetener flavor.

The sweeteners are sucralose and acesuflame potassium (ace-K—see the different artificial sweeteners).

For everyone who mixes cranberry juice with club soda: Here it’s done for you. There’s also a conventional version (with sugar)

CHECK IT OUT AT OCEANSPRAY.COM.

4. SEASNAX ROASTED SEAWEED SNACKS

Many healthy eaters and sushi fans have discovered seaweed snacks: the crisp sheets of nori used to make sushi rolls, repurposed as crunchy yet delicate snacks.

Seaweed is nutrient-rich; the snack sheets are made with seaweed, olive oil and sea salt or other seasoning(s). They’re gluten free, non-GMO, paleo and vegan. SeaSnax is certified organic.

We love them: The crisp sheets of seaweed crunching happily in our mouths.

We eat them as a snack, plain or with beer and wine; as a “cracker” with miso soup; and when we want something to eat with almost no calories. The entire package has just 15.

THe original, plain nori sheet has been joined by flavors; most popular are chipotle and wasabi. A package of 6 packets is $8.95.

FIND OUT MORE AT SEASNAX.COM.

Note: Eat the whole pack at once. If left out for a while, or next to moisture such as a cup of tea, the sheets start to lose their crispness.
 
 
5. SEJOYIA COCO-ROONS

We love coconut macaroons, a cookie usually found plain or coated in chocolate.

Sejoyia offers two options we haven’t seen before: bittersweet chocolate and lemon flavors.

The Brownie macaroon is a bittersweet chocolate (we wish there were a touch more sugar); Lemon Pie is lusciously lemon.

We’re big, big fans of the latter. If you’re a macaroon lover, treat yourself without delay!

ORDER THEM AT SEJOYIA.COM.

And check out the history of macaroons.

[5] Coconut macaroons in chocolate and lemon (photo courtesy Sejoyia).

[2] Some people like their meringue slightly browned (photo #1); some like the full-on treatment here (photo courtesy McCormick).

[3] Deconstructed lemon meringue tart, a work of art. Here’s the recipe (photo courtesy @Chef_Lymalaya.

August 15th is National Lemon Meringue Pie Day.

While meringue was perfected sometime in the 17th century, it took for the 19th century for the modern lemon meringue pie to appear, in Switzerland.

Americans are happy about that: It’s always on the list of the Top 10 Favorite Pies.

We’ll start today with the recipe for classic lemon meringue pie (photo #1).

But here are creative variations:

 
DRINK LEMON MERINGUE!

 
THE HISTORY OF LEMON MERINGUE PIE

Lemon-flavored custards, puddings and pies date to Middle Ages, a time period of more than 1,000 years, from 476 C.E. to 1492 C.E. It was followed by the Renaissance, 1300 to 1600. Meringue was perfected sometime in the 1600s (the 17th century).

The modern lemon meringue pie is a 19th-century recipe, attributed to Alexander Frehse, a Swiss baker from Romandy, the French-speaking part(s) of Switzerland.

It combines a lemon custard single crust pie with meringue, the fluffy topping made from egg whites and sugar, baked on top. Here’s the classic lemon meringue pie recipe from McCormick.

Thanks, Chef!

PIE HISTORY

The ancient Egyptians, who were great bread bakers, worked out the details of early pastry. Theirs was a savory pastry: a dough of flour and water paste to wrap around meat and soak up the juices as it cooked.

Before the creation of baking pans in the 19th century, the coffin, as it was called (the word for a basket or box), was used to bake all food.

Pastry was further developed in the Middle East and brought to Mediterranean Europe by the Muslims in the 7th century. Another leap occurred in the 11th Century, when Crusaders brought phyllo dough back to Northern Europe (the First Crusade was 1096 to 1099).

Greek and Roman pastry did not progress as far as it could have because both cultures used oil, which can’t create a stiff pastry. In medieval Northern Europe, the traditional use of lard and butter instead of oil for cooking hastened the development of other pastry types.

Pies developed, and the stiff pie pastry was used to provide a casing for the various fillings. By the 17th century, flaky and puff pastries were in use, developed by French and Italian Renaissance chefs. These pastry chefs began to make highly decorated pastry, working intricate patterns on the crusts.
  

August 14th is National Creamsicle Day. Creamsicle is a flavor combination that people either love or not. We love it, and have even created our own variation, The Nibblesicle, with raspberry sorbet instead of orange.

The Creamsicle was created by the Popsicle Corporation, established during the Depression by Frank Epperson, who had invented the Popsicle®. The vanilla ice cream pop, coated with orange sherbet, became a sensation.

Today Creamsicle® and Popsicle® are registered trademarks of the Unilever Corporation. Here’s more Creamsicle history.

On each National Creamsicle Day we try a different variation of the vanilla and orange combination.

This year, it’s shortcake. Links to previous years’ recipes are below.

This year’s recipe was inspired by a shortcake photo (photo #1) from Cindy’s Rooftop in Chicago. The restaurant calls it Dreamsicle Cake.

You can bake individual angel food cakes in muffin tins, as shown in the photo, or bake or buy a cake and serve conventional slices.

Cindy’s Rooftop uses a white chocolate sauce. We made crème anglaise (recipe below), a thin custard sauce. Raspberry purée would have pleased our palate, but it doesn’t fit with the vanilla-orange profile.

 
RECIPE: “CREAMSICLE” SHORTCAKE

Ingredients

 
For The Creme Anglaise (Makes 1 Cup)

 
Preparation

1. SUPREME the orange segments (here’s a video) and set aside with the juice. This can be done a day in advance. If garnishing with orange peel curls, peel the curls before segmenting the orange.

[2] Prefer a cheesecake? Here’s the recipe (photo courtesy Sweet Street Desserts).

[3] Try a Creamsicle milkshake (photo courtesy Williams-Sonoma)

3. WHISK the egg yolks and sugar together in medium bowl; then gradually whisk the hot milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture. Return the custard to the pot and stir over low heat until it thickens, about 5 minutes. DO NOT BOIL. The sauce is thickened when it coats the back of a wooden spoon.

4. STRAIN the sauce into a bowl, cover and chill until ready to use.

5. ASSEMBLE: Place the cake on a plate, topped with a scoop of sorbet. Garnish the plate with orange supremes, and add the sauce. Top with an orange peel curl and serve.
 
 
FAVORITE CREAMSICLE VARIATIONS

The easiest, and a favorite of ours, is a simple bowl of vanilla ice cream and orange sorbet (mango sorbet is a great substitute).

You can also make vanilla cupcakes with orange frosting or top vanilla ice cream with orange liqueur.

Here are more celebratory recipes:

 
Also check out fior di Sicilia, an Italian essence used to flavor baked goods and beverages. Its flavor and aroma are reminiscent of a Creamsicle.

[2] Carrot tartare. Make it with this recipe from Aliya Leekong in Food Republic.

[3] Beef tartare (photo courtesy Gordon Ramsay Group).

Language evolves, of course. The meaning of words change over time, or grow to encompass additional meanings (although we hope that won’t happen with “woke”).

It’s no different in culinary language, especially given the march of creativity and innovation.

Take the classic Steak Tartare, known for more than 100 years as ground raw beef mixed with onions, capers, Worcestershire sauce and a raw egg.

While 20 years ago, a dish called “tartare” was finely-diced meat (photo #3), or subsequently fish (see the history of steak tartare, below), today anything mounded in a small dice is being called “tartare.”

Eleven Madison Park restaurant in New York City pioneered an exciting Carrot Tartare; whole carrots go through a meat grinder at the table (check it out).

You can even make tartare for dessert, as in today’s recipe for Strawberry & Beet Tartare (photo #1).

Or, make a vegetable tartare like Carrot Tartare (photo #2).

In today’s fashion, if you can dice it, season it and mound it, you’ve got tartare!

 
Note: Check with your purveyor and your healthcare provider about the safety of eating any raw fish or meat.
 
 
RECIPE: STRAWBERRY-BEET TARTARE

Ingredients

This recipe is adapted from one on French Women Don’t Get Fat.

1. PLACE the beets at bottom of a salad bowl and sprinkle with sugar. Add the strawberries and sprinkle with sugar.

2. ADD the basil and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.

3. MOUND on a plate; use a ring mold if you have one. Garnish as desired.
 
 
BEEF TARTARE / STEAK TARTARE HISTORY

Steak tartare, or tartar steak*, is ground raw beef mixed with onions, capers, Worcestershire sauce and a raw egg. It is generally served with toast points.

In Belgium, where the dish is popular and served with frites (French fries), it is known as filet américain.

The ancestor of this raw meat dish was first described in print in 1660, in a book by a French engineer, a visitor to the Ukraine. Ukrainian Cossacks, he wrote, put finger-thick slices of salted raw horse meat under their saddles and rode their horses until the salted meat was drained of its blood. They then thinly sliced and ate it (source).

The modern version of what became known as Steak Tartare, with raw egg, was first served in French restaurants early in the 20th century. It was then called Steack à l’Americaine.

The 1921 edition of Escoffier’s Le Guide Culinaire defines Steack à l’Americaine as made without egg yolk, and served with tartar sauce on the side.

Modern steak tartare is an evolution of that dish. The 1938 edition of Larousse Gastronomique describes steak tartare as raw ground beef served with a raw egg yolk, with no mention of tartar sauce (source).

In the U.S., the dish is often called Steak Tartare, “steak” having more appeal than the more generic “beef.” We’ve had lamb tartare more than a few times, at high-end restaurants.

The name “tartare” is now applied to other meats or fish, such as tuna tartare, which introduced in 1975 by the Parisian restaurant Le Duc in Paris.

“À la tartare” or simply “tartare” still means “served with tartar sauce” for some dishes, particularly fried fish.

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*The dish is often attributed to Genghis Khan and the Tatars, who may have originated the horseback recipe. The explanation is that the Tatars, on the rampage, did not have time to cook their meat.