Fino Products: Goodies for Foodies

Great Article from The Olive Oil Times: How come olive oil can cause a tingly sensation in your throat and not in your mouth?

2011-02-14T13:23:00.000-06:00

The Olive Oil Times recently published an interesting article about olive oil tasting sensations. You know that peppery cough and chuckle you feel in the back of your throat when you taste fresh, high-quality olive oil make with spicy olive sorts (like our San Gurmano Intense)? Well, here is why you feel that sensation and what it means for your health!

By Tom Baker
Olive Oil Times Contributor | Reporting from Buenos Aires

For years extra-virgin olive oil has been tasted and judged on its ability to produce a tingling or burning sensation in the back of the throat, the belief being that the more you cough, the better the quality of the oil. Now scientists have come up with evidence to support this method of tasting and to explain why it works.
In a paper published today in the Journal of Neuroscience, researchers revealed that sensor molecules, located in the human throat but not the mouth, attach to a chemical found in high-end olive oils causing the very noticeable sensation.

The idea to study olive oil first occurred to the paper’s co-author Gary Beauchamp around 10 years ago when he was visiting Italy to attend a meeting on molecular gastronomy, an emerging field studying the physics and chemistry of cooking. A friend brought him some freshly pressed extra-virgin olive oil to taste and one sip caused “a very odd sensation,” said Beauchamp, director of the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia. ”It’s got this burn in the throat, but not in the mouth.”

The discovery not only qualifies an age-old tradition, but also furthers the conversation around olive oil’s health enhancing attributes. During the study researchers found that when crushed Ibuprofen was swallowed and came in contact with the throat, it created the same sensation as oleocanthal, the cough-inducing agent present in olive oil. Scientists now believe that their findings could shed further light on the development of anti-inflammatory drugs.

But why this sensation should be felt in the throat rather than the mouth wasn’t fully understood until researchers turned their attention to a specific flavor-sensing molecule named TRPA1, known to react to noxios pollutants and chemicals found in foods such as wasabi, mustard, and garlic.

Focusing on the TRPA1 molecule, scientists began tests to locate its presence within the body. In taking tissue biopsies from a number of volunteers, they found TRPA1 to be mostly absent from mouth and tongue tissue, but present in large quantities in the upper throat and nose, which was “…a big surprise,” Beauchamp said. Although other noxious chemicals are sensed by many different receptors, it seems that oleocanthal can only be detected by TRPA1 and it is because of this that it is most felt in the throat when high quality extra-virgin olive oils are sampled.

Beauchamp raised a related question, noting that humans have come to appreciate the “pain” from oleocanthal in olive oil, as if there is an inner knowledge that it is advantageous. “How this happens remains a fascinating
puzzle,” he said.

TRPA1 also senses the chemically-unrelated ibuprofen, the team found. Beauchamp believes that it will be in understanding the correlation between the two diverse inflammation fighters that new leads in the development of better anti-inflammatory drugs could be found.

San Gurmano arrives to Philadelphia, PA!

2010-10-15T13:09:00.000-05:00

We are super excited to announce that we have expanded to yet another state!

Please check us out at this really cool, family owned and operated specialty food store, Claudio. The Claudio family has been serving specialty gourmet products to the wholesale and retail public for over 50 years and we are delighted to be a part of the legacy now. They are the first store in all of PA to carry specialty Croatian olive oils and vinegar!

Claudio Specialty Foods

924-26 South 9th St.
Philadelphia, PA 19147
Phone: 866-313-FOOD

Website: www.claudiofoo d.com

San Gurmano arrives in St. Louis, MO!

2010-10-02T21:04:00.000-05:00

We are thrilled to announce that San Gurmano extra virgin olive oil is now available for purchase at Extra Virgin, an Olive Ovation, a wonderful store in St. Louis, MO. The store specializes in providing an eclectic selection of delicious oils, vinegars and other goodies, and the owner, Marianne, has built a well-edited offering of exceptional oils. If you are in St. Louis, please stop by the store to sample our product and get some for your kitchen!

Visiting San Gurmano production team in Porec, Croatia

2010-08-20T10:29:00.000-05:00

This summer we went on our annual trip to Croatia to visit the San Gurmano production team in Porec. What gracious hosts! After touring the nursery and picking out a new olive tree to plant in in our beach house garden, we had a wonderfully indulgent lunch overlooking the sea and old town of Porec.
We discussed some new products for fall (stay tuned!) and overall had a great time catching up with our partners. Here are some photos from the trip:

Working lunch: enjoying the delicious food and great company overlooking the beautiful Adriatic and old town Porec

Delicious, unusual and light dessert: Roasted figs with shaved almonds, creme fraiche and raspberry syrup

Wonderful San Gurmano production team in Porec

At MIH (Made in Histria, San Gurmano producers) nursery in Porec, standing in front of a massive olive tree

Video about San Gurmano Elderflower Vinegar

2010-06-27T19:14:00.002-05:00

Video about Extra Virgin Olive Oil San Gurmano

2010-06-27T14:47:00.000-05:00

Shop our goodies on Facebook!

2010-06-27T12:59:00.001-05:00

You can now buy our San Gurmano products directly on our Facebook page!
Check us out!

Father's Day Gifts

2010-06-17T09:38:00.000-05:00

Why not give the gift of delicious San Gurmano Olive Oil or Elderflower Vinegar this year? Gift baskets are also available.

Visit City Olive or Olivia's Market in Chicago or Fino Products web site to purchase online. Don't forget about our free shipping promotion on orders greater than $25

Lemon & Orange Olive Oil Cake

2010-06-09T19:18:00.000-05:00

Grocery stores and markets are exploding with oranges and lemons. There are so many kinds of oranges that it can be difficult to tell one type of orange from another. Meyer lemons are plentiful and a special treat as this fruit is really a cross between a regular lemon and an orange -- two excellent fruits for the price of one.

This cake combines the fruity flavors of the citrus as well as the fruity-ness of the olive oil.

Lemon & Orange Olive Oil Cake

yield: one-9 inch cake (serves 8 or 9)
adapted from Orangette

1 small to medium orange
1 lemon
6 ounces raw almonds
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
4 medium eggs
½ tsp. Kosher or fine sea salt
1 ½ cups sugar
2/3 cup San Gurmano Intense Olive Oil
Confectioners’ sugar, for serving (optional)

Place the orange and the lemon in a saucepan and cover with water. It is okay if the fruits float. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; then reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 30 minutes. Drain and cool.

Preheat the oven to 325°F and position the rack in the middle of the oven. Put the almonds on an ungreased sheet pan and bake until they look golden and smell toasty, 10 to 15 minutes. When the almonds are cool, pulse them in a food processor until finely ground like the texture of coarse sand.

Raise the temperature of the oven to 350°F and grease a 9-inch round pan.

When the lemon and orange are cool, cut the lemon in half, and scoop out and discard the pulp and seeds. Cut the orange in half, and discard the seeds. Put the lemon rind and orange halves in the food processor and process to a fine chop.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder.

Combine the eggs and salt in a mixing bowl. Beat until foamy. Gradually beat in the sugar. Fold in the flour mixture. Add the citrus, almonds, and olive oil, and beat on low speed to just incorporate. Do not overmix. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and bake for 45 - 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the cake in its pan on a wire rack. Carefully remove the cake from the pan and allow it to cool completely.

Store the cake covered with plastic wrap at room temperature.

Bacon versus Olive Oil

2010-06-07T09:53:00.002-05:00

Interesting article written by the owner of Zingerman's Deli comparing the use of bacon in the US to olive oil in the Meditteranean. Do you think this is true?

Source: Specialty Food News

---------------------------

Is Bacon the Olive Oil of North America?

I KNOW IT MIGHT SOUND STRANGE AT FIRST, BUT I’VE COME TO BELIEVE, WITH AN EVER-GREATER DEGREE OF CONVICTION, that bacon is to North American cooking and culture what olive oil is to the people of the Mediterranean. I know the analogy is not perfect—any food historian can tell you that while olive oil has been in the Mediterranean since time immemorial, bacon is a relatively recent addition to American cooking. Hogs, after all, most likely landed in Florida with the Hernando de Soto expedition in 1539.

Still, the more I think about the idea—and the more I read, cook and talk with other people—the more the comparison seems to carry weight. Still skeptical? Here, I present to you ten pretty darned solid reasons why I think that bacon is the olive oil of North America:

1. People really, really love the stuff.
When it comes to social and/or culinary change, I can tell you from experience, passion counts for a lot. In the Mediterranean, olive oil is something that most every good cook cares about deeply. People in every part of the Mediterranean love their olive oil and they eat a lot of it.

As far as I can tell, other than the obvious other option of chocolate, bacon is about as close as North Americans get to that kind of passion for food. Seriously, you start talking bacon to people and they go wild. People who cook for sure, but also those who just like to eat; professionals or home cooks; older folks and kids, they all love bacon. Their eyes light up. They tell stories. They believe in bacon. And they consume it in large quantities.

2. There is long-standing history.
Olive oil has been a part of Mediterranean culture for thousands of years. Bacon has been big here for 500 years. Back in the 17th century, William Byrd wrote of North Carolinians that they ate “pork upon pork and pork again upon that.” And most every traveler’s tale mentions it as one of a dozen key provisions to have on board their boat or covered wagon.

3. Political and ethnic boundaries have no bearing.
Olive trees have outlasted empires (Greeks, Turks, Byzantines and Ottomans), have been common to warring countries (Greece and Turkey, Israel and the Palestinians), and are popular in regions such as Provence that have changed status many times (in this case rule by France, Italy and later back to France).

In studying traditional American cooking, it’s increasingly clear to me that bacon could be the single most important ingredient we’ve got in this country. Much like olive oil, which serves as a culinary thread (maybe strong rope would be a better image) that ties together all the varied cuisines of the Mediter-ranean, bacon is the common ingredient of nearly every element of regional American cooking.

You’ll certainly find it all over the South, for sure—both the Union and Confederate armies counted on it heavily during the Civil War. Bacon’s always been popular in New England cookery with clams in chowder, beans for baking, eggs for breakfast, sautéed scallops and dozens of other old-time dishes. The Pennsylvania Dutch use bacon in eggs and potato salads. Out west I’ve had bacon with fish and in salads and on sandwiches. North of the border, Canadian bacon has been big for a long time.

It’s significant to me that, in this context, bacon is also huge in Native American cooking. Remember that the pig was not indigenous to North America; it was just one more ingredient introduced by invading people. And yet, everything I’ve been learning on the subject tells me that it’s used extensively by modern day Native Americans, and actually has been for centuries. Bacon with wild rice is a staple. The fact that bacon came to be so closely connected to—and so often cooked with—the most highly valued and esteemed food in the Native American cultures of the Upper Midwest speaks volumes to its culinary value.

4. The fat is where the flavor is.
The flavor of any cuisine, whether in Spain or the American South, is carried more by the type of fat that’s used in cooking than anything else. I learned long ago that if you want to replicate the traditional flavors of any cuisine you always start by using the right fat. Just as olive oil is the flavor that underwrites more Mediterranean food than any other ingredient, bacon quietly, but with beneficent force, buttresses the flavors of food all over this country.

5. There is big flavor return for a small investment.
As is the case with olive oil, the flavor bacon brings to the table far exceeds its relative volumetric contribution to cooking. In other words, when you look at the ingredients list for a recipe you’ll rarely see either olive oil or bacon listed in particularly large quantities. But when you use them well, each makes an enormous difference in the flavor of the finished dish. Long story short—a little bit of either goes a long way. Literally an ounce or so of bacon can make up half the flavor of a fantastic, easy-to-prepare dish.

In this sense, I’ve become a bigger and bigger believer that bacon’s leading value in the kitchen isn’t in its obvious uses sliced for breakfast or BLTs (though those are great too), but rather when it’s chopped or diced and then used as a seasoning. In that sense, it works just as olive oil does in Greek cuisine. Through slow cooking, the flavor of the fat is absorbed into the fresh produce leaving a full flavored, really rich vegetable dish.

6. They both can be used for year-round cooking.
It’s become a particular emphasis of mine, and many others, to eat fresh foods when they’re in season. But while both olive oil and bacon each has a ‘season’ in which they are typically produced—mid to late autumn for oil, early winter for bacon—both are designed for relatively long storage and year-round cooking. And because each has a long shelf-life they are amongst the staples that cooks count on in all seasons, regardless of whether economic times are good or bad.

7. Millions eat them both.
Unlike some foods, which were at one time eaten only by particular social classes, both bacon and olive oil seem to be almost universally loved. Other than the obvious exceptions of observant Jews, Muslims, vegetarians and other groups with strict prohibitions, bacon is popular with everyone—urban and rural, old and young. While the wealthy may have had more of either on hand at any given time, neither product was ever produced only for rich people. Both bacon and olive oil cut across class lines and you’ll find both in kitchens of every economic level and most every ethnic group. While they haven’t added it as a question to the Census yet, statistics are that more than half of American households have bacon on hand at all times.

8. There are different types for various dishes.
Just as one would want to select an appropriate olive oil to use in a particular recipe (say, a big green oil with meat, and soft elegant one for delicate fish), people want to be able to choose their bacon accordingly. This is one of my big pushes for the next few years—to get folks to move past just thinking that ‘everything is better with bacon,’ to realizing that, while bacon is generally a good thing, pairing the right bacon with the appropriate food is better.

9. Importance in society.
One place where I struggled with the veracity of the “bacon as olive oil” theory was when I thought about the role that olive oil has played in the spiritual activity of the Mediterranean. Bacon doesn’t have any part in religion (except as a prohibition), whereas olives and olive oil have much significance in the Mediterranean. (For example, ‘Christ’ comes from the word ‘chrism’ which means ‘to be anointed’ with oil in Greek.) But then, I came upon this quote from Joseph R. Conlin, who wrote in Bacon, Beans and Galantine,about life during the Gold Rush. He said, “Then as now, most Americans probably preferred a good beefsteak on the table to any other viand. But pork was president of the Republic.”

With this quote I realized that while bacon may be non-sectarian, it is a duly elected officer of the state and, therefore, has a powerful place in our society. Perhaps even more to the point, the 19th century Godey’s Lady’s Book sums it up: “The United States of America might properly be called the great Hog-eating Confederacy, or the Republic of Porkdom.”

Maybe we should drop the bald eagle and replace it with a slab of good bacon? Or maybe it’s time to move past the “chicken in every pot” platitude and go with “thick slices of bacon in every skillet!”

10. There is still room for growth.
While many retailers sell bacon, few of us have given it much weight in our meat cases or in our prepared foods. Using the olive oil analogy, this is a call to take it to the next level—if we have 30, 40 or more olive oils, why fewer than a half dozen bacons? If nothing else, I’ll say that while it’s not strange to see great olive oils retailing at about $40 a half-liter (about a pound), bacon is still a bargain at well under half that price.

The opportunities for bacon growth are pretty big, I think. Because so many people already feel so positively about it, it’s easier than ever to get them excited about buying, cooking and eating bacon. Towards that end, here at Zingerman’s we’ve run bacon classes, bacon promotions, BLT specials and featured it in ads, special menu items, monthly clubs and bi-monthly newsletters. Consumers can’t seem to get enough of the stuff—between that and the fact that it’s so good, putting a heavy promotional focus onto selling (and, in your kitchen, cooking with) better bacons can’t yield anything but positive results. Call your bacon suppliers, learn more what they do, why it’s special and then share all the information with your staff and your customers.

Editor’s Note: This essay has been adapted from the forthcoming book, Zingerman’s Guide to Buying Better Bacon, which will be published in winter 2009.

Ari Weinzweig is co-owner of Zingerman’s Delicatessen in Ann Arbor, Mich., and author of Zingerman’s Guide to Giving Great Service and other books.

For more information, visit www.zingtrain.com

Fino Products Newsletter

2010-06-03T12:54:00.000-05:00

Each month Fino Products creates a newsletter highlighting our olive oils and elderflower vinegar, the latest events, and delicious recipes using our products.

Sign up via our website and look for the newsletter sign-up box in the lower right hand corner.

A Glossary of Olives- Article published by Saveur Magazine

2010-06-01T13:37:00.000-05:00

Saveur Magazine published a great summary describing different olives, including their origin, size and flavors. Enjoy!

By Nancy Harmon Jenkins Source: Saveur

All olives are green when young and darken as they mature, and each variety has its own optimal stage of harvesting for oil. There are hundreds of varieties of olives grown around the world; here are ten that are prized for their oil.

Frantoio

This medium-size, oval olive is the main variety in a typical Tuscan blended oil. Frantoio oil is peppery with hints of freshly cut grass, and balanced by notes of bitterness and pungency; it's great for both drizzling and cooking.

Leccino (used in San Gurmano)

A Tuscan original, this ellipsoid olive is now widespread throughout Italy. Notable for its ability to withstand cold temperatures and for its quick ripening, it makes mildly pungent, fruity, sweet oils.

Moraiolo

These small, plump olives form the basis of most oils from Italy's Umbria region. Ample fruit flavors are balanced by an exceptionally high level of polyphenols, the compounds in olive oil that yield pleasing pungency and bitterness. Moraiolo oils are excellent drizzled over bean soups and bruschetta.

Taggiasca

These tapered orbs grow all over Liguria, on the northwest coast of Italy. They produce a fruity, nuanced oil and are harvested late, which means they're low in polyphenols (and thus largely free of bitterness). Oils made from this variety are best used as a garnish, particularly with delicate seafood dishes or salads.

Arbequina

This tiny round fruit hails from Catalonia, Spain, and is now widely planted in the country's Andalusia region as well. It's a favorite of California growers, too. Fresh, fruity, and often possessed of a distinct almond flavor, the oil of the arbequina is low in polyphenols, a fact that causes its flavors to diminish with time. Use this olive's oil to dress salads and to drizzle into soups and sauces.

Picual

This distinctively shaped, medium-size Spanish variety accounts for much of the world's olive oil and for nearly all of the oil made in Andalusia, Spain's top-producing region. The picual is exceptionally high in polyphenols, and its oil has a peppery astringency and a ripe (some say overripe) flavor. A great all-purpose oil, it stands up to cooking and even frying.

Koroneiki

One of Greece's most common olives, the small koroneiki produces big, fruity oils with hints of green apple and herbs. They're especially good in cooked vegetable dishes and long-simmered stews.

Chemlali

These small, chubby olives are commonly used in Tunisian and Moroccan oils. Because they're harvested late, the olives produce oil that's sweet and soft, with a faint almond flavor.

Picholine

These elongated fruits—popular table olives in France—translate into mild oils that are balanced but without the characteristic bitterness and pungency imparted by high levels of polyphenols. Their oil is best used for fresh salads or to dress cooked vegetables.

Barnea

This hardy olive was developed by Israeli agronomists and produces a smooth oil with very little bitterness and pungency. Barnea oil is popular in Israel, Australia, and New Zealand.

This article was first published in Saveur in Issue #129

Tasting Events in June

2010-05-28T10:06:00.004-05:00

Come sample and shop the new harvest oils and vinegars at our tastings!

What: Tasting at City Olive
When: Sunday, June 13, 2010
2-4 p.m.
Where: City Olive
5408 N Clark St, Chicago, 60640
Why: Sample the new elderflower vinegar and learn how to use it to create delicious spring and summer dishes!

What: Tasting at Olivia's Market
When: Sunday, June 13, 2010
             2-5 p.m.
Where: Olivia's Market
             2014 W Wabansia, Chicago, 60647
Why:    Learn that olive oil is for more than just salads!

We hope you can join us!

San Gurmano Extra Virgin Croatian Olive Oil

2010-05-27T16:20:00.000-05:00

A bit more about our Croatian Extra Virgin Olive Oils: San Gurmano

2010-05-27T16:13:00.004-05:00

San Gurmano is a multi-sort extra virgin olive oil. This vibrant oil is pressed from two indigenous olives grown only in Croatia: the Istrian Bijelica (bee-yell-ee-tsa) and Buža (boo-zha). These robust two are then mixed with their better-known and milder Italian colleagues Leccino and Pendolino for an incredibly well-balanced, spicy and slightly bitter flavor, with startling notes of almond, green apples and a signature peppery finish.

The olives are handpicked and mechanically pressed within hours of harvest, capturing exceptional chemical and organoleptic qualities.The oil has two delicious flavors: mild and intense. Rather than classifying its products by sort, San Gurmano does it with the gourmet’s palate in mind. The two separate flavors are achieved by different combination of four oil sorts.

Buza: exceptional quality oil with a pronounced, fresh scent and pleasantly bitter and peppery finish.
Bjelica: also produces oil of exceptional quality with a strong personality that is recognized by its accentuated peppery and slightly bitter flavor on the palate.
Leccino: originates in Tuscany and has been cultivated in Istria since 1940. Exceptional quality, it is recognized by its fresh scent with a mild and fruity flavor.
Pendolino: also native to Tuscany but adopted in Istria. This potent olive is usually grown close to other trees to pollinate its neighbors and it has an exceptional quality with a pronounced fruity flavor.

Mild Flavor:

The mild flavor has a clear golden green color. As you bring it to your nose, you will sense a bouquet of fresh-cut green grass. On first taste, you will sense a smooth texture and taste the notes of fresh-cut grass and green apples. On the back of your palate you will sense the light and green peppery taste of almonds. This harmonious oil is incredibly well balanced and wonderful for dipping fresh bread or drizzled on white fish, pastas and veggies. For dessert, sprinkle on vanilla ice-cream or dark chocolate. To buy, please visit our website.

Intense Flavor:

The intense flavor has a slightly darker golden green color. The scent of fresh-cut clean green grass is intense and pleasant, reminiscent of a warm, sunny spring day in Croatia. The smooth yet grassy initial taste is characteristic of green olives. This robust, full-flavored and rich oil is delicious on salads, warm pasta, meats, soups and tomato sauces, but also wonderful for dipping fresh bread.

This San Gurmano cocktail is an irresistible blend of Istrian tradition long enjoyed by Roman emperors and now bottled for contemporary foodies. The unique punch of Istrian sorts is incredibly well balanced with adopted, milder sorts. It is as if the wild passion of Istria is balanced with the sophistication of Tuscany, to bring you a versatile and delicious spice that will make every one of your meals a true culinary feast! To buy, please visit our website.

San Gurmano won the 3rd place award in the International Competition Alma Armonia 2008 in Italy, in fierce competition of 270 oils from around the world. It also won Gold Medals at Vinistra 2008 and Vinistra 2009, a long-standing Istrian cooperative comprised of wine and food experts.

Always use oil as flavoring towards the end of the cooking process- you will preserve the fresh and rich aroma of the olive oil.

St. Peter in the Forest- Monk's Vinegar

2010-05-24T10:16:00.001-05:00

We are pleased to introduce our newest Fino Product: Monks' Vinegar.

An Elderflower vinegar, a tasty and unusual spice, is carefully handmade from a traditional recipe developed by Pavlini Monks in a small village Monastery in Istria, Croatia called Sveti Peter U Sumi (St. Peter in the Forest) and orally passed down over the centuries. Now, for the first time in the United States, you can enjoy this delicious and healthy addition to your salads and vegetables while pondering the mysteries of this legendary Monk's spice!

The vinegar is available at City Olive, Olivia's Market, and on our website!

Memorable Meals: Spring in Paris (in Fall)

2010-05-05T16:06:00.001-05:00

Memorable meals usually involved more than just amazing tasting food. Almost always, there's good people in cool places that contribute to the experience. So, one of the best meals we had involved all three ingredients: It was a beautiful, warm, fall day in Paris; at our friend's restaurant Spring, Daniel Rose (owner and chef) cooked up the most delicious and eclectic lunch...Dan and Marie are amazing chefs and whip up sumptuous stuff, but there is something extra special about having your meal prepared by someone who knows you. There is also something uber cool about having a decadent lunch in the city of Paris with your spouse who you met and fell in love with in that city. So this meal was a wonderful homage to life's indulgences in big taste, big friends, big loves and big cities.

Sample new San Gurmano Croatian Olive Oils and Elderflower Vinegar at City Olive this Saturday

2010-04-19T11:45:00.000-05:00

What: Join us for a tasting of San Gurmano Croatian Extra Virgin Olive Oils and unique Elderflower Vinegar

Where: City Olive, 5408 N Clark St, Chicago (Andersonville), 773.878.5408.

When: Saturday, April 24, 2-4pm

Why: See that olive oil is not just for salads....come and try our vanilla ice cream drizzled with San Gurmano mild olive oil and taste the unique flavor of super healthy elderflower vinegar!

Odd Food Pairs

2010-03-28T15:41:00.001-05:00

Our friends at Crop to Cup and Bean & Body hosted another fabulous Odd Food Pairs event this past Friday. Fino Products participated in the initial Odd Food event last summer and we are excited to see the progress and the momentum this foodie event is gaining. The premise of the event is to bring together local Chicago entrepreneurs to showcase their foods in odd, unusual pairing....Last year we presented our early harvest San Gurmano Mild Extra Virgin Olive Oil with Strawberry-Vanilla ice cream from Nice Cream company.

Last Friday was another extravaganza of flavors and textures. We sampled salty marshmallows from our friends at Beyond The Shaker paired with creamy and sumptuous carrot soup....we tried delicious Kumamato oysters with beer-based shaved ice and hops mist...then indulged in green tea beer and unusual fruity cocktails. It was all very delicious and it was wonderful to see how vibrant the Chicago foodie scene is!

Guys from Goose Island and L20 Restaurant whipping up "Honkers" Granita with

Tripple Distilled Citra Hop Mist and Kumamoto Oysters

Thanks again to Jake and Ben for hosting such a great event!

If you are interested in learning more about Odd Food Pairs, check it out on Facebook

Great Tasting...and More Tastings

2010-03-12T11:54:00.000-06:00

We had a great tasting at Olivia's last Sunday. We were serving savory crackers with light cream cheese with a drizzle of our San Gurmano Intense extra virgin olive oil. We also served a little unusual surprise: vanilla ice cream with our San Gurmano Mild extra virgin olive oil.

People were surprised initially, but everyone who tried it, liked it. A lot. My favorite customer encounter was meeting alovely 3 year old who tried the vanilla ice cream with olive oil and loved it. She picked up a bottle of San Gurmano and placed it in her little kiddy cart then went to the back of the store to pick up vanilla ice cream. She brought it back to me to check that she got the right brand, and then, very pleased, pushed her cart to the register so her mom can buy this new food adventure for her.

We tried to show people that you can use your excellent olive oil on more things than just a salad and wanted people to get a bit adventurous in the kitchen. Also, we think excellent olive oil is the new wine- bring it as a hostess gift next time you go to someone's house for dinner- it lasts longer than a bottle of wine and it is healthier and more adventurous.

As always, it was great to talk to the customers and see how much they like our product. It is challenging to communicate how delicious San Gurmano is just by sitting on the shelf.

We are scheduled to do two more upcoming tastings:

April 3: City Olive

April 25: back at Olivia's

Until then, shop our Fino Products website at www.finoproducts.com.

Spring tasting at Olivia's

2010-03-04T09:36:00.003-06:00

OK, so it might not feel like spring today, but by Sunday we should have sunny skies and 40+ degree weather...A perfect opportunity for a brunch in Bucktown and then stop by Olivia's Market for your olive oil fix and to stock up on our San Gurmano oils!

Spring is coming and so are the salads and fresh produce and the best way to dress them up is with some delicious and fragrant olive oil! Who knows, with all this chef potential, you might be hosting the next brunch at your place!

What: Olive Oil tasting at Olivia's Market
When: Sunday, March 7
            11am-3pm
Where: Olivia's Market
             2014 W Wabansia, Chicago, 60647
Why:     Because it is fun, healthy and delicious!



Hope you can join us!

March recipe: Olive Oil Granola with Dried Cherries & Ginger

2010-02-28T11:01:00.008-06:00

As mentioned last month, we partnered with chef and foodie Emily Olson to bring you a new recipe every month featuring one of our San Gurmano products. This month, Croatian Extra Virgin Olive Oil is the star of the kitchen...

Thanks Emily for designing and testing out this recipe for Fino Products! :-)
For more recipes and amazing food photos from Emily, visit her blog: http://emilyolson80.posterous.com/

Olive Oil Granola with Dried Cherries & Ginger

adapted from: The New York Times

yield: 4 1/2 - 5 cups

2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

3/4 cup walnut pieces

1/2 cup raw pistachios, hulled

1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds, hulled

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

1/4 cup San Gurmano Mild Olive Oil BUY OIL HERE

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1 tbls flax seeds (optional)

1 tbls wheat bran (optional)

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 cup chopped dried cranberries

1/4 cup chopped dried cherries

1 tbls chopped crystallized ginger

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a large bowl, combine oats, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, maple syrup, olive oil, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, flax seeds, and wheat bran. Spread mixture on a rimmed baking sheet in an even layer and bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until golden brown and well toasted.

Transfer granola to a large bowl and add cherries, cranberries, and ginger, tossing to combine.

Store in the freezer for optimal freshness.

Health Benefits of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2010-02-19T17:26:00.002-06:00

Olive oil today is synonymous with a healthy diet and modern living. There is a proliferation of scientific research pointing to the benefits of high quality extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) so that even an average consumer today is aware of the incredible health and fitness benefits. At Fino Products, our goal is to bring together healthy and good for you, with delicious and exciting food.

One of the main reasons we started with Croatian olive oils is because we feel like we can bring health, wellness, flavor, gastronomy, excitement and mystique together in a singular product.

Given its chemical composition, one could say that the olive oil is the ideal fat. It consists of almost 80% of monounsaturated oleic acid, and polyunsaturated linolenic acid. It also contains significant antioxidants, including potent and vital vitamin E.

Here are some interesting research study results:

It has been reported that regular consumption of olive oil, and adhering to a Mediterranean diet can lower brain damage risks. For more information click here
It has been reported that regular consumption of olive oil and adhering to a Mediterranean diet may protect against gastric cancer. For more information click here
The essential fatty acids and oleic acid (highly representative in olive oil) have favorable impact on bone formation and growth. Because of this, some scientist advocate that olive oil should be an integral part of a child's diet.
Olive oil also has a positive impact on fighting osteoporosis since it helps support bone strength and calcium absorbtion. Since olive oil aids in calcium absorbtion, one could make the argument that olive oil conusmption helps people lose and maintain healthy weights.
Research shows that individuals who regularly consume olive oil have lower blood pressure.
Olive oil also aids in digestion and overall the body's metabolism, helping people loose weight and maintain healthy weights.
New research shows that olive oil consumption helps decrease glucose levels by 12%.
Thanks to significant amounts of vitamin E and its antioxidant properties, olive oil is excellent for skin protection and toning and it is especially recommended for preventing skin damage and decreasing skin aging.

So go ahead, enjoy it! It is delicious and good for you too! :-)

Chef Extraordinaire!

2010-02-11T13:05:00.001-06:00

Amazing chef and foodie Emily Olson has agreed to prepare one recipe per month with San Gurmano ingredients. I mentioned Emily in this blog before and have raved about her beautiful food photography. We are so excited to be working with her!
So stay tuned for first delicious recipe....coming very very soon!

Beautiful Food

2010-02-09T14:45:00.001-06:00

My friend Emily writes a food blog and has the most beautiful and colorful photos of food you can imagine! My mouth is watering just looking at it all!

http://emilyolson80.posterous.com/

I'm reposting one of her photos here so you get a sense for what I am talking about:

Memorable foods

2010-02-09T14:31:00.001-06:00

We are firm believers that food tastes best and is most memorable when consumed with good people in fun places. I asked Scott to share some of his memorable food moments....here are just a few:

Cusco, Peru, 2007 - tea, bananas, fresh bread and butter

Cusco, Peru, 2007 - Street Tamales in Cusco Square-"tamal de dulce" , tamale wrapped in corn leaf (not banana) , stuffed with ground corn, raisins

Starigrad, Croatia, 2009 - Grandpa's soup, grilled meat, turbinator potatoes- rakiya at the beach house (this one requires more explanation, I know....it is a whole different story!)

Selve Verde, Costa Rica, 2008 - lunch dessert, sharing flan- legs dangling from porch watching the Sarapiqui river, keel-billed toucans, rufus hummingbirds and montezuma oropendula, happy wife next to me

FREE SHIPPING!!!!

2010-02-09T13:46:00.000-06:00

Dear Fino Friends and olive oil lovers:

Love is in the air this month and we are sharing ours with you! We love our fans and customers and we are giving you all a special gift of love. Not just one day this month, but the ENTIRE month!

During the month of February Fino is offering FREE STANDARD SHIPPING on ALL orders on our website ! Use code FREESHIP by Feb 28, 2010.

Get some delicious goodies for the foodies in your life!!!
Go on, don't be shy....buy some now!

We will also gift wrap all purchases and include a handwritten note when the shipping address is different from billing address. So this month, forget about chocolates and candies, give healthy and irresistible gift of Istrian olive oil.

OMG: Hot Chocolate Dessert!

2010-02-09T12:38:00.001-06:00

Our friend Carlos took us out for my birthday couple a weeks ago. We went to Hot Chocolate in Bucktown, Chicago, and the food was quite exquisite. We ate tasty and spicy pumpkin soup and I had delicious duck, but it is the dessert that stole my heart. It was absolutely divine!

Warm chocolate souffle tart that oozes warm chocolate when broken with your spoon, served with caramel salted ice cream that is rich, flavorful and perfectly balanced (slightly sweet from caramel and tangy from salt) with deliciously fragile and crisp homemade pretzel. OMG, that was absolutely divine!!! The only thing missing was few drops of fresh, green olive oil, but I sense that they probably used some olive oil in the ice cream.

The presentation was very simple and the tart, ice cream and pretzel were not touching each other. This was so impactful because the focus was on the deliciously different flavors that you can savor individually or mix to your liking. Love, love, love it!

Fino Products in the Big Apple!

2010-02-03T16:58:00.000-06:00

Last weekend was fantastic. We went to New York City to meet with our San Gurmano team from Istria. It was super productive and we have tons of great new ideas. We also got to sample new products and we are super excited! Can't wait to get them in the US so you can try them too.

We followed up with contacts from the San Francisco Fancy Food Show and made great new contacts as well. We also visited some old friends (Parisian connection) and it was great to be in the City. Few things are more exciting than Saturdays in SoHo!

In New York, we made sales calls, introducing our oils to foodies in Chelsea, SoHo and Lower Manhattan...

...We dined with Istrian entrepreneurs, the successful restauranteurs who own America's first restaurant, Delmonico's.

Still located in the same historic building in lower Manhattan, we eagerly explored its incredible wine cellar, its vast menu, and the private dining areas in the basement haunted by Oscar Wilde, Charles Dickens and Mark Twain.

And, as always, we enjoyed great food and friendship... Here is a pic of Darko, the mastermind behind San Gurmano, his wife Luana who runs a specialty food store in Porec and is a self professed professional foodie, and Branko, entrepreneur, restaurateur and owner of Delmonico's:

Fino Products is going coast to coast-New York- here we come!

Few more cool foods from San Francisco

2010-01-22T16:35:00.000-06:00

Shopping menu in Chinatown:

Meat pies, fruit pies...whatever....

Chocolate passion:

Tcho is this really cool chocolate company that talks about their product based on how it tastes. Makes sense, right? So rather than talking about origin or cocoa percentage, they talk about fruity or chocolatey flavor explosions. This is the same approach we have with our San Gurmano oils. Few people know what bjelica or pendolino taste like, so we call our oils mild or intense describing the aroma and sensation and allowing the consumer to buy product based on something they know they will like...

all things shroom: Far West Fungi

Mushroom universe:

I love these little mushroom universes. On the bottom is a Styrofoam-like square with mushroom roots and the top is this bouquet of mushrooms. Looks very surreal, especially under the glass bell. I think I want one of these in my house.

Great food in San Francisco

2010-01-22T15:58:00.001-06:00

In San Francisco we were on the lookout for delicious and unusal yet simple food, and had no trouble finding it....

Store selling all things pig...

Landmark sourdough bread bakery:

Simple lunch at Boudin's: clam chowder in sourdough bread and cold beer:

Shopping for specialty salts at the market:

Made to order cup of coffee is all the rage in San Francisco:

Alive things at the market:

Simple Lunch: Delicious fresh oysters with lemon:

Fancy Food Show in San Francisco

2010-01-22T15:34:00.000-06:00

The 35th Annual Winter Fancy Food Show was incredible in every way.
Over 70,000 specialty food products were on display from all over the world with an emphasis on specialty organics, gluten free and traceability. The stories behind the companies and producers were as interesting as the food itself!

The event is closed to the general public. Only a select group of specialty food producers, retailers, wholesalers, distributors and media representatives are allowed to attend and exhibit. These professionals were everywhere too- negotiating deals from early to late!

It is the place to be if your quality product stands out in the market- a perfect place for Fino Products!

We attended the event to gauge market interest in our high-quality Croatian goodies and investigate the potential for a Fino Product's booth, showcasing our producers' finest products, in the near future.

As for olive oil, while there were a number of oils from Italy, Tunisia, Spain and Greece, we were surprised that not a single brand originated from Croatia. Also, very few were exceptional in flavor and packaging. This presents a unique opportunity for high-end, quality Istrian oil.

We did see Dalmatian fig spreads and the not-too-hard-to-find Kras chocolate, but it was clear the US and international market has yet to be properly introduced to Croatia's most exceptional specialty foods. This is great news for Fino Products!

Photographs were not allowed in the exhibiting area- but we took a few of San Francisco!

Olive trees in San Francisco:

As we were walking down the street passing Lombard Street and towards Ghirardelli Square, we saw these beautiful, tall olive trees lining the sidewalks! Amazing! Not sure what is the sort, but they are tall with fairly skinny trunks and beautiful silver and green leaves....

Fino Products is going to Fancy Food Show in San Francisco!!

2010-01-12T14:52:00.000-06:00

This weekend we are off to San Francisco to attend one of the world's largest specialty food events: The 2010 Winter Fancy Food Show. Get ready for an action-packed weekend filled with unique Goodies for Foodies! We are there to explore business opportunities for our gourmet Istrian goodies in the United States and sample other tasties along the way. Stay tuned...

To learn more about the show, please visit Fancy Food Show site.

More Gold for San Gurmano!

2010-01-12T14:13:00.000-06:00

We are delighted to report that San Gurmano extra virgin olive oil from Istria, Croatia, won gold medal at Vinistra 2009. That is two years in a row now!

The Vinistra competition is the largest and most prestigious Croatian wine and olive oil competition. For more on Vinistra, please visit www.vinistra.com

Photos from Istria (Croatia)...

2010-01-12T13:45:00.000-06:00

Dani Kraljevic, the olive oil maestro, shows us how he uses modern technology and tradition to make the best olive oil in the world....

Scott from Fino Products and Damir from San Gurmano, in front of a 500 year old olive tree on the Kraljevic estate, in Istria, Croatia. The hand-picked olives are pressed within hours into San Gurmano extra virgin olive oil.

For more stories and pictures, visit our website www.finoproducts.com

Going to the source...

2010-01-12T13:40:00.001-06:00

This summer we visited the San Gurmano team in Istria, Croatia. Wow, what a trip! We saw the nursery, the orchards, we met Dani who carefully presses the oil (his mill runs 24 hours a day during pressing season!), Damir showed us the bottling facilities, Melinda explained how she carefully inspects the orchards and works with the growers to ensure the highest quality. We got a taste of the entire process, and it is amazing. Then, of course, we had delicious food and wonderful Cuj wines from Kraljevic estate...

The team that makes San Gurmano olive oil is truly exceptional and they love what they do. San Gurmano is a product of love, passion and expertise.

And we bring you a special piece of red Istrian soil, warm sun and fragrant olive trees in every bottle of San Gurmano. Enjoy!

Fino Products: Goodies for Foodies

2010-01-12T13:08:00.000-06:00

We started Fino Products last year with the idea of bringing new goodies to American foodies. Our friends noticed that food and enjoyment of food is a recurring theme in all our photo albums; and we noticed that there is a opportunity in the marketplace to tell stories of some very unique and delicious food products. So, we tried a whole bunch of olive oils and decided to start with a cooperative of olive growers in Istria, Croatia. And voila, we are the first company to bring award-winning Istrian extra virgin olive oil to the United States. Yay! This year we are expanding the assortment of our products to include some very cool and unique foods like the mystical elderflower vinegar and some other products that we will keep a mystery...for now.