Thank you to all of you olive oil lovers! The Virtuous Olive is off to a great start. Welcome to the new Blog that accompanies this website. I’ll pass along information on new arrivals, specials, coupons and ideas for using the extra virgin olive oils.

Just in is the Affiorato Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Why is this so special? It is the top 2-3% of the freshly ground olive paste oil that rises to the top and is skimmed and bottled before undergoing the cold press process. This is a delicate oil, produced in limited quantities, that enhances with subtle flavor. Use it on mild fish, soft, creamy soups, polenta, leafy greens or as a dipping oil.

Rosemary is one of the new flavored extra virgin olive oils. Because it surprised me with its subtleness, this has quickly become my favorite oil. It has a mild rosemary flavor, and is fabulous drizzled on focaccia, farro, artichokes, potatoes, even on an omelet. Try it and let me know how you use it.

Last year’s harvest was greatly reduced because of Xylella fastidiosa disease, a bacteria carried by the spittlebug that harmed more than one million olive oil trees. For this reason, prices are slightly higher than last but the quality still remains outstanding.

Visit the site to see the new additions, gift pack and even olives!

Grazie!

Mary