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Writer's picturePamela Marasco

Rarely Enjoyed Outside of Italy

Did you know? Only 40% of Italian extra virgin olive oil is exported.


Due to the exclusive nature of nuovo oil, it is rarely enjoyed outside of Italy and we couldn't be happier about its recent arrival at CosituttiMarketPlace. We are pleased and proud to share this exceptional oil with you.


This Is Something Special


Tenuta di Capezzana - Carmignano in Tuscany


Nothing can transport you to Italy quicker than opening a good bottle of Italian extra virgin olive oil and the mark of a good bottle begins with the hand of the producer. Sourced from our friends at Tenuta di Capezzana near Carmignano, northwest of Florence, the olive groves and vineyards of Capezzana are legendary. The silver colored hills surrounding Carmignano are proof of just how apt the area is for the cultivation of olive trees. The estate farm which dates back to the time of the Medici is well-known for its award-winning olive oil. There is a one to one relationship between the ancient tree stock and the oil of Capezzana - the olives from 1 tree make 1 bottle of oil. It’s as if each bottle of oil was made especially for you.


New harvest Capezzana Extra Virgin Olive Oil. 100% organic and bio. A seasonal gift of nature - from the land to the artisan's hands, from generational producers, from us to you. 



The Character of the Oil 


New Harvest

I've seen the new harvest of olives picked, pressed and bottled at Capezzana. Believe me there is nothing like tasting "new oil".  Like a fine wine it has a character all its own and each year brings new meaning to the Italian style of living and their attitude toward food.


At Capezzana the olives that are used to make this oil were picked and bottled within 12-24 hours of production. Production methods are both traditional (olives are harvested by hand) and modern to best preserve the optimal scents, aromas and flavors of this exceptional oil. The oil then decants in the historic orciaia adjacent to the mill, according to the ancient system that avoids a second centrifugation.



New Harvest Extra Virgin Olive Oil

A brilliant green, Capezzana oil is distinguished by its flavor, aroma and softness, with a burst of fresh olives and that classic “Tuscan zing”. Olio nuovo is the freshest possible extra virgin olive oil you can find. Capezzana extra virgin olive oil rarely exceeds 0.2% oleic acid which gives the oil great longevity, quality profile and nutritional health benefits.







Because of the labor intensive methods of growing, picking and processing; some oil companies will bring in oil from different parts of Europe package it in Italy and call it “Made in Italy”. But bottled or packaged in Italy doesn’t mean the same as cultivated and grown. It’s important to look at the origin of the oil not just where it’s bottled. We have a direct relationship with our producers in Italy, visiting the farms, knowing the families. Our oils are sourced at their peak of freshness and current harvest and supplies may be limited. 


Pour Abundantly


Once the trees went forth to anoint a king over them and they said to the olive tree, "Reign Over Us'"  . . . Judges 9:8


How do Italians use their "liquid gold”? Italians value olive oil and the culinary and cultural traditions that bring it to the table. They are unyielding in their desire to choose and use the best quality. Like a fine wine it has a character all its own and each year brings new meaning to the Italian style of living and their attitude toward food.


Use your oil daily, as Italians do, knowing it contributes to your health and well-being with the feeling that like Life it is meant to be "savored not saved”.


From the Fruit to the Bottle and Beyond


Not sure how to buy, store and use your new harvest extra virgin oil from CosituttiMarketPlace.

Here are a few hints on buying, storing and using olive oil.


  • Buy dated oils to ensure optimum flavor and health benefits.

  • Buy extra virgin which is processed without heat or chemicals to rectify the oil and higher in the compounds that make it so beneficial.

  • Know your producer. Unscrupulous producers often blend lesser quality oil or foreign oil with local oil and label it Made in Italy

  • Quality unfiltered oil may contain sediment. This is not a defect but tiny bits of olives that some prefer. 

  • In a baking recipe that calls for a stick of butter (8 tablespoons) use 6 tablespoons of olive oil.

  • Heat, light and air all effect oil adversely. Store oil in a capped tinted bottle in a cool place out of direct sunlight.

  • Don’t refrigerate your olive oil as temperature fluctuations cause condensation and water and oil don’t mix!


In Tuscany when olives are pressed and the new oil is flowing families and friends gather around the table with gorgeous bottles of vivid green oil to celebrate the new harvest with a slice of fettunta, roasted Tuscan saltless bread with an abundant drizzle of newly pressed extra virgin olive oil. Afterwards we always make an olive oil cake as a homage to the culinary and cultural traditions from our friends at Capezzana. 


Olio di Oliva Torta - A Typical Tuscan Cake


Ingredients


  • 3 eggs

  • 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar

  • 1 1/2 cups Capezzana extra virgin olive oil

  • 1 1/2 cups milk

  • grated zest of 3 oranges, plus strawberry for garnish

  • 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

  • pinch of salt

  • confectioners' sugar for dusting

 

Method


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 12-inch cake pan. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and granulated sugar until blended. Add the olive oil, milk, and orange zest and mix well. In another bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add to the egg mixture, stirring just until blended. Do not overmix. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. 

 

Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Loosen the sides with a knife and invert onto a serving plate. Dust the cake with confectioners' sugar. Garnish the individual servings with one or two fresh strawberries. Serves 12.




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