Olive Oil and Infant Health

When my daughter first started eating solid foods, she immediately was drawn to dipping pieces of bread in extra virgin olive oil. Not only did she think it was fun, but she loved the taste as well. She’s three now and still asks for “dip it” or “the oil.” In fact, since she was introduced to olive oil in our house early on, she now equates maple syrup on pancakes as “oil,” so we call it the “sweet oil.”

Knowing how healthy olive oil is generally, I began to wonder whether there were any special benefits for infants and children. I did a bit of searching and discovered olive oil, and in particular organic olive oil, is great from a nutritional perspective, and it’s also useful for body care.

Children Need More Fat (the good kind, of course): Children under three require more fat intake as at least forty percent of the energy they consume comes from fat. Extra virgin olive oil is a favorable means to providing some of these essential fatty acids as its ratio of linoleic acid to linolenic acid is similar to that of breast milk, and it’s low in polyunsaturated fats.

Pregnant and Breastfeeding Moms too!: It is also advisable that pregnant and breastfeeding mothers consume more fat, primarily monounsaturated fat as in olive oil, to pass on essential fatty acids and vitamins to their newborn children during postnatal development. Of course, this doesn’t mean eat more sweets — general dietary guidelines should be followed as usual.

Helps Bones Grow Strong: Bones need a large amount of oleates. The oleic acid contained in extra virgin olive oil appears to have a positive influence on growth and bone mineralization during infancy and childhood.

Body Care: Olive oil can be used to moisturize the body, and it’s especially great for infant care. I know of some mothers who look for organic olive oil products to moisturize their children’s sensitive skin. As a solution for cradle cap, apply olive oil to the scalp and leave for 1 to 2 hours before bath time. Then gently brush with a soft brush and/or comb the hair with a very fine comb and finally wash the hair. Do 2-3 times within 10 days.

Symbolic Rituals: In some cultures, olive oil is a symbolic means of welcoming children into the world by rubbing them from head to toe in olive oil and giving them a light massage. As part of the baptism process in the Greek Orthodox Church, children are anointed with hallowed olive oil throughout their body.

Preserving Antipasti in Olive Oil

Roasted red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, artichokes…we love preserving some of our favorite foods with olive oil to create flavorful antipasti. So we thought we’d share some of these in a multi-part series.

Most of these preparations are for short-term preservation in a refrigerator or even a freezer; they are not for long-term storage in a pantry. That type of preservation may require the boiling water method to better conserve the food. In addition, if you want to infuse herbs in oil, be sure that they are absolutely dry.

Things to know:

• Make sure your tools and containers are clean and dry before you start
• Use a glass storage unit with a seal or lid that closes tightly
• A narrow container is better than a wide one to keep the exposed top area to a minimum
• Place your food item in the container until full and then completely cover with olive oil. Make sure that none of the food items are protruding above the olive oil.
• Pour the olive oil all the way to the top to form a seal. Use a knife to push out the air bubbles.
• Cover tightly and store in the refrigerator, which will last a few months if stored properly
• Olive oil will congeal when cold. When serving the food item, allow the oil to clarify before removing a portion from the container.
• Add extra olive oil as needed while in storage

Get our recipe for tasty roasted red bell peppers and start preserving!

Harvest 2007 is Here

We're excited around here because our 2007 harvest has begun. We've already started making our Estate Organic and it promises to be spectacular. As we walk around the orchard, we see most of the trees are full with the olive fruit. We wanted to start milling in early October, but the olives were just not ready. When we checked back in two weeks later, they were set to go! Last week we milled our first drops of our early harvest, rich estate organic. We wish you could have experienced the earthy aroma filling the room as the olives were pressed.

In late November we will check in on the olives for our Late Harvest Gold. For this late harvest olive oil, the olives need to be completely mature to provide that smooth and mild taste so characteristic of this product.

Pan con tomate: A simple, tasty and healthy snack with bread and tomatoes

I have recently been living in Barcelona, Spain for a while and absorbing the rich food culture of the Catalonia region. Here, one of the simplest and famous dishes—using basic ingredients such as toasted bread, olive oil, ripe tomatoes, garlic and salt—is the well-loved pa amb tomaquet. In other parts of Spain it is known as pan con tomate or pan a la Catalana. It can be served as a tapa (snack) or to accompany a meal.

Although I had tasted pa amb tomaquet on trips to Spain before, the first time I had actually seen it made was in my own apartment in New York City when my Catalonian friends were visiting and cooked up a traditional Catalonian meal. I saw them take a bunch of small, vine-ripened tomatoes, cut them in half, rub them on the bread, and then throw the pieces away! I was a bit horrified at what seemed to be a waste, but years later, as I’m living in Catalonia and I prepare the snack for my guests, they look at me the same way. But the truth is, if you have the right tomatoes, you will use the whole thing. Then you will understand that the trick is to have super ripe tomatoes and get your hands really messy to get all the juices out.

This bread with tomato can be served alone or used as a basis for making a sandwich by adding manchego cheese, Spanish ham or prosciutto, anchovies or anything else on top. For my toddler daughter, it makes a tasty, healthy snack (I sometimes omit the garlic). I like to eat pa amb tomaquet for breakfast along with my café con leche.

Ingredients
4 thick slices rustic-style bread, toasted lightly
1 fat garlic clove, halved
Olinda Ridge extra virgin olive oil
1 large super-ripe tomato, halved (preferably vine-ripened or homegrown)
Sea salt

Preparation
Toast the slices of bread lightly on both sides. Halve the garlic and rub the cut ends over each slice of bread. Slice the ripe tomatoes in half across the middle and rub the cut side generously onto each slice until you are practically left with the skin. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil liberally, and sprinkle a bit of sea salt on top.

Enjoy!