A roasted butterflied leg of lamb makes a beautiful presentation and is a breeze to carve either at the table or in the kitchen. The olive oil and lemon marinade adds great flavor—if possible, marinate the lamb the day before you plan to cook it.
Ingredients
1 sprig fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried leaves
6 garlic cloves
2 teaspoons coarse sea salt
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided use
Juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 leg of lamb, between 4 and 5 pounds, butterflied and trimmed of excess fat
Directions
Step 1
Strip the leaves from the rosemary, place them on a cutting board along with the garlic and salt, and mince them together. Transfer to a small bowl and add 4 tablespoons olive oil, the lemon juice, and the black pepper. Place the lamb, boned side up, on a platter large enough to hold it and brush the marinade all over both sides of the meat; cover and refrigerate for three hours or overnight.
Step 2
When ready to cook, preheat your oven to 425°F. Place the lamb in a roasting pan and drizzle on the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Roast in the center of the oven until an instant-read thermometer reaches 135°F for medium, about 30 to 35 minutes, or 145°F for medium-well, about 35 to 40 minutes. Let the lamb rest for 10 minutes before slicing (its internal temperature will rise another 5 degrees).
Taiwanese Chicken Recipe, Spotlight on Ginger, Toasted or Untoasted Sesame Oil, Why Being a Pet Person is Good for You and Why You Could Really Be As Young As You Feel
Part of my mission as the Olive Oil Hunter is to share recipes from all different cuisines and show how they can be made healthier and more flavorful with fresh-pressed olive oil. You might think that Asian stir-fries are synonymous with peanut oil, for instance, but olive oil lends itself beautifully to dishes cooked at high heat and works in perfect balance with traditional Asian ingredients. Case in point: delectable Taiwanese chicken, a one-pan wonder that’s as easy as it is delicious. I’m also sharing research on the health benefits of having a pet and news about a simple blood test that can reveal a person’s biological age, a more accurate health indicator than whatever the calendar says.
Looking for a midweek dinner recipe that’s high in flavor and short on time? This filling stir-fry is the answer. If leeks aren’t available, substitute a large yellow onion. Serve as is or over rice.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, more as needed
2 tablespoons untoasted sesame oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, sliced into thin strips
1-inch piece ginger, peeled and sliced into thin coins
12 garlic cloves, peeled
4 scallions, trimmed and cut on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces
2 large leeks, trimmed, triple-rinsed, and sliced into coins
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into slivers
8 ounces asparagus, trimmed and cut on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup Chinese rice wine
2 tablespoons soy sauce
Directions
Step 1
Heat a large wok or frying pan over high heat. When hot, add the olive and sesame oils and the chicken. Use tongs to turn the chicken pieces until they’ve browned on all sides and are just about cooked through. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the chicken to a large bowl.
Yields 4 servings
Healthy Ingredient Spotlight
Ginger
With origins in southern China, ginger (Zingiber officinale) has been cultivated for more than 5,000 years. It was—and still is—widely used as a medicinal, and it is a vibrant flavoring ingredient in cooking. Technically a rhizome (not a root) with a very knobby shape and multiple branches, fresh ginger has a sharp taste that can be too strong for some people, but in cooked dishes, it adds a unique layer of flavor.
Ginger has been used for thousands of years to treat upset stomachs, nausea, colds, and even arthritis. Research attributes its antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties to its hundreds of bioactive compounds like gingerol, the phytonutrient responsible for its distinctive taste.
When buying fresh ginger, look for a smooth peel—if it’s shriveled, it’s old! Store it wrapped in paper towel in the salad drawer, where it will stay fresh for about two weeks. Use a vegetable peeler or a spoon to remove the thin peel—each has its proponents. I’m partial to using a grapefruit spoon because its serrated edges and pointy tip make it easy to get around the nubs.
Quick Kitchen Nugget
Sesame Oil—Toasted or Untoasted?
If you already have a bottle of sesame oil in the fridge, do you know what type it is? It’s easy to miss that there are two kinds: untoasted sesame oil, made from raw seeds, and toasted (sometimes labeled roasted) sesame oil, made from toasted seeds. Each delivers a different kind of flavor and is used in different phases of cooking. Use untoasted sesame oil when first cooking foods and toasted sesame oil as a finishing oil—since the seeds were already cooked, you don’t want to cook them twice, which could impart unwanted bitterness to your dish.
For Your Best Health
Why Being a Pet Person is Good for You
The unconditional love of a pet is reason enough to have one in your life, but the rewards extend to physical as well as mental well-being. Pets help you ease stress and anxiety and can lower the risk for depression, according to experts at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine in California, because they provide a calming presence. Caring for a pet also gives people a sense of purpose and adds structure to daily life.
Having a dog in particular helps keep you fit and lowers your risk of heart disease: Over 60% of dog owners meet the recommended weekly amount of exercise compared to just 24% of the general population. Pet owners typically have a lower resting blood pressure than people who don’t own pets and a better quality of life. If having a pet isn’t an option for you, consider other opportunities for animal interactions, like volunteering at a shelter or joining a friend on a walk with their dog.
Fitness Flash
Why You Could Really Be As Young As You Feel
A recent study from researchers at the Murdoch University Health Futures Institute in Australia found that moderate-intensity exercise can significantly influence appetite-related hormones and perceptions in obese men. It provides new insights into how exercise can aid appetite control and weight management.
According to one of the study authors, Timothy Fairchild, PhD, associate professor at Murdoch’s School of Allied Health, the study confirms their previous work showing the benefits of incorporating regular exercise into daily routines for individuals looking to manage their weight and improve their overall health.
“People understand that exercise helps burn energy. A lot of people assume that exercise also increases hunger and energy intake afterwards,” said Dr. Fairchild. “We have previously shown, using high-intensity exercise, that this is not the case. This latest study shows that even moderate-intensity exercise can have immediate and beneficial effects on appetite control in males with obesity.”
The study not only assessed food intake and appetite but also measured changes in hormones, which help regulate appetite. “Despite a strong focus on weight loss drugs in society at present, this study shows that lifestyle factors still have a strong and relevant role in helping people to live their healthiest life,” Dr. Fairchild added. “In fact, the hormones which have been shown to increase after exercise are the same hormones which the most successful weight loss drugs are mimicking. The added benefit of exercise is that you also receive the physical and mental health benefits of exercise.”
Looking for a midweek dinner recipe that’s high in flavor and short on time? This filling stir-fry is the answer. If leeks aren’t available, substitute a large yellow onion. Serve as is or over rice.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, more as needed
2 tablespoons untoasted sesame oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, sliced into thin strips
1-inch piece ginger, peeled and sliced into thin coins
12 garlic cloves, peeled
4 scallions, trimmed and cut on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces
2 large leeks, trimmed, triple-rinsed, and sliced into coins
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into slivers
8 ounces asparagus, trimmed and cut on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup Chinese rice wine
2 tablespoons soy sauce
Directions
Step 1
Heat a large wok or frying pan over high heat. When hot, add the olive and sesame oils and the chicken. Use tongs to turn the chicken pieces until they’ve browned on all sides and are just about cooked through. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the chicken to a large bowl.
The Best of the Iberian Peninsula…Three Remarkable Fresh-Pressed Olive Oils With Intense Flavors Unique to Mountain Groves
Brimming with vibrant aromas and tantalizing tastes from growing at altitude, these oils were created exclusively for the Club—you won’t find them anywhere else.
All three of these fresh-pressed oils were certified by an independent lab to be 100 percent extra virgin and rushed to you at the height of flavor and polyphenol content.
Enjoy them in my new collection of curated Spanish and Portuguese recipes, developed to showcase their intensity and please your palate.
As longstanding members of the Club know well, I carry the Olive Oil Hunter moniker for good reason. Every quarter is a true hunt, punctu-ated with visits to the world’s top mills, meetings with the award-winning producers in our exclu-sive network, and—arguably my favorite part—tasting the best of the best oils to find the ones you will enjoy as much as I do.
Often there’s a lot of drama in my quarterly quest, with a different curveball thrown by Mother Nature nearly every time (she operates with equal zeal in the Northern and Southern hemispheres). But this year’s trip to the Iberian Peninsula presented just one dilemma: which oils to choose from a bevy of magnificent offerings. That’s because growing and harvesting conditions bent in favor of the growers this time.
I was greeted by so many happy faces across Spain and Portugal because all these producers’ efforts yielded impressive results. And that bodes well for the Club’s future selections: When producers have both great quality and quantity, they’re positioned to invest in their farms, such as with updated equipment, which will further enhance production quality…and allow us to keep pushing the envelope when it comes to creating oils that will be even more outstanding in seasons to come.
Modern harvesting equipment can’t operate in the rugged landscape around Carcabuey in Spain’s Andalucía. So Luis Torres and I excitedly head out to one of the groves with rakes on the roof that assist harvesting by hand. All the different microclimates in the Subbética mountains contribute to the intense flavors and aromas of olive oils milled in this region.
High-Altitude Oils with Attitude
The fact that this collection includes a Portuguese olive oil for the first time since 2022 shows just how magical this season was. That country’s rocky terrain and tricky weather patterns mean it’s not possible to predict oil quality far in advance, but when all the stars align, Portuguese varietals—indigenous olives grown nowhere else on the planet—are exceptional, all the more so when created by my longtime friend Filipe de Albuquerque Madeira, a renowned producer of wine and vinegar as well as olive oil.
His family’s groves are in a rugged province of northern Portugal named Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro. It’s quite different from the rolling hills of Andalucía, in southern Spain, which includes Granada, home of the producer of this quarter’s medium selection (also where we did our grand tasting), and Carcabuey, location of the cooperative where we created our bold. But a surprising characteristic links these three spectacular oils: The olives from each producer happen to have been grown in groves at high elevations, from 600 to 850 meters (topping off just above a half-mile high).
Because of greater temperature fluctuations between day and night in the mountains than at sea level, these olives yielded oils with the richest flavors and aromas. Also, a hot dry summer (a scary scenario because the olives stop growing) was followed by autumn rains (a sigh of relief, because rain reboots their growth cycle), contributing to oils that are more vegetal, less fruity. Yet each still has its own full-bodied personality that will blow you away.
One of my greatest pleasures: walking through olive groves in the mountainous Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro region of northern Portugal, the only place on earth where certain exquisite olive varietals grow—you’ll be wowed by the blend of Negrinha, Madural, Verdeal, and Cobrançosa in this quarter’s mild olive oil.
More Rejoicing for All
Adding to the happiness my Merry Band of Tasters and I felt at being able to secure oils with this level of quality for Club members was the feeling of conviviality that permeates Spain and Portugal. In particular, the tapas culture brings people together, creating enhanced social connections (so important for health reasons) while sharing plates of food and sipping wonderful local beers and sherries. The origin story of tapas is itself fascinating. According to legend, King Alfonso X of Castile, who reigned during the thirteenth century, ate small portions of food with wine as he recovered from an illness. Putting great stock in this “prescription,” he decreed that alcohol could not be served without food. Drink glasses were topped with a small plate of food that acted as a lid, or tapa. The tradition has not only endured but become a way of life across the peninsula—in Portugal, the little dishes are called petiscos.
I’m so impressed by the eco-friendly architecture of Juan “Juande” de Dios’s modern mill and olive-inspired design touches throughout the space, yet I also love stepping back in time and appreciating the traditions of the lively Taberna Casa Enrique, one of the oldest tapas bars in Granada (it dates back to 1870). With a wall of sherry barrels as the backdrop, Juande and I celebrated our phenomenal medium oil crafted for you, dear Club member, as we indulged in area specialties like lomo, a melt-in-your-mouth cured Iberico pork loin.
I love to both work and play with our produc-ers, who are friends as well as collaborators. And we really had a lot of oils to play with this quar-ter—the work was narrowing down the choices to make the incredible blends you now hold in your hands. I invite you to set up a tasting of your own, to cook with them, and to drizzle them liberally. With many tapas dishes included in this report’s recipe section, explore the Iberian culture for yourself and gather those you love to join you.
I was delighted that this season’s quest found me and my Merry Band of Tasters journey-ing to the isolated northeast corner of Portugal, to the province of Trás-os-Montes, which means “beyond the mountains.” Here, in the remote Alto Douro region, the Madeira family is devoted to crafting exquisite, award-winning olive oils, along with superlative wines and vinegars. My connection to the family goes back to 2011, when I first visited these otherworldly groves—reminiscent of Middle Earth—and the Madeiras immediately welcomed me into their fold.
Contrasting with the wild and dramatic land-scapes that surround them—Trás-os-Montes is designated as a UNESCO biosphere—the Madeiras reside in a stately home with granite walls, a formal dining room, and more intricate silver service than I learned about in culinary school. But their jovial, down-to-earth kindness is always in the air.
Twenty-five years ago, patriarch Celso, a successful engineer on the cusp of retirement, astounded his adult children by announcing that, as his next move, he intended to produce premium olive oil on the family’s property in the Alto Douro region. No one in the family had so much as pressed (or picked) an olive. Perhaps most surprised was eldest son Filipe, who put his university education in Italy on hold and dutifully returned home to immerse himself in the study and practice of olive oil production.
Three generations of Madeiras bring Old World elegance into the twenty-first century. Filipe’s little son, Leonardo, 20 months, is the apple of his grandfather’s eye. Celso has always had energy to spare, but playing with Leonardo among the olive trees has put an extra spring in his step. It may also be the polyphenols—as Filipe quipped, “He shows if you drink our olive oil, you too could get speeding tickets in your nineties!”
Many of the trees were more than 1,000 years old—mossy and untended for decades, even centuries. Filipe, a lightning-quick study and an ingenious, careful grove manager, assembled an expert team, and together they transformed the overgrown groves into a world-class olive farm. Their oils took Iberia by surprise, winning prestigious regional awards with the very first harvest.
The ancient groves are home to Portuguese olive cultivars grown nowhere else on earth. I am smitten with the extraordinary flavors and aromas of these oils; they have distinctive grassy, vegetal, and herbaceous qualities all their own, the way that the Portuguese language looks a lot like Spanish on the page but sounds fundamentally different, softer, with a specific lilt.
Because the gnarled trees cling to steep hillsides at odd angles and dig their roots deep into the flaky layers of schist below, irrigation has never been an option. This leaves the Madeiras at the mercy of Mother Nature, who favors an alternating pattern of glorious harvests and nail-biting, drought-riddled years. Five years ago, to hedge against the harshest conditions, Celso purchased new acreage, which features limited irrigation—its young trees have just begun to bear fruit.
At ninety-two years young, Celso is eager to acquire more land and expand his legacy. I feel that Celso’s intense love of life infuses this beguiling oil—it is a real character, with a lively spiciness (highlighted by a splash of Cobrançosa) enhancing its well-balanced freshness.
Can you see me? I’m the tiny human tree in the center, surrounded by these old-timers in the Madeira groves in the mountainous Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro province, in northeast Portugal. Some of these treasures are more than a thousand years old. Filipe Madeira and his team provide them with meticulous care, and they reciprocate with liquid gold.
Impressions and Recommended Food Pairings
Inhale deeply to appreciate the complexity of this Portuguese heirloom varietal blend—green grass, fresh Mediterranean herbs, and Belgian endive as well as mint, green apple, banana, almond, and sweet notes of cinnamon and vanilla. Taste the essence of tomato and edamame, a hint of pear, the bitterness of radicchio and endive, and the spiciness of white pepper with a lingering herbal finish highlighted by fresh oregano.
This versatile full-bodied oil pairs beautifully with mild cheeses; salmorejo* and other puréed vegetable soups; salads with rice and other grains; spring lettuce mixes with nuts or fruit; light vinaigrettes; bacalhau à lagareiro; arroz de mariscos; mild fin fish; chicken, pork, and lamb dishes; risottos; beans; peas, asparagus, green beans, mushrooms, and other farmers’ market finds; quick breads; and chocolate mousse.
*See the recipe section below for bolded dishes.
This Quarter’s Second Selection
Producer: García-Molina, Spain
Olive Varieties: Picual
Flavor Profile: Medium
Near Granada, as we climb hills through the groves, I ask producer Juan de Dios about the ideal growing altitude for Picual—Spain’s most widely planted varietal, and, if done right, one of my favorites—to optimize the flavors and aromas in the oil. “Seven hundred fifty meters is best for these trees,” he replies, with characteristic preci-sion—that is, nearly half a mile above sea level.
The exactitude and thoughtful consideration are typical of “Juande,” as he is called. Juande and his equally insightful sister, Paula, both followed in their father’s footsteps by studying pharmacology before becoming world-class olive oil producers.
At left, producer Juande de Dios and I raise our olive oil tasting glasses in a toast to early-harvest Picual, a stunning crowd-pleaser and the lushly aromatic superstar of our brilliant collaboration. At right, we’ve carried a bottle of our harvest-fresh EVOO straight to O-Med’s kitchen, where Juande shows me how to make mouth-watering migas, drizzled generously with our prized creation. I’m excited to share his recipe with you below.
“He had a special energy—he was a friend of everyone,” Juande says warmly of his father, also named Juan, who passed in 2014. His five grandchildren remember him as “Abuelo Oliva,” or Grandpa Olive. In his honor, we’ve created a special label with the ancestral family name, García-Molina.
A pharmacist by profession but an olive farmer at heart, in 2004 Juan Sr. purchased an olive farm and mill west of Granada, pressing fruit for family and friends and selling small amounts to the local bulk vendors.
Juande and Paula felt strongly that they should set their sights higher, so, after about a year, they approached their father with an ambitious proposal: to create ultra-premium, artisanal EVOO for a select group of international chefs and gourmets. He gave them his unconditional support.
Meet agronomist José Fernández Miranda, the newest member of the O-Med team. With loving care, José oversees the health and development of the trees and works to create the best possible fruit. His infectious enthusiasm helped buoy the harvest team during the intensely demanding two weeks of the “magic window,” when Picual is at peak flavor and polyphenol content for the early-harvest oils I love.
The siblings named their project O-Med (as in Mediterranean), and Juande chuckles as he reflects on their early days: “It was really hard. We barely made a sale.” He attributes their breakthrough to loyalty (“The gourmet food world is not so big”) and persistence. In 2016, the trusted German publication Stiftung Warentest—akin to Consumer Reports for fancy food—gave O-Med’s EVOO the highest ranking among 26 international olive oils. With that boost, the farm’s reputation soared.
Major awards include gold at the New York International Olive Oil Competition and multiple “Top 20” lauds in Flos Olei (Italy’s premier guide to the world’s olive oils). Paula does most of the traveling to trade shows, while Juande manages production at their stunning, glass-enclosed, sustainability-focused mill.
I’ll confide proudly that I was ahead of the curve—my Merry Band and I first visited O-Med in 2015, but it took several years before we collaborated on a Club exclusive selection. What a thrill, then, to work together again this year. “Being chosen for this Club is like an award,” Juande emphasizes.
Juande and his talented team—you’ll learn about agronomist José Fernández Miranda in the photo on the left—use tightly controlled “drip irrigation” to hydrate the trees while keeping the humidity of the fruit below 55 percent, to concen-trate its flavors and polyphenols. “There’s not a lot of room for error,” Juande notes, adding, “Mother Nature is the one who decides, in the end.”
Juande and I can’t wait for you to taste this fantastic Picual. “They’re going to love this oil,” he predicts, and I concur. Taste it and let us know!
Impressions and Recommended Food Pairings
This Picual is intensely green and vibrant on the nose with aromas of tomato leaf, baby spinach, arugula, and kale, notes of kiwi and lime zest, and hints of basil, rosemary, thyme, and nasturtium. It is elegant and intense on the palate—we tasted celery leaf, parsley, wheatgrass, rosemary, and thyme, along with the bitterness and spiciness of arugula and black peppercorns.
It’s perfect for piquillo pepper and goat cheese omelet* and other egg dishes; Juande’s migas; aged cheeses like Manchego and Cabrales; crudités; tomato salads and other tomato-based dishes; avocado crema and shrimp; grilled steak, tuna, octopus, and salmon; vegetable fideuà and other pasta dishes; paella; potatoes; artichokes, broccoli rabe, and fennel; green smoothies; Greek yogurt; Basque cheesecake; and chocolate cake.
*See the recipe section below for bolded dishes.
This Quarter’s Third Selection
Producer: García Torres, Spain
Olive Varieties: Hojiblanca
Flavor Profile: Bold
The romanticism of crafting olive oil with time-honored traditions is alive and well in Carcabuey, home of Almazaras de la Subbética, the award-winning coopera-tive that creates some of the finest olive oils in all of Spain, if not the world. This medieval village of fewer than 3,000 in the heart of Andalucía has a history dating back to thousands of years BC. It’s surrounded by a rugged landscape of moun-tains and glorious olive groves growing at various elevations—the olives must be hand-harvested using pneumatic rakes because the terrain doesn’t offer access to more modern machinery.
I’m thrilled that for a second year in a row we are working with this talented team, led by manager Luis Torres, head oenologist and chief of operations Carlos García, who grew up in Carcabuey, and Sonja Ramírez, who, like Luis and Carlos, is a top panel taster.
Carlos and I stopped in at Bar Pedro for some excellent coffee (reportedly there was once a casino upstairs!) and talked about our shared passion for creating the best olive oils on the planet. From us to you—happy drizzling!
Luis and Sonja have known each other for more than 20 years—they met in olive oil taster training. “We went in separate directions afterwards, but destiny brought us back together,” Luis said. I was astounded by their daily morning ritual, a blind tasting of over 30 selections prepped in official blue glasses and ranking each one according to an exhaustive list of attributes. They enter all their impressions in a custom computer program created by Luis so that they will have a detailed record of each evaluation.
Running the co-op is quite complex because they mill not only the olives of farmers whose livelihood depends on growing exceptional fruit and harvesting them daily, but also families with very small groves who might collect their olives only on weekends, making it hard for them to catch the magic window—that perfect moment for harvesting, when the olives are still green yet have the right amount of oil in their flesh for a sensational oil in the bottle.
This is a banner year for Carlos, who was named Best Master Miller by EVOOLEUM, the international competition that annually chooses the 100 best EVOOs in the world—Subbética’s Hojiblanco was recognized in multiple categories, too! Right: I thought my grand tasting involved an impressive number of olive oils until I was part of the daily morning tasting ritual that Luis and Sonja go through!
Within the expansive mill are actually seven small mill stations, all under Carlos’s purview. As olives come in, they’re assigned to one of the seven, based on what the team anticipates the oil’s quality will be. “We produce in small tanks, which makes it easier to identify the quality of each batch,” Carlos explained. Olives destined for the Club will go to only the #1 or #2 mill because they are the smallest and dedicated to what will be the highest quality oils, with no chance that any lower quality fruit can negatively affect the liquid gold.
This year’s García Torres Hojiblanco, named after Carlos and Luis, is a tantalizing taste sensation. To create its beautiful harmony and just the right fruitiness, bitterness, and spiciness, we chose to blend three Hojiblancos milled a few days apart from slightly different areas, all cultivated at about 600 meters, for this season’s high-altitude depth of taste. Luis and I grabbed lunch at one of our favorite local restaurants, La Zamora, so that we could drizzle our Hojiblanco lavishly on an array of foods. The meal inspired the report’s recipes for avocado crema and shrimp and salmorejo; find them on pages 12 and 14, respectively. Enjoy!
I was thrilled when Subbética’s master miller, Carlos García, was able to slip away from work to show me his—and the mill’s—hometown of Carcabuey. The brilliant white buildings stand in stark contrast to the verdant mountains that surround this ancient village. Olives grown at these elevations have an amazing aroma that you’ll love as much as I do.
Impressions and Recommended Food Pairings
What a beautiful nose on this Hojiblanco—fresh-cut grass, green tomato, and a veritable vegetable garden with pronounced notes of celery, carrot tops, Tuscan kale, and basil, along with the sweetness of fennel seed and Asian pear. It’s exceptionally bold on the palate, with notes of Belgian endive, baby spinach, and raw artichoke. Asian pear comes through, along with the bitterness of walnut skins and citrus zest, followed by a persistent spicy finish of celery leaves, watercress, and white peppercorns.
This oil was made for avocado toast; salads of bitter and spicy greens, like arugula with tomatoes; beef carpaccio, pork tenderloin Pedro Ximénez*; game; oily fish such as tuna, mackerel, bluefish, sardines, and anchovies; sherried carrots; broccoli, cauliflower, and eggplant; hummus, lentils, and other pulses; rustic whole grain breads; yogurt, ice cream, and pan con chocolate supremo.
*See the recipe section below for bolded dishes.
Olive Oil and Health
Eating a Mediterranean-Style Diet Improved Brain Health in US Hispanic and Latino Adults
Background: Cognitive decline—worsening memory and more frequent memory loss or confusion—affects 10% of all US adults aged 45 and older. Incidence is higher—11.4%—among Hispanic and Latino Americans. In some cases, cognitive decline may be an early sign of dementia.
Close adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MeDi) is associated with a reduced risk of dementia and cognitive decline. The MeDi emphasizes fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, legumes, nuts, low to moderate amounts of dairy, eggs, fish, and poultry, and olive oil as the primary fat source.
Researchers have attributed the MeDi’s brain benefits to its cardiovascular effects, such as lower blood pressure, reduced diabetes risk, and improvements in blood vessel function and cholesterol levels. The first large-scale study of the MeDi in Hispanic and Latino Americans investigated whether the MeDi’s brain benefits are independent of its cardiovascular effects.
Preliminary findings from this 10-year study of 2,774 participants (44% men, 56% women; average age 64 at follow-up) were presented at the recent conference of the American Stroke Association, February 5–7, 2025.
Methods: At an initial visit, each participant reported their food intake during the previous 24 hours and received a score (0 to 9), indicating how closely their diet corresponded to the MeDi. Average MeDi score was 5. Ten years after the baseline visit, investigators obtained a brain scan via MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) for each participant.
The main outcome evaluated in the study was white matter integrity (WMI) and volume. The white matter of the brain (as opposed to the gray matter) consists of bundles of nerve fibers that, crucially, communicate information to different parts of the brain. WMI and volume are markers of the strength of those connections in the brain. MRI scans provide clear, detailed cross-sections of the brain, showing white matter and gray matter.
To account for the impact of cardiovascular benefits, the study also asked participants about multiple practices associated with heart health: regular exercise; healthy diet; not smoking; weight maintenance; and maintaining healthy blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels.
Results: Participants with higher MeDi scores had stronger connections between regions of the brain (preserved WMI) compared to those with lower MeDi scores. With each point higher in MeDi score, participants’ MRI scans also showed less structural damage to the blood vessels of the brain. After factoring in heart-health practices, the researchers determined that cardiovascular effects alone did not account for all the significant brain benefits of the MeDi.
Conclusion: Eating a Mediterranean-style diet improved brain health and preserved structural integrity in a high-risk population. Even small adjustments in food intake, closer to the MeDi, could help protect against cognitive decline and dementia. The brain benefits of the MeDi extend beyond its well-known cardiovascular effects—more research is needed to identify the brain-protective mechanisms involved.
On our “Tasters’ Inner Circle” This is wonderful! I just completed the introductory videos and the first tasting with the Italian oils. I actually have a background and training in sensory analysis, but, until your club came along, it was only used in service of the conventional food industry.
I always thought it would be amazing to take these skills into analysis of more interesting and sophisticated products, which is exactly what these beautiful oils are! I have always enjoyed my membership, but [Tasters Inner Circle] takes it to a whole new level. It is helping me to appreciate the nuances of the oils and discover new vocabulary, new things to search for in experiencing them. What a fantastic idea! Thank you!
Elizabeth M.Cincinnati, OH
The Iberian Peninsula is known for many richly flavored dishes brimming with unique ingredients. We’ve selected a few special ones to highlight in this report’s recipes: pimentón, the quintessential Spanish smoked paprika, made from peppers grown in La Vera (in the province of Cáceres, southwest of Madrid) and an essential ingredient in chorizo; piquillo peppers, very sweet and mild chile peppers named for their bird-beak shape; and Pedro Ximénez sherry and sherry vinegar, both made from the sweet white grapes of the same name (often abbreviated as PX on labels), which grow only in a small area in the province of Cádiz, in southwestern Andalucía. Enjoy!
Recipes
Pan con Chocolate SupremoBread with chocolate is a sweet and simple dish often offered as a dessert tapa. Traditional recipes call for melting squares of chocolate atop slices of toast in an oven still hot from toasting the bread. My version melts the chocolate with olive oil separately for a silkier texture. I’ve also ramped up the flavors… view recipe
Basque CheesecakeBasque cheesecake is the ultimate in creaminess. Unlike traditional cheesecake that has a crust and is baked at a low temperature, this style is crustless (perfect if you’re gluten-free) and cooks hot and somewhat faster. The parchment paper used to line the springform pan creates the cheesecake’s signature look when peeled away. Ingredients 2 pounds… view recipe
Vegetable Fideuá A cousin of paella, this noodle dish is made with thin, short noodles called fideos (available at supermarkets from the Barilla brand, among others). Vermicelli or angel hair makes a great substitute. Like paella, fideuà usually includes a mix of seafood, but this vegetarian version is perfect for spring—it can be a main course or… view recipe
Arroz de MariscosThis Portuguese specialty is a richly flavored seafood soup that often includes clams and mussels. Make it your own with your favorite shellfish—canned lump crabmeat or lobster chunks are wonderful in it. For a minimum of fuss, this version has shrimp and dry (or untreated) scallops. Carolino, a Portuguese rice, is traditional, but you can… view recipe
Bacalhau à LagareiroThis dish translates to cod—the national fish of Portugal—in the style of the olive miller. Legend has it that this preparation was created to celebrate the early olive oil harvest. Traditionally it’s made with dried salt cod that’s been rehydrated, but I’m using cod tenderloin (any thick white fish fillet, fresh or frozen, lends itself… view recipe
Avocado Crema and ShrimpRich avocados are puréed with traditional guacamole ingredients for a luscious cream. Instead of chips, serve with cold poached shrimp for a satisfying tapa or even a meal. Ingredients 2 ripe avocados 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice 1/4 cup chopped cilantro 2 garlic cloves… view recipe
SalmorejoThis is a traditional cold tomato soup, often made with plum tomatoes, but don’t confuse it with gazpacho. The tomatoes are the stars of this show. It takes mere minutes to whip up. Ingredients 1 pound tomatoes, coarsely chopped 1 garlic clove 4 ounces crusty day-old bread, cut into small pieces 1/4 cup extra virgin… view recipe
Juande’s MigasMigas is Spanish for breadcrumbs, and this dish makes the most of a leftover loaf when sautéed and served with chorizo, the famed Spanish sausage. First developed as a breakfast dish in Andalucía, it’s popular throughout Spain for lunch and even dinner, and variations abound. This is the version I cooked with Juande de Dios… view recipe
Piquillo Pepper and Goat Cheese OmeletCaramelizing onions is a labor of love—time consuming, but you can do other jobs in the kitchen while keeping an eye on them, and the taste is worth every minute. Maximize the effort by doubling or tripling the amount and save the rest for other dishes. Piquillo peppers are available online and in some stores,… view recipe
Pork Tenderloin Pedro XiménezThis dish takes its name from the exquisitely sweet Pedro Ximénez sherry. Pork tenderloin is an extremely lean cut that will stay juicy with my two-step sear-and-bake method. Thinly slice any leftovers and pile on a crusty roll for lunch the next day. Ingredients 1 pork tenderloin, between 1 and 1 1/4 pounds 3 tablespoons… view recipe
