Cold Avocado and Cucumber Soup Recipe and The Mediterranean Diet for Longevity
Members of the Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club are well aware of the benefits of extra virgin olive oil as part of the world-famous Mediterranean diet. Dozens of studies have assessed its health effects and its link to longevity, most commonly attributed to its improving heart health. But how the Mediterranean diet works its magic hasn’t been thoroughly understood. Investigators from Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston recently published the results of a long-term study that helps unravel this mystery. I’m thrilled to share their findings. And to start, here’s a recipe that highlights the plant-based approach that underscores the Mediterranean way of living.
There’s nothing more refreshing than a chilled soup for lunch or dinner during the dog days of summer, especially when there’s no cooking needed. I like to add a different kind of heat with a fresh hot pepper, but you can omit it if you aren’t a fan!
Ingredients
2 pounds cucumbers, about 2-3 large ones
1 small jalapeño, halved and seeded, optional
2 ripe Hass avocados
2 cups plain nonfat Greek yogurt or skyr
3 large scallions, trimmed
3 garlic cloves, peeled
1 cup packed of fresh parsley, dill, and chives
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
Optional garnishes: thin slices of avocado, a dollop of yogurt or skyr, more fresh herbs
Directions
Halve the cucumbers lengthwise and use a large spoon to scoop out and discard most of the seeds; leave on the peel. Cut the cucumbers into chunks for easier puréeing. If using the pepper, halve it, scoop out the seeds and veins, and discard them along with the stem. Scoop all the flesh out of the avocados.
Step 2
Working in batches as needed, add the cucumbers, avocados, pepper if using, yogurt, scallions, garlic, herbs, olive oil, water, and vinegar to your food processor bowl or blender and process until puréed—the mixture should be fairly thick. If it’s too thick, add more water, 2 tablespoons at a time, until it’s pourable. Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired. Chill in the fridge for about an hour.
Step 3
To serve, ladle portions into soup bowls or glasses, garnish as desired, and drizzle with more olive oil.
Yields 8 servings
For Your Best Health
The Mediterranean Diet for Longevity
The study: “Mediterranean Diet Adherence and Risk of All-Cause Mortality in Women,” JAMA Network Open,2024.
The health benefits of a Mediterranean diet, on its own and when compared to other healthy ways of eating, are so strong that US dietary guidelines have repeatedly designated it as the healthiest recommended diet. It’s also gotten the nod from many health organizations around the globe, including the American Heart Association, European Society of Cardiology, and Australian National Heart Foundation. While these benefits aren’t in doubt, how it achieves them hasn’t been completely understood. This new study sought to better explain the various ways in which the body responds to the diet—how exactly closely following it lowers mortality risk. What’s more, the more than 25,000 participants were American women. In general, women aren’t included in the same numbers as men in most studies, and regarding research on the Mediterranean diet in particular, most studies have been done in the countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea, where the diet is more of a way of life than in the US.
For the study, researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital, a founding member of the Mass General Brigham healthcare system, followed the women, who were all healthy at the start of the study, for up to 25 years. They found that participants who followed the diet most closely had up to 23% lower risk of all-cause mortality…and found evidence of biological changes to help explain why. They were able to detect and evaluate changes in approximately 40 biomarkers representing various biological pathways and clinical risk factors, both traditional ones and novel ones that hadn’t been used in prior studies. Biomarkers of metabolism and inflammation made the largest contribution, followed by triglyceride-rich lipoproteins, adiposity, and insulin resistance. Smaller contributions were seen from biological pathways relate to branched-chain amino acids, high-density lipoproteins, low-density lipoproteins, glycemic measures, and hypertension.
“For women who want to live longer, our study says watch your diet!,” said senior author Samia Mora, MD, a cardiologist and the director of the Center for Lipid Metabolomics at the Brigham. “The good news is that following a Mediterranean dietary pattern could result in about one quarter reduction in risk of death over more than 25 years with benefit for both cancer and cardiovascular mortality, the top causes of death in women (and men) in the US and globally.”
“Our research provides significant public health insight: Even modest changes in established risk factors for metabolic diseases, particularly those linked to small molecule metabolites, inflammation, triglyceride-rich lipoproteins, obesity, and insulin resistance, can yield substantial long-term benefits from following a Mediterranean diet,” said lead author Shafqat Ahmad, PhD, an associate professor of epidemiology at Uppsala University Sweden and a researcher in the Center for Lipid Metabolomics and the Division of Preventive Medicine at the Brigham. “This finding underscores the potential of encouraging healthier dietary habits to reduce the overall risk of mortality.”
How the Study Was Conducted
At the start of the study, blood samples, biomarker measurements, and dietary information were taken from the participants, who self-reported demographics and filled out a validated food-frequency questionnaire. The data collection period was from April 1993 to January 1996, and data analysis took place from June 2018 to November 2023.
Each participant was given a score for Mediterranean diet adherence, which ranged from 0 to 9. Eating a higher-than-median amount of each of a list of foods—vegetables (excluding potatoes), fruits, nuts, whole grains, legumes, and fish—earned 1 point. So did eating a good ratio of monounsaturated-to-saturated fatty acids such as olive oil compared to butter, a less-than-median amount of red and processed meat, and having an alcohol intake within the range of 5 to 15 grams a day (one 5-ounce glass of wine, a 12-ounce can of regular beer, or 1.5 ounces of liquor). Participants were then categorized into one of three levels: 0-3 or low, 4-5 or intermediate, and 6-9 or high. Women with scores of 6 or greater had a 23% lower relative risk of all-cause mortality than did women who scored 3 or less.
“The health benefits of the Mediterranean diet are recognized by medical professionals, and our study offers insights into why the diet may be so beneficial. Public health policies should promote the healthful dietary attributes of the Mediterranean diet and should discourage unhealthy adaptations,” said Dr. Mora.
Horiatiki Salad Recipe and The MIND Diet for Brain Health: More Benefits of Olive Oil
I’m a huge fan of both Greek and Middle Eastern salads, the ingredients of which are not only delicious but also mainstays of the MIND (Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay) diet, a way of eating designed for brain health. It’s an offshoot of the super-healthy Mediterranean diet and the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet. Why the distinction? Because the latest research on the MIND diet shows it can slow aging as well as reduce dementia risk. Add this to the list of the benefits of olive oil—it’s one of the super foods that MIND suggests including every day.
Summer Lentil Salad Recipe, Spotlight on Lentils, The Mediterranean Diet for IBS and Outrunning Alzheimer’s
Lentils are the unsung heroes of the legume family—high in protein and fiber along with other nutrients and fast to cook. They’re the perfect replacement for rice in summer salads and side dishes. They also fit right into the Mediterranean diet, a way of eating that could be a welcome change from the FODMAP diet for people living with IBS, according to a new study. I’m also sharing research that takes a deeper dive into exercise as a weapon in the war against Alzheimer’s.
Summer Lentil Salad
Healthy Ingredient Spotlight
Let’s Hear It for Lentils
High in fiber, vitamin C, and other antioxidants, strawberries also deliver potassium, folate, and magnesium. But they also have a tendency to get moldy when moisture gets trapped between the berries, especially in typical clamshell plastic containers. A simple storage trick is to unpack them as soon as you get home and transfer them, unwashed, to a paper towel-lined glass container—line them up upside down, leaving a bit of room between them, and store in the fridge, uncovered, suggest the experts at the Utah State University Extension. Wash them just before hulling (a curved grapefruit knife works great) and blot dry with fresh paper towels.
Quick Kitchen Nugget
Making Lentils in Advance
With 22 grams of protein in every cup of cooked French lentils, these nutrient-dense nuggets are great to have in the fridge, ready to sprinkle on green salads, add to other side dishes, or have as a satisfying snack drizzled with olive oil. Once you’ve cooked up a batch, drain them and let them come to room temperature. Transfer to a glass container and pop into the fridge. They’ll stay fresh for up to one week.
For Your Best Health
The Mediterranean Diet for IBS
IBS, or irritable bowel syndrome, affects an estimated 4 to 11 percent of all people, and most prefer dietary interventions to medication. Many try following the low-FODMAP diet, according to researchers at Michigan Medicine. It improves symptoms in more than half of patients, but it’s restrictive—it cuts out so many foods that people find it hard to follow. Previous investigations from these researchers, who were looking for more acceptable versions, led to their “FODMAP simple” diet, which only restricts the food groups in the FODMAP diet that are most likely to cause symptoms. Still, because any type of restrictive diets can be difficult to adopt, Michigan Medicine gastroenterologist Prashant Singh, MBBS, and his colleagues decided to look at a completely different alternative, the Mediterranean diet.
Many physicians are already behind the Mediterranean diet because of its benefits to cardiovascular, cognitive, and general health. With so many advantages, they wanted to see whether it could also bring IBS symptom relief. “In addition to the issue of being costly and time-consuming, there are concerns about nutrient deficiencies and disordered eating when trying a low-FODMAP diet. The Mediterranean diet interested us as an alternative that is not an elimination diet and overcomes several of these limitations related to a low-FODMAP diet,” said Dr. Singh.
For the pilot study, 20 participants, all of whom were diagnosed with either IBS-D (diarrhea) or IBS-M (mixed symptoms of constipation and diarrhea), were randomized into two groups. For four weeks, one group followed the Mediterranean diet and the other followed the restriction phase of a low-FODMAP diet.
The primary endpoint was an FDA-standard 30 percent reduction in abdominal pain intensity after four weeks. In the Mediterranean diet group, 73 percent of the patients met the primary endpoint for symptom improvement versus 81.8 percent in the low-FODMAP group. Though the low-FODMAP group experienced a greater improvement measured by both abdominal pain intensity and the IBS symptom severity score, the Mediterranean diet did provide symptom relief with fewer food restrictions.
“This study adds to a growing body of evidence that suggests that a Mediterranean diet might be a useful addition to the menu of evidence-based dietary interventions for patients with IBS,” said William Chey, MD, chief of gastroenterology at the University of Michigan, president-elect of the American College of Gastroenterology, and senior author of the research paper.
Researchers found the results of this pilot study encouraging enough to warrant future and larger controlled trials to investigate the potential of the Mediterranean diet as an effective intervention for patients with IBS. They believe studies comparing the long-term efficacy of the Mediterranean diet with long-term outcomes following the reintroduction and personalization phases of the low-FODMAP diet are needed.
Fitness Flash
Outrunning Alzheimer’s?
A Mass General Brigham study, published in Nature Neuroscience, has revealed how exercise rewires the brain at the cellular level. “While we’ve long known that exercise helps protect the brain, we didn’t fully understand which cells were responsible or how it worked at a molecular level,” said senior author Christiane D. Wrann, DVM, PhD, a neuroscientist and leader of the Program in Neuroprotection in Exercise at the Mass General Brigham Heart and Vascular Institute and the McCance Center for Brain Health at Massachusetts General Hospital. “Now, we have a detailed map of how exercise impacts each major cell type in the memory center of the brain in Alzheimer’s disease.”
The research team from Mass General Brigham and collaborators at SUNY Upstate Medical University leveraged advanced single-nuclei RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq), a relatively new technology that allows researchers to look at activity at the molecular level in single cells for an in-depth understanding of diseases like Alzheimer’s, along with a widely used preclinical model for Alzheimer’s disease. Focusing on a part of the hippocampus, a critical region for memory and learning damaged early in Alzheimer’s, they identified specific brain cell types that responded most to exercise.
They exercised a common mouse model for Alzheimer’s disease using running wheels, which improved the mice’s memory compared to their sedentary counterparts. They then analyzed gene activity across thousands of individual brain cells, finding that exercise changed activity both in microglia, a disease-associated population of brain cells, and in a specific type of neurovascular-associated astrocyte (NVA), newly discovered by the team, which are cells associated with blood vessels in the brain. Furthermore, the scientists identified the metabolic gene Atpif1 as an important regulator to create new neurons in the brain. “That we were able to modulate newborn neurons using our new target genes set underscores the promise our study,” said lead author Joana Da Rocha, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow working in Dr. Wrann’s lab.
To ensure the findings were relevant to humans, the team validated their discoveries in a large dataset of human Alzheimer’s brain tissue, finding striking similarities. “This work not only sheds light on how exercise benefits the brain but also uncovers potential cell-specific targets for future Alzheimer’s therapies,” said Nathan Tucker, a biostatistician at SUNY Upstate Medical University and co-senior author of the study. “Our study offers a valuable resource for the scientific community investigating Alzheimer’s prevention and treatment.”
Sumptuous Fresh-Pressed Olive Oils from Chile’s Leading Artisanal Producer Will Delight Your Taste Buds and Elevate Every Meal
These Club exclusives, available nowhere else, showcase this South American country’s amazing olive varietals.
Each unique blend is extraordinarily food-friendly, ready to lavish on all your seasonal dishes.
Certified by an independent lab to be 100 percent extra virgin olive oil, this trio was rushed to the US by jet so that you can experience the tantalizing flavors and healthy polyphenols at their peak.
Majestic, awe-inspiring, breathtaking—those are the adjectives that come to mind every time I fly over the snow-capped Andes on my way to Santiago. The Chilean harvest always holds many surprises for your Olive Oil Hunter, and this year the results are beyond spectacular, from an enchanting Picual to an Arbequina enhanced with Coratina to an olive oil that’s an international cornucopia of cultivars—five varietals that come together to exceed the sum of its delicious parts! I am thrilled to present them to you for your warm-weather table.
I caught up with Salvador, the recently promoted head miller, now in his eighth year with the Alonso family. He demonstrated early on how eager he was to learn the best practices for running the mill—being very mechanically inclined helps him keep the state-of-the-art machinery humming. He shared news of Pobeña’s recent awards: a near perfect score from Flos Olei (considered the bible of extra virgin olive oil) and golds at both the Olive Japan and NY World competitions.
My Merry Band of Tasters, Down South America Way
With the seasons reversed in the Southern Hemisphere, it always takes a few minutes to get accustomed to seeing the colors of autumn after leaving spring behind in the US. This is also Chile’s wine country (not as well-known as the Mendoza region of neighboring Argentina, but arguably ment to create outstanding olive oils rather than cut corners for a fast profit.)
At Juanjo’s side is master agronomist Juan Carlos Pérez, who, with 20 years of experience (more than three-quarters of them at Pobeña!), is considered a top olive expert in the country, and also has a patient and gentle nature that keeps everyone on an even keel. Thanks to his skill in the field—I’ve always said that exceptional olive oil starts in the field and is finished in the mill—we had incredible choices to play with! In Chile, “we” always includes my good friend and international olive oil competition judge Denise Langevin and my favorite olive savant, Duccio Morozzo della Rocca, whose expertise is in demand around the world.
The autumnal glow bathing Denise Langevin, international olive oil competition judge, and me on our walk through the groves is breathtaking but also a sign that frost is on its way. Fortunately, everyone at Agrícola Pobeña is dedicated to harvesting olives during the magic window and getting them to the mill quickly so that you can enjoy the just-pressed oils at their peak of flavor.
Outpacing the Imminent Frost
This season had none of the typical drama—there was enough water for irrigation as needed, thanks in part to a new well on the farm and a light rain that primed the olives for harvest. But, in recent years, Mother Nature found a new Chilean curveball to throw: an early frost. That’s when the temperature drops below freezing overnight. When the dip lasts five hours or so, the olives freeze on the trees, negatively affecting the flavor of their oils. Last year, we heard that 40 percent of the country’s olives froze. But that didn’t stop lesser-quality oils from being sold at sky-high prices on the global market. As the country’s preeminent farm, Pobeña now has the better plan: harvest early to avoid the problem. “You lose some quantity,” Juanjo explained, “but the quality is superb, with vibrant aromas.”
I was so happy to toast Alejandro, executive sous-chef at Boragó, with one of our fresh-pressed oils—even more so after I saw that the Alonso family’s EVOO is the kitchen’s go-to choice. The 16-course meal of artistically crafted dishes showcasing Chilean ingredients made for an unforgettable evening.
I often talk about our fresh-pressed olive oils being food-friendly, and the culinary experiences we had in Santiago and in the countryside showcased this quality in our trio. We generously drizzled them at the farm-to-table lunch we had at the Alonso family homestead as well as the feast we enjoyed in Santa Cruz at Francis Mallmann’s Fuegos de Apalta, named for the open-fire kitchen in the center of the restaurant, a hallmark of the world-renowned grill master. Impressively, when we toured behind the scenes at Boragó, ranked one of the top restaurants in the world, we saw that Pobeña olive oil was used in the preparation of the exquisitely constructed food-as-art still-lifes created by its vast team of chefs. Though many fine-dining restaurants around the world use less expensive oils (to avoid cutting into their margins), Boragó, located in Santiago’s Vitacura neighborhood, uses only the very best—just like you, my discriminating Club member. Get ready to experience the taste sensations of these harvest-fresh oils in the inspired dishes in this report’s recipe section as well as with all your favorite food
Happy drizzling!
T. J. Robinson The Olive Oil Hunter®
This Quarter’s First Selection
Producer: Denise Langevin La Estrella, Chile
Olive Varieties: Arbequina, Coratina
Flavor Profile: Mild
“I cook everything with olive oil,” exhorts international olive oil authority Denise Langevin, drizzling a shimmering stream of our just-pressed Chilean blend over a grilled chorizo sausage in a soft roll, the savory South American sandwich known as choripán. “Many people save it for salad, and I tell them olive oil is for all food, you know.” Denise knows. She is a superlative olive oil taster, an in-demand adjudicator of olive oil competitions around the globe, from Los Ange-les to Turkey to China. Also an outstanding home chef, Denise treated me and my Merry Band of Tasters to a mouth-watering celebratory lunch at her home, a converted farmhouse in the town of Codegua, where she lives with her husband, Luis, Rottweiler Augustina, and a sheep named Pio Pio.
When we pulled up on a perfectly crisp autumn day—remember, Chile’s seasons are the opposite of ours—Luis was already manning the grill next to their tiled patio, as Pio Pio munched on grass in a corner of the yard. Denise ushered us to the table, where we whetted our appetite with marinated olives, some stuffed with blanched almonds and others with jamón Serrano (see the recipe on below). Lifting glasses of lime-hued pisco sour, we toasted to another collaborative culinary venture.
Then, savoring the food-friendliness of our dazzling olive oil, we dined like kings on the afore-mentioned choripán, topped with one of two zesty pebres (Chilean salsa), and satisfying empanadas, warm from the grill and filled with pino (beef). For dessert, Denise wooed us with exquisitely tiered slices of milhojas, a Chilean millefeuille cake of sweet crepes layered with dulce de leche. I am swooning just remembering it.
Denise takes me through her rack of judge badges from olive oil competitions the world over. Renowned for her discriminating palate and impeccable taste memory, Denise has served on judging panels of the world’s finest EVOO throughout Europe, Central Asia, East Asia, the Middle East, and the US.
I first met Denise more than a decade ago, in 2013, when she was director of exports at the Don Rafael Estate, one of Chile’s pioneer ultra-premium olive oil producers. As two supertasters, Denise and I hit it off from the start—I loved hearing about her adventures as an international olive oil judge, and she was intrigued to learn about my mission to provide the world’s finest fresh-pressed olive oil to Club members year-round. We first collaborated on an exclusive Club selection in 2020 and have worked together ever since. I adore strolling through the olive groves with her, stopping to test the fruit for ripeness (see photo on above).
Denise and I also share a pressing desire to educate others about the extraordinary flavors and bounteous health benefits of EVOO. In recent years, Denise has partnered with local grade schools to help foster healthy eating habits among schoolchildren, teaching eager kids about gardening and Chile’s abundant, nutritious produce. “Tia Denise,” the kids cheer, as they run to her—it’s amazing to witness. Denise’s warm, generous personality, delicately calibrated judgment, and exquisitely discriminating palate are mirrored in the qualities of this quarter’s mild selection. “Every collaboration is also a celebration,” Denise says, of its creators as well as of the olive varieties.
Yee-haw! Denise Langevin and I wave as we are about to dip below the horizon, heading to Agrícola Pobeña, with the majestic Andes in the distance. Eager for our sixth consecutive Club collaboration, Denise and I can’t wait to get to the mill, where gorgeous just-picked olives will be pressed into liquid gold. At right: Celebrating the fruits of our labors with a Chilean grill fest, Duccio Morozzo gives Denise’s choripán another splash of our brand-new Arbequina-Coratina blend as I look on, eager for my turn.
Impressions and Recommended Food Pairings
This Arbequina enhanced with a touch of Coratina is bright, harmonious, and very complex. On the nose, we sensed fresh-cut grass, sweet almond, lettuce, green apple, mint, and hints of celery and lemon zest. On the palate, we noted fresh walnuts and the sweetness of green banana and fennel, plus Romaine lettuce and oregano, the bitterness of Belgian endive, and the lingering spiciness of celery leaves and white pepper.
Enjoy it with eggs, morning smoothies, lighter vinaigrettes, pasta salads, and salads with fruit; pan-seared cilantro citrus fish* and other mild fish, ceviche, and grilled chicken; quinoa bowls, rice dishes, cauliflower fritters, pastelera de choclo and other fresh corn dishes, artichokes, and asparagus; brie, ricotta, mozzarella, and other mild cheeses; hummus; stone fruit, baked goods, dulce de leche trifle, vanilla ice cream, and yogurt.
*See the recipe section for bolded dishes.
This Quarter’s Second Selection
Producer: El Agrónomo, La Estrella, Chile
Olive Varieties: Coratina, Frantoio, Arbequina, Arbosana and Koroneiki
Flavor Profile: Medium
A large map of the farm hangs in the tasting room at Agrícola Pobeña. It’s a colorful jigsaw puzzle that identifies the locations of all their olive fruit varietals—I like to think of it as a visual representation of the skills of master agronomist Juan Carlos Pérez. Rather than cluster each varietal together, he has created a lot of interplay to maximize sun exposure as well as changes in elevation, from flat areas to hilly ones where hand harvesting is a must.
Juan Carlos was drawn to agriculture as a child. Of his parents’ six sons, he was the only one who would excitedly sit next to his dad, a farmer, on his tractor. Fittingly, Juan Carlos’s youngest, eight-year-old Laura, is already showing signs of wanting to follow in his footsteps.
He had a blank slate when he arrived at the farm, excited at the prospect of growing a wide range of varietals, now 11 in all. He planted the first tree with the Alonso family, and it’s been a happy marriage ever since. Deeply knowledgeable across fields from earth science to biochemistry, Juan Carlos understands the unique terroir of this region like the back of his hand.
I asked him what makes Chilean extra virgin olive oils so special. “Location, location, location—we’re just 40 kilometers from the sea in a climate so similar to the Mediterranean,” he answered. “The topography of the farm is also key. We have a lot of gentle hills and have oriented the trees to the sun. Each oil has a different profile based on where the trees were planted. I feel that the oils from olives grown in the hills are more powerful—and those are the ones you used for the oils for Club members,” Juan Carlos said proudly.
I admit it: I love touring the farm on one of Juan Carlos’s ATVs—perfect for navigating through the groves and seeing for myself that the fruit is ready for harvest so that I can deliver the highest-quality oils to you, dear Club member.
This very special olive oil is a veritable United Nations of varietals, with Coratina and Frantoio representing the Italian contingent, Arbequina and Arbosana from Spain, and Koroneiki from Greece. It’s a masterful blending of five distinct “voices” that we orchestrated into a harmonious chorus.
Juan Carlos “El Agrónomo” Pérez and I rejoice during the day’s harvest. I can almost taste the vibrancy in the fresh-pressed olive oil these beauties will yield.
Despite all the demands of the farm—Juan Carlos now turns his attention to propagating new trees, pruning and nurturing in preparation for the next season—he always amazes me with how he happy he looks. His calm demeanor has helped him retain a strong field team that comes back year after year. They gain more experience with each season, in turn making the harvest run smoothly.
I believe that a truly great olive oil starts with the fruit, in the grove, in the hands of the agronomist, who then works hand in hand with a master miller to turn amazing fruit into extraordinary olive oil. With his attention to detail and brilliant results, Juan Carlos is raising the bar for other agronomists around the world. We celebrate him by naming this exceptional olive oil El Agrónomo, after this star agronomist. When you taste it, you will too!
In Chile, cacti aren’t just for admiring. Maria, the majordomo of the sprawling Alonso family farmhouse, turned these brilliant yellow fruits into an amazing juice served at the delectable lunch she prepared for us.
Impressions and Recommended Food Pairings
Only a talented agronomist could have made it possible to create this blend of five olive varietals originating from Italy, Spain, and Greece. The aroma is lush, with notes of Belgian endive, walnuts and almonds, green banana, baby spinach, Tuscan kale, arugula, and thyme, plus hints of vanilla bean, cinnamon, and lime zest. We tasted green almond, artichoke, escarole, arugula, and rosemary, the bitterness of chicory and radicchio, and spiciness of both Szechuan and black peppercorns.
Rich and verdant, this versatile olive oil will enhance pork, turkey, seafood dishes such as grilled shrimp with pisco and merquèn* and vieiras a la parmesana, and fattier fish, like sardines, tuna, and salmon; white and sweet potatoes, broccoli, and grilled vegetables; salads with nuts; beans, lentils, and grains; guacamole and other avocado dishes; pesto; and chocolate desserts.
*See the recipe section for bolded dishes.
This Quarter’s Third Selection
Producer: Abel Alonso, La Estrella, Chile
Olive Varieties: Picual
Flavor Profile: Bold
You’d be hard-pressed to meet anyone as gregarious as Juanjo Alonso, the youngest of five brothers, all of whom are involved in the various businesses started by their father, Abel. I find his joie de vivre contagious and look forward to spending time with him every year.
Juanjo’s journey from student at the San Francisco Art Institute in California to head of Chile’s premier olive oil producer began soon after he graduated. The budding artist supported himself as a house painter. Knowing that Juanjo had no interest in the family’s main concern, a very successful shoe company, Abel was able to eventually lure him back to Chile by offering to pay him the equivalent of a year’s salary to paint its corporate offices!
Juanjo’s painting shows how talented he is and how passionate he is about olive oil. He’s on a mission to educate Chileans about its health benefits and is proud that his family’s oil was named the “healthiest olive oil” multiple times at the World Best Healthy EVOO Contest. In his words, “A shot every day keeps the doctor away.” Of our longstanding collaboration, he added, “You and I are on the same train headed in one direction, toward higher and higher olive oil quality.”
It wasn’t long before Abel shared his vision for an olive farm with Juanjo, the son he felt was destined for the project. Abel was born in the Basque region of Spain in 1935, at the start of the political and economic unrest that would lead to the country’s civil war. His family survived thanks to the food they grew in their garden, the memory that inspired his new quest.
One day he asked Juanjo to check out a potential property with him. “I had fallen in love with the majestic olive trees during my time in Northern California and had already started googling ‘olive trees’ and ‘olive farming,’ so I knew that even though the farm we visited was very nice, it was at too high an elevation considering the proximity to the Andes. ‘Olives don’t like frost, so this is not the property for us,’ I told my dad. And he immediately put me in charge of finding the right one!” Juanjo recounted.
Fast forward to today, and the fruits of all their early decisions are evident with award after award lining the mill walls. What I truly admire is that they allot resources for continual improvement, always reinvesting to maintain their high standards, from updating their irrigation system to buying new tractors to speed the fruit to the mill. It’s wonderful to hear Juanjo credit the Club for helping Chilean olive oils getting the recognition they so rightly deserve.
It’s always insightful to meet with José Manuel Reyes, who wears many hats at the Agrícola Pobeña farm. He’s the bridge from the field to the office and the face of the Alonso company in Santiago, where he manages three jewel-box stores dedicated to olive oil. “We offer classes and tastings so people can get to know Pobeña olive oils as well as the members of the Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club do,” he said.
There’s also sad news to share. Late last summer, Abel became gravely ill while on a visit to Spain. Back in Chile, he refused treatment, preferring to spend his last days at the farm surrounded by his adoring family. “One after-noon, we sat together, looking out at the olive groves. ‘We made it, you and I—I believed in you, and I am so proud that you made our dream a reality,’ he told me.” Juanjo’s admiration for his father and the heartbreak over his loss were evident in his eyes.
We pay homage to Abel with this very special oil that bears his name and a label featuring the family’s coat of arms and a Basque-inspired font. I know he would have been ecstatic about this magnificent Picual I’ve created for you, a varietal from his native Spain, a zesty, complex character like Abel himself.
Impressions and Recommended Food Pairings
A Picual lover’s dream, this is a bold expression of the cultivar. It’s intensely green and herbaceous on the nose: green tomato and tomato leaf, celery, arugula, and Asian pear, with notes of chopped basil and peppermint. It’s very green and vegetal on the palate, with the flavors of wheatgrass, baby kale, spinach, and pear; the astringency of green tea, bitterness and zest of arugula, and spiciness of green peppercorns; plus notes of wild mint, parsley, and rosemary.
Its big personality is perfect for hearty dishes like chorizo hash,*chicken empanadas, arrollado de huaso, costillar de chancho, grilled steaks, lamb, duck, and wild game; dark leafy green salads and bold vinaigrettes; crudités; tomato recipes from pizza and bruschetta to gazpacho and sauces; hearty pasta dishes; cured meats; blue and other aged cheeses; and crusty sourdough breads.
*See the recipe section for bolded dishes.
Olive Oil and Health
Kudos from Club Members
Noticeably enriched flavor I’m loving them so far! Everything I’ve made with them has had a noticeably enriched flavor. I also love having the 3 different types to choose from depending on what I’m making.
Alegra O.Virginia Beach, VA
I crave it It’s a daily habit since I first ordered it over a year ago. It makes my food taste great, and now I crave it. Sometimes I’ll just pour it straight into my mouth.
Christina C.,Murfreesboro, TN
"Keep up the good work" Please inform T. J. that I am very glad I found his service. Of course I love the Olive Oil and the recipes that come with it. Surprisingly the additional information that comes within the newsletter is amazing. Keep up the good work you are providing. It is very much appreciated.
Trudi B.Arlington Heights, IL
Heaven in a bottle Your olive oils are amazing! It’s like heaven in a bottle!
This dish features two iconic Chilean ingredients, merquèn and brandy-like pisco (in a pinch, you can use white tequila or rum instead).
Ingredients
Juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup pisco
1 1/2 teaspoons honey
2 teaspoons merquèn
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for basting
1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 limes, quartered, for serving
Directions
Step 1
In a small bowl, whisk the lime juice, pisco, honey, merquèn, and salt until the salt dissolves. Add the olive oil and whisk until the mixture is emulsified. Place the shrimp in a bowl large enough to hold them. Gently toss with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Drain the shrimp and thread onto bamboo skewers.
Step 2
Heat your grill to medium-high. Brush and oil the grill grate. Arrange the shrimp skewers on the grate. Grill for 3 minutes per side, basting with olive oil, or until the shrimp are lightly charred and opaque. Baste a final time. Remove the shrimp from the skewers before serving with the limes.
This dish is a variation on the wildly popular machas a la parmesana, local razor clams (using oysters is also popular). Traditionally, each scallop is cooked separately in its own half-shell. While it’s rare to find scallops still in the shell in the US, you can buy cooking-grade shells for an elegant presentation. For simplicity, I like to make them in a broiler-safe baking dish or individual ramekins.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 tablespoon white wine
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley, plus more for garnish
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound sea scallops, preferably dry
3 ounces shredded Manchego or Jack cheese
1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano
Fresh nutmeg
Directions
Step 1
In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, wine, lemon juice, parsley, salt, and pepper.
Step 2
Rinse and pat dry the scallops, then toss them in the marinade—there should be only enough liquid to lightly coat them. Set your oven to broil while they marinate for 15 minutes.
Step 3
Arrange the scallops in a baking dish or among 4 individual ramekins. Top each scallop with a spoonful of shredded cheese, then a sprinkle of Parmigiano-Reggiano. Use a Microplane grater to dust nutmeg over the tops.
Step 4
Place under the broiler for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and browned and the scallops are firm to the touch. Sprinkle with more parsley and drizzle with olive oil before serving.
Many dishes were introduced to Latin America by Spanish explorers and colonists, including handheld meat pies called empanadas. Here, a flaky crust encloses a savory mixture of chicken, peppers, and an olive, which is traditional in Chilean empanadas. Merquèn is a popular Chilean spice blend of goat’s horn chile, coriander, and salt, which imparts a distinctive smoky flavor. Goya and other brands sell precut dough disks.
Ingredients
For the chicken:
4 chicken thighs or 2 breasts, skinless and boneless
4 cups low-sodium store-bought or homemade chicken broth
2 teaspoons sea salt
For the filling:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 red bell pepper, diced
3 scallions, green and white parts thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon merquèn or chili powder
Sea salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 cups of finely diced or shredded chicken (from above)
12 premade empanada dough disks, a package of puff pastry, or homemade pastry dough
1 egg
1 tablespoon of water
Directions
Step 1
Place the chicken and the broth in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, then immediately reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook the chicken for 10 minutes, then remove the pan from the heat. Cover for 10 minutes, then check the temperature of the chicken. An instant-read thermometer should reach 165°F. Remove from the broth, saving a few spoonfuls. Let the meat cool slightly, then finely dice or shred.
Step 2
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the olive oil, red pepper, scallions, and garlic. Sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cumin and merquèn. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Let cool. Add the chicken as well as some or all of the chicken broth if the mixture seems a bit dry. (You don’t want it wet, either.)
Step 3
If you’re using puff pastry or pastry dough, roll it out to 1/8 inch thick. Cut into twelve 5-inch circles and arrange on two parchment paper–lined baking sheets. Heat the oven to 400°F.
Step 4
Whisk the egg and water. Put about 2 tablespoons of filling and an olive on half of each pastry round. Lightly brush the edges of the pastry with the egg wash and fold one side over the other to form a half moon. Use the tines of a fork to crimp the edges. Brush the tops and sides of the empanadas with the egg wash. Bake the empanadas for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown.
Place the lentils in a sieve and rinse under cold running water, picking through to remove any pebbles. Bring the stock to a boil in a large pot, then add the lentils, celery, carrots, bay leaf, and salt. Turn down the heat to maintain a simmer, cover the pot, and cook until the lentils are tender but still toothsome (think al dente), about 25 minutes. Check 5 minutes in advance to make sure there’s still some liquid so that the lentils won’t scorch. If the lentils aren’t tender once the broth evaporates, add 1/2 cup more liquid and continue cooking 5-10 more minutes.
Step 2
While the lentils are cooking, make the dressing. In a medium bowl, mix the vinegar, shallot, black pepper, and Dijon. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Taste and add more vinegar if desired.
Step 3
When the lentils are ready, strain off any remaining liquid and transfer to a large bowl; discard the bay leaf. Fold in the red onion, bell pepper, and parsley. Pour on the dressing and toss to coat. Taste and add salt as desired. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
Reminiscent of Italian porchetta, my Chilean version is filled with chorizo and a popular vegetable in Chile—sweet potato, or camote. Forming the chorizo into a rectangle with a rolling pin helps more evenly distribute the meat. If you’d rather not flatten the pork yourself, simply ask your butcher to butterfly it for you.
Ingredients
One 2 1/2- to 3-pound pork loin roast
1 pound fresh (raw) chorizo
1 pound sweet potatoes
3 tablespoons chopped mixed fresh herbs, such as sage, rosemary, and thyme, plus extra sprigs for garnish
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
Directions
Step 1
Butterfly the pork loin: Place the pork loin on a cutting board. Using a long slender knife, create a slab about 3/4 inch thick by cutting horizontally from one side of the pork loin to the other, leaving a “hinge.” Roll open the pork and repeat the horizontal slicing. Continue unrolling and slicing until you have a flat piece of pork about 1/2 inch thick. Use a kitchen mallet to flatten any uneven spots.
Step 2
Place the chorizo between two sheets of parchment paper. Using a rolling pin, shape the chorizo into a rectangle about 1 inch shorter on each side than the pork; place in the freezer for 30 minutes. In the meantime, transfer the pork loin to a rimmed sheet pan. Cover with paper or plastic wrap and refrigerate.
Step 3
Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into 1/2-inch cubes. Place in a saucepan with enough cold salted water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer until tender but not soft, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Step 4
Heat the oven to 375°F. Take out the pork and chorizo and discard the wrap. Position the chorizo over the pork loin. Evenly sprinkle with the herbs and sweet potato cubes, then drizzle the potatoes with olive oil. Roll the pork loin tightly (like a jellyroll), enclosing the filling. Tie at 2-inch intervals with butcher’s string. Generously brush the outside of the pork loin with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Place on a rack in a roasting pan.
Step 5
Roast the pork until an instant-read thermometer reaches 150°F, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Step 6
Remove the roast from the oven. Let it rest for 10 minutes. Snip and remove the strings. Carve into 1-inch slices and shingle on a platter for serving. Garnish with fresh herbs.
This is a popular dish in Chile. Parboiling the cauliflower makes the fritters tender.
Ingredients
1 head cauliflower, about 2 pounds
1 tablespoon sea salt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 lemon cut into wedges
Directions
Step 1
Trim the stem off the cauliflower and remove the largest leaves. Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil. Add the 1 tablespoon salt and the whole head of cauliflower, stem end up. Cook for 5 minutes, then carefully remove it from the water and let cool on a cutting board.
Step 2
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, then add the flour, cheese, milk, salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon olive oil; set aside.
Step 3
When cool enough to handle, remove any remaining leaves from the cauliflower and cut the head into slices, then cut each slice in half. You can also use any loose florets—coarsely chop them and add to the remaining batter after sautéing the main pieces.
Step 4
Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add the 1/4 cup olive oil. Dip a piece of cauliflower into the batter, shake off the excess, and place in the pan. Continue until the pan is full, but don’t crowd the fritters. Sauté for 3 minutes on each side, or until golden. Transfer the fritters to a platter and repeat until all the fritters have been cooked, adding more oil to the pan, if needed, between batches. Sprinkle on the parsley, drizzle with olive oil, and serve with the lemons.
Far simpler than a sangria, this Chilean drink is just red wine and macerated strawberries—sweet and refreshing at the same time.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 bottle Chilean red wine
Optional garnishes: lime slices and fresh mint
Directions
Step 1
Rinse, pat dry, and hull the strawberries, then cut them into pieces and place in a bowl. Toss with the olive oil and sugar and let sit for a half-hour.
Step 2
Transfer the berries to a large pitcher and add the bottle of red wine. Chill for two or more hours. Serve over ice, garnished as desired.
This marinade enhances all types of firm white fish, such as halibut, sole, cod, and hake, which in Chile is called merluza and is extremely popular because of its sweet, mild taste. Fun fact: What’s sold in the US as Chilean sea bass is typically neither Chilean nor bass but rather Patagonian toothfish, rebranded to make it sound more appealing. The sea bass eaten in Chile is actually called corvina. This marinated fish is delicious grilled, but here I’m detailing a stovetop method that turns the marinade into a sauce.
Ingredients
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided use, plus more for drizzling
Zest and juice (2 tablespoons) of 1 lime
Zest and juice (1/2 cup) of 1 orange
1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro, plus a few sprigs for garnish
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds white fish fillet
1 tablespoon cold butter
Directions
Step 1
Mix 2 tablespoons olive oil, both zests and juices, cilantro, salt, and pepper in a deep pie plate, then add the fillet, skin side up. Marinate 1 to 2 hours in the fridge.
Step 2
Heat a large skillet. When hot, add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, the fillet (skin side down), and the marinade. Bring the liquid to a boil, then cover the pan, and turn down the heat to a low simmer. Steam for 15 minutes or until the fish is cooked through (it should reach 145°F on an instant-read thermometer).
Step 3
Transfer the fillet to a platter and raise the heat under the skillet to reduce and thicken the sauce, then whisk in the butter. Cut the fillet into 4 portions, plate, and garnish with the sauce, cilantro, and a drizzle of olive oil.
Serves 4
For Your Best Health
The MIND Diet for Brain Health: More Benefits of Olive Oil
According to a new study from researchers at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and The Robert Butler Columbia Aging Center, a very specific brain-boosting diet has been linked to reduced dementia risk and a slower pace of aging. The study, “Diet, Pace of Biological Aging, and Risk of Dementia in the Framingham Heart Study,” published in the Annals of Neurology, also explains how the diet helps slow down the processes of biological aging.
“Much attention to nutrition in dementia research focuses on the way specific nutrients affect the brain,” said Daniel Belsky, PhD, associate professor of epidemiology and a senior author of the study. “We tested the hypothesis that healthy diet protects against dementia by slowing down the body’s overall pace of biological aging.”
The researchers used data from the second generation of the Framingham Heart Study, the Offspring Cohort. Participants were 60 years of age or older and free of dementia and had available dietary, epigenetic, and follow-up data. Follow-up was done at nine examinations, approximately every 4 to 7 years, which included a physical exam, lifestyle-related questionnaires, blood sampling, and, starting in 1991, neurocognitive testing. Of 1,644 participants included in the analyses, 140 developed dementia.
To measure the pace of aging, the researchers used an epigenetic clock called DunedinPACE developed by Dr. Belsky and colleagues at Duke University and the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand. The clock measures how fast a person’s body is deteriorating as they grow older, “like a speedometer for the biological processes of aging,” explained Dr. Belsky.
“We have some strong evidence that a healthy diet can protect against dementia,” said Yian Gu, PhD, associate professor of neurological sciences at Columbia University Irving Medical Center and the other senior author of the study, “but the mechanism of this protection is not well understood.” Past research linked both diet and dementia risk to an accelerated pace of biological aging. “Testing the hypothesis that multi-system biological aging is a mechanism of underlying diet-dementia associations was the logical next step,” explained Dr. Belsky.
The research determined that higher adherence to the MIND diet slowed the pace of aging as measured by DunedinPACE and reduced risks for dementia and mortality. Furthermore, slower DunedinPACE accounted for 27% of the diet-dementia association and 57% of the diet-mortality association.
“Our findings suggest that slower pace of aging mediates part of the relationship of healthy diet with reduced dementia risk, and therefore, monitoring pace of aging may inform dementia prevention,” said first author Aline Thomas, PhD, of the Columbia Department of Neurology and Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and the Aging Brain. “However, a portion of the diet-dementia association remains unexplained, therefore we believe that continued investigation of brain-specific mechanisms in well-designed mediation studies is warranted.”
“We suggest that additional observational studies be conducted to investigate direct associations of nutrients with brain aging, and if our observations are also confirmed in more diverse populations, monitoring biological aging may indeed inform dementia prevention,” noted Dr. Belsky.
Exactly What Is the MIND Diet?
MIND is a hybrid of the Mediterranean and DASH diets, tailored to reflect key findings from nutrition and dementia research. It details serving sizes of specific foods to focus on and which to limit, primarily those high in saturated fat, which is known to negatively affect brain health.
Foods and portions to eat every day: 1/2 to 1 cup green leafy vegetables, 1/2 cup other vegetables, 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, and three 1-ounce servings of whole grains.
Foods and portions to eat over the course of each week: 5 ounces nuts, 2-1/2 cups berries, 1-1/2 cups legumes, two 3-to-5-ounce servings of skinless poultry, and 3-to-5 ounces fish.
Foods to limit to these weekly totals: three or fewer 3-to-5-ounce servings of red and processed meats, 1 ounce whole-fat cheese, 1 fried or fast food, and 4 sweet servings. If desired, no more than 1 teaspoon of butter or stick of margarine a day.
Flourless Walnut Cake Recipe, Spotlight on Egg Whites and Springform Pans, The Mediterranean “Diet” and Brain Benefits of Exercise
Craving a delicious gluten-free cake but unsatisfied with alternative flours? This recipe breaks the mold, so to speak, with nutrient-packed walnuts and cocoa. What’s more, it can be part of a healthy way of eating, one that emphasizes lifestyle—yes, the Mediterranean diet. The importance of taking a holistic approach to the way you eat is the message of the latest research showing that yo-yo dieting is dangerous rather than being a helpful weight loss solution. I’m also sharing a positive consequence that comes from the release of dopamine during exercise beyond its feel-good mood boost.
You don’t have to forgo dessert when you want to cut out flour. Ground nuts make a delicious and healthy alternative. I’ve included a luscious chocolate glaze, but this cake is delicious on its own or topped with a dollop of whipped cream.
Ingredients
For the cake:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for the pan
3 tablespoons unsweetened dark cocoa, divided use
8 ounces shelled walnuts
6 large eggs, separated
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch fine sea salt
For the glaze:
8 ounces dark chocolate
½ cup half-and-half
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Directions
Step 1
Preheat your oven to 350°F with a rack in the center position. Lightly brush the bottom and sides of a 9-inch cake pan with olive oil and then place a circle of parchment paper in the bottom of the pan, brush it with oil, and sprinkle it with 1 tablespoon cocoa; rotate the pan to distribute the cocoa on the bottom and sides. Shake out any excess.
Step 2
In a nut grinder or food processor, grind the walnuts until medium-fine (you may need to do this in batches). Transfer to a bowl and whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons of cocoa and set aside.
Step 3
In a stand mixer fitted with a balloon whisk or in a large bowl with an electric mixer, whip the egg yolks until pale yellow and thickened, about 5 minutes. Gradually beat in the sugar, then the vanilla and the remaining olive oil, and continue beating until very thick, about 3 more minutes. Use a spatula to fold in the walnut-cocoa mixture.
Step 4
In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites on low speed until foamy. Add the salt and gradually increase the speed to high; beat until glossy and stiff. Working in two or three batches, gently fold the whites into the yolk mixture. Transfer to the cake pan and bake for 40-45 minutes until the cake starts to come away from the sides of the pan; the tip of a sharp knife inserted in the center should come out clean except for a few crumbs.
Step 5
Let the cake cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes (it will sink a bit), then invert onto another rack. If the cake doesn’t turn out easily, run a spatula around the inner rim to release it from the sides of the pan. Peel off the parchment and invert it again onto a cake plate. Let it finish cooling.
Step 6
For the glaze, place 7 ounces of the chocolate in a small, microwave-safe glass bowl along with the half-and-half and melt at 50% power for 3 minutes, until the chocolate is almost fully melted (if needed, microwave in additional 1-minute increments). Add the last ounce of chocolate and let sit on the counter for 2 minutes to cool down, then stir until smooth. Whisk in the olive oil until smooth. Wait until the glaze cools to room temperature, then pour over the top of the cake and use a long offset metal spatula to spread it in an even layer. Let it set for about an hour before serving.
Yields 8 servings
Healthy Ingredient Spotlight
Freezing Egg Whites
While it’s possible to freeze extra yolks and whites when a recipe calls for more of one than the other, yolks are not as forgiving as whites—better to use them in a custard or curd. Whites, on the other hand, not only freeze well but whip up perfectly after defrosting. The easiest way to freeze them is to place each white in a compartment of a large ice cube tray; when frozen, pop them out and into a freezer-safe bag, then back in the freezer. Thaw in the fridge the day before you’ll be using them.
Quick Kitchen Nugget
Springform Pans
While parchment paper is a great way to avoid having a cake stick to the bottom of a cake pan, a springform pan goes a step further. It’s invaluable when making a torte or cheesecake that’s so pliable it could break down the middle when trying to get it out of a regular baking pan.
Once you unlatch the springform pan’s removable ring, it’s easy to slide a cake lifter under the cake or simply cover the top of the cake with a large dish and flip it to remove the bottom and peel off your parchment—I like to think of the parchment as a double layer of protection. (If the sides of the cake happen to be sticking to the ring, slide a rubber or silicone spatula between the cake and the side to gently free the cake before unlatching the ring.) Always transfer your cake from the springform base as soon as it’s cool. Cutting a cake on the base will scratch it, and there’s also the chance that your dessert could pick up the taste of the pan’s material if left on it for too long.
The classic springform pan is metal, and many come with a nonstick coating. Like most other kitchen tools, springform pans are now available in silicone, which is good for sturdier bakes, but not always for soft or dense ones or when you want to build a crust up the sides because of the material’s flexibility. Good-quality silicone pans are also less likely to leak than metal ones (the possibility of leakage is why many recipes suggest wrapping a springform pan with foil).
Springform pans are available in many sizes, from 6 inches for a petite cake up to 12 inches. For a first pan, the 9-inch size will be the most versatile.
For Your Best Health
Think Twice Before You “Diet”
Diet is a word with different meanings. When we talk about diet at the Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club, it’s in the context of the Mediterranean diet. Though it can help you lose weight, it’s a way of life, not something you go on and off of. And it offers a social dynamic, which makes people feel that they’re part of an inclusive group.
When most people use the word diet, they typically mean a weight-loss diet, something research has told us again and again doesn’t work. That’s because people follow such a diet for a set time and then, unfortunately, revert to old ways of eating, usually regaining the lost weight and then some…only to try another weight-loss diet in the future. A new study, done at North Carolina State University, found just how toxic yo-yo dieting, also known as weight cycling, is and how difficult it can be to break the cycle.
“Yo-yo dieting—unintentionally gaining weight and dieting to lose weight only to gain it back and restart the cycle—is a prevalent part of American culture, with fad diets and lose-weight-quick plans or drugs normalized as people pursue beauty ideals,” said Lynsey Romo, PhD, corresponding author of the study and an associate professor of communication at NC State. “Based on what we learned through this study, as well as the existing research, we recommend that most people avoid dieting, unless it is medically necessary. Our study also offers insights into how people can combat insidious aspects of weight cycling and challenge the cycle.”
For the study, researchers conducted in-depth interviews with 13 men and 23 women who had experienced weight cycling during which they lost and regained more than 11 pounds. All the study participants reported wanting to lose weight due to social stigma related to their weight and/or because they were comparing their weight to that of celebrities or peers. “Overwhelmingly, participants did not start dieting for health reasons but because they felt social pressure to lose weight,” Dr. Romo said.
The study participants also reported engaging in a variety of weight-loss strategies, which resulted in initial weight loss but eventual regain. Regaining the weight left people feeling worse about themselves than they did before they began dieting. This, in turn, often led to increasingly extreme behaviors to try to lose weight again. “For instance, many participants engaged in disordered weight management behaviors, such as binge or emotional eating, restricting food and calories, memorizing calorie counts, being stressed about what they were eating and the number on the scale, falling back on quick fixes (such as low-carb diets or diet drugs), overexercising, and avoiding social events with food to drop pounds fast,” said Dr. Romo. “Inevitably, these diet behaviors became unsustainable, and participants regained weight, often more than they had initially lost.”
“Almost all of the study participants became obsessed with their weight,” says Katelin Mueller, co-author of the study and graduate student at NC State. “Weight loss became a focal point for their lives, to the point that it distracted them from spending time with friends, family, and colleagues, and reducing weight-gain temptations such as drinking and overeating.”
“Participants referred to the experience as an addiction or a vicious cycle,” Dr. Romo said. “Individuals who were able to understand and address their toxic dieting behaviors were more successful at breaking the cycle. Strategies people used to combat these toxic behaviors included focusing on their health rather than the number on the scale, as well as exercising for fun rather than counting the number of calories they burned. Participants who were more successful at challenging the cycle were also able to embrace healthy eating behaviors, such as eating a varied diet and eating when they were hungry, rather than treating eating as something that needs to be closely monitored, controlled, or punished.”
Fitness Flash
Your Brain on Exercise
Dopamine, the neurotransmitter and hormone tied to pleasure, satisfaction, and motivation, is known to increase when you work out. Recent findings suggest it is also linked to faster reaction times during exercise. The researchers in the UK and Japan behind the discovery say it could lead to a new therapeutic pathway for cognitive health because of dopamine’s significant role in several conditions including Parkinson’s disease, schizophrenia, ADHD, addiction, and depression.
The study measured the release of dopamine in the brain using the scanning device called positron emission tomography (PET). It tracked the metabolic and biochemical activity of the cells in the body. Explained Joe Costello, PhD, of the University of Portsmouth School of Sport, Health & Exercise Science in the UK, “We know cardiovascular exercise improves cognitive performance, but the exact mechanisms behind this process have not been rigorously investigated in humans until now. Using novel brain imaging techniques, we were able to examine the role dopamine plays in boosting brain function during exercise, and the results are really promising. Our current study suggests the hormone is an important neuromodulator for improved reaction time. These findings support growing evidence that exercise prescription is a viable therapy for a host of health conditions across the lifespan.”
As part of the study, three experiments were carried out with a total of 52 men. In the first, individuals were asked to carry out cognitive tasks at rest and while cycling in the PET scanner so the team could monitor the movement of dopamine in their brain. The second used electrical muscle stimulation to test whether forced muscle movement to stimulate exercise would also improve cognitive performance. The final experiment combined both voluntary and involuntary exercise. In the experiments where voluntary exercise was carried out, cognitive performance improved. This was not the case when only forced electrical stimulation was used.
“We wanted to remove voluntary muscle movement for part of the study, to see if the process in which acute exercise improves cognitive performance is present during manufactured exercise. But our results indicate that the exercise has to be from the central signals of the brain, and not just the muscle itself,” said Soichi Ando, PhD, associate professor in the Health & Sports Science Laboratory at the University of Electro-Communications in Japan. “This suggests that when we tell our central command to move our body during a workout, that’s the process which helps the dopamine release in the brain.”
“These latest findings support our previous theory that cognitive performance during exercise is affected by changes to brain-regulating hormones, including dopamine,” added Dr. Costello. “There could also be a number of other psychophysiological factors, including cerebral blood flow, arousal, and motivation, that play a part.”
The paper, published in The Journal of Physiology, says further studies are needed and should include a range of participants, including women and older individuals, over a longer period of time to fully understand how dopamine release is linked to cognitive performance following exercise.
Mini Pistachio Thumbprint Cookies Recipe, For Your Best Health: The Mediterranean Diet (Still No. 1)
Among the most important news items I share in this newsletter are results of scientific studies on the benefits of olive oil and, in a larger context, the Mediterranean diet. I love to report on research that shows how this way of eating—and living—has positive impacts on heart and brain health and can help ward off serious chronic diseases including diabetes and dementia.
It’s also rewarding to see how the diet has been adopted here in the US and how many of our esteemed institutions, such as the American Heart Association and the Cleveland Clinic, recommend it. An annual survey that so many people appreciate reading is the U.S. News & World Report’s ranking of dietary plans or “Best Diets.” And for the seventh year in a row the Mediterranean diet triumphs in the top spot. I’ll detail the highlights of the magazine’s reasoning right after this delicious recipe for cookies you can enjoy guilt-free—in moderation, of course.
With a minimal amount of sugar, these cookies pack all the heart-healthy benefits of nuts, a key food—along with extra virgin olive oil—of the Mediterranean diet. Though sweets are the smallest food group on the Mediterranean diet food pyramid, we know that an occasional treat can help us stay on track with this healthful way of eating. This recipe shows that you don’t have to make huge sacrifices to enjoy it.
Ingredients
1 cup shelled pistachios
1-1/2 cups almond flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large egg whites
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or paste
1/4 cup raspberry or apricot all-fruit (no sugar added) preserves, such as Polaner or St. Dalfour
Directions
Step 1
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line two rimmed sheet pans with parchment paper. Use a spice or coffee bean grinder to pulverize the pistachios (you may need to do this is batches). Transfer to a large bowl along with the almond flour and sugar, and mix thoroughly.
Step 2
In a stand mixer or large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the egg whites and salt at a low speed until frothy, then increase the speed and beat until you get soft peaks. Briefly whip in the olive oil and the extracts. Fold the whites into the nut mixture with a large spatula until fully combined. The dough will be very firm.
Step 3
Using a 1-inch ice cream scoop or melon baller, make dough balls and evenly space them on the parchment-lined pans. Use your thumb to make an indentation in the top of each cookie, flattening the centers and then filling each with a half-teaspoon or so of preserves.
Step 4
Bake just until set, about 15 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through. Wait 5 minutes before transferring the cookies to a rack to cool. When completely cooled, store in an airtight tin.
Yields about 44 cookies
For Your Best Health
The Mediterranean Diet: Still No. 1
According to the U.S. News & World Report 2024 rankings, created in partnership with The Harris Poll and with input from a panel of leading health experts, the Mediterranean diet has once again taken the No. 1 spot in the Best Diets Overall category, thanks to its focus on diet quality and primarily plant-based foods. The Mediterranean diet also claimed the top spot in the categories Best Diets for Diabetes, Best Heart-Healthy Diets, Easiest Diets to Follow, Best Diets for Bone and Joint Health, Best Family-Friendly Diets, and Best Diets for Healthy Eating, and the No. 2 spot in the Best Weight Loss Diets and the Best Plant-Based Diets categories.
One of the reasons it’s both adoptable and adaptable is that there are so many cuisines to choose from when looking for recipes. Dishes that are popular in Turkey and Greece will offer different tastes than those from Italy, France, or Spain or from Morocco and other North African countries. But the unifying elements are the same: the emphasis on vegetables, fruits, extra virgin olive oil, nuts, whole grains, legumes, herbs, spices, and other plant-based foods that leave you feeling satisfied; minimal food processing; and a convivial atmosphere in the kitchen and at the table.
The Mediterranean diet also ranks high for what it leaves out:saturated fat, added sugars, and excess salt—all so prevalent in the typical American diet and so likely to leave you wanting more because foods with a low-nutrient profile are not truly satisfying. Eating them regularly also poses health risks. Eating a Mediterranean-style diet, on the other hand, translates to a longer life, a higher quality of life, and a lower risk of chronic diseases such as cancer, dementia, and heart disease.
The Mediterranean diet food pyramid is a great way to visualize the foods to focus on and how often to eat them. Whole grains, legumes, vegetables, fruit, and olive oil make up most of your daily intake. Seafood can be enjoyed a few times a week; animal proteins like poultry, eggs, cheese, and yogurt less often; and red meat less often still. But you also have a lot of leeway, so you don’t need to feel guilty about eating foods not on the pyramid. Nothing is totally eliminated, though you’re advised to eat foods like sugary desserts, butter, heavily processed foods like frozen meals, candy, and refined grains and oils sparingly.
Mediterranean Food Pyramid
To get started on the Mediterranean diet, or to more closely follow it, U.S. News & World Report suggests these tips:
Think of meat as your side dish and whole grains or vegetables as your main dish.
Look beyond Greek and Italian cuisines for inspiration—in all, 22 countries border the Mediterranean Sea!
As with any diet, do some advance meal planning so you won’t be tempted by convenience foods after a long day at work. For instance, cook up a batch of grains or lentils on the weekend to use for meals throughout the following week.
Make water your main source of hydration. Wine is considered optional and then only in moderation—one to two glasses per day for men and one glass per day for women.
Cold Avocado and Cucumber Soup
