Italian foods, pasta, olive oil, Mediterranean diet

Tuscan olive oil

Tuscan olive oil is the highest quality olive oil in the world. Tuscany produces olive oil to such a high degree that its olive oil has been given its own label of origin, in the same way as renowned wines are defined by their regional origin. Tuscany is a protected geographical cultivation for oil.
There are several types of olive oil.
Extra virgin olive oil is the premium of all the olive oils. To register as extra virgin, it must prove to be free of any defects. Extra virgin olive oil is officially defined as an oil "obtained from the fruit of the olive tree that has not undergone any treatment other than washing, decontamination, centrifugation and filtration".

The ancient Tuscan tradition of growing olives has been nurtured for thousands of years. Today Tuscany continues to set the pace for olive oil producers around the world.

Here we have selected some of Tuscany's finest extra virgin olive oil and wines cultivated by two of the oldest family names from this region. They are totally organic.
The Antinori and Mazzei families began producing olive oil and wine more than 600 years ago. Today, these two families continue to produce some of the best olive oil and wine in Tuscany.

Laudemio organic olive oil

Laudemio organic olive oil is full of flavor and full of history.
On the hills overlooking Florence, lies the estate of the Fattoria di Maiano, where Laudemio Extra Virgin Olive Oil is produced. The estate is full of history: the Mensola stream, which runs through it, was mentioned by Boccaccio in his Decameron; Monte Ceceri, a nearby hill, is the site where Leonardo da Vinci made one of his servants try his first flying machine.
Laudemio oil is entirely organically farmed and is distinctive in flavor.
It's well known in Tuscany for its organic and dietetic qualities. The favorable environment of the hills of Central Tuscany and the special regulations for the production of olive oil in this region are two more factors which help create this superior olive oil.

Ser Lapo Mazzei wine and oil is an excellent set that can serve as a special gift. It includes a bottle of 1993 Ser Lapo Mazzei wine and a bottle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Ser Lapo Mazzei (1350-1412) was an important Florentine figure - notary of the public, scholar, Florentine ambassador - and his profound knowledge and interest in wine are still evident today in the wine produced in his name. Ser Lapo wine is made from 90% Sangiovese grapes from the vineyards of Fonterutoli.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil Castello di Fonterutoli has high quality and flavor. For centuries, olive oil has been the symbol of good health and well being - its nutritious and digestive qualities make it a staple in the Mediterranean diet. Try the delicious recipes found on the back of each bottle.

Mazzei Concerto wine and oil set inclues a bottle of 1993 Mazzei Concerto wine and a bottle of Fonterutoli Extra Virgin Olive Oil. The wine is made from 80% Sangiovese grapes and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Vineyards of Siepi and Fonterutoli. It's been aged 2 years in the barrel and 1 year in the bottle.

Tuscan organic olive oil packages and gifts

Le Piagge is an organic farm nestled in the Florentine hills. Its farm-produced products are all natural, produced through organic agriculture.

Le Piagge olive oil is an olive oil made from hand-picked olives grown organically in the Florentine hills. Fresh and pungent in flavor, this oil will soon have you hooked on the intense flavor of ripe Tuscan olives.

You can order online gift packages from Le Piagge, containing delicious, wholesome organic Tuscan edibles we have selected for their high quality and exceptional flavour.
No chemical fertilisers or pesticides have been used, and the processed products included in these sets are packaged without additives, thickeners, food colouring, or preservatives.
Even in Tuscany, these products are rarely available in stores, due to limited production. All of these products have been tested by both experts and consumers.

There is a choice of different packages.
Some packages include bottles of olive oil, others bottles of olive oil and wine.

Ampolla oil server is a delightful gift package, with a bottle of Le Piagge extra virgin olive oil and cruets with a cork stopper (pictured left), handcrafted by Empolese glassmakers.

Tuscan oil & orcino contains a 75 cl. bottle of Le Piagge extra virgin olive oil and a decorative orcino. This little jar is a perfect reproduction of the Tuscan orcino that was once used to serve oil: a jar in all natural terracotta (pictured right).

Olive oil & olive bowls, original and useful, is a set containing a 75 cl. bottle of Le Piagge extra virgin olive oil and two glazed ceramic (pottery) olive bowls, hand-decorated by the famous ceramists of Montelupo Fiorentino, for serving gourmet olives (left).

Vegetable dipping set includes a 75 cl. bottle of Le Piagge Extra Virgin olive oil and glazed ceramic (pottery) vegetable dipping bowls, handmade near Pisa: traditionally Tuscans use these bowls these to mix a little salt with fresh olive oil (together called pinzimonio) and dip raw vegetables, such as artichokes or celery as an appetizer (right).
The charming little bowls, called cattini, are entirely handmade, therefore no two are exactly alike. Buon appetito!

Tuscan organic olive oil & decanter This set makes a perfect gift, blending beauty with utility. The decanter, made of hand-blown 24% lead crystal, echoes antique Andalusian design. Elegant and practical, the decanter has a sophisticated pouring snout which prevents dripping. Created by Locchi, the famous Florentine crystal makers, the decanter is hand-signed. Laudemio Extra Virgin Olive Oil, produced on an organically farmed estate located in the hills above Florence, is distinctive in flavor and cherished locally for its healthy qualities.

Pasta-To-Go Gourmet Kit. Wherever you go, pasta will travel with you in this wicker suitcase. It contains a selection of three pastas, two extraordinary marinaras, one delicious pesto, bottle of extra virgin olive oil, cruet of balsamic vinegar, elegant crackers, tomato basil bruschetta, salad dressing and triple chocolate biscotti. The price includes shipping to USA lower 48 states and some recipes.
For more info or to buy it, click on the image or the text:



Pasta-To-Go Gourmet Kit

Super Duper Combo Pack. Let your gift recipient take it easy with quick to prepare gourmet pasta dinners. It includes two classic pasta sauces, red wine shallot pesto, three memorable pastas, salad dressing and triple chocolate biscotti. The price includes wicker suitcase and shipping to the USA lower 48 states.
For more info or to buy it, click on the image or the text:



Super Duper Combo Pack

Viva Italia Dinner For Two. This dinner is on the table in fifteen minutes. Pasta, sauce and chocolate biscotti. Plus some gourmet crackers and Tomato Basil Bruschetta to nibble on while preparing dinner. The price includes wicker suitcase, recipes and shipping to the USA lower 48 states.
For more info or to buy it, click on the image or the text:



Viva Italia Dinner For Two

Olive oil and the Mediterranean diet

The Mediterranean diet is based on fresh produce, complex carbohydrates, dietary fiber, and monounsaturated fatty acids.

Awareness of the Mediterranean diet began in the 1950s, when Professor Ancel Keys embarked on a comparative survey of the diet of seven countries: Finland, Japan, Greece, Italy, Holland, USA and former Yugoslavia.
The resulting data, together with those of other researchers, clearly demonstrated that among the populations living in the Mediterranean, whose diet consists mainly of bread, pasta, fruits, vegetables, fish and food seasoned almost exclusively with olive oil, the death rate from ischemic cardiovascular diseases is much lower than in most North European countries such as Holland and Finland, where the staple diet consists mainly of foods of animal origin and saturated fat as found in milk and red meat.