Can you guess where California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is holding this bottle of California Olive Ranch extra virgin olive oil?

The “Governator,” as he’s known, was more than happy to be photographed with a bottle of our Arbequina EVOO.  No word yet on whether he’s had a chance to open the bottle and taste the oil.

A quick follow-up to my initial post last week: The Governator was in central California paying a visit to the world’s largest annual agricultural exposition, the World Ag Expo in Tulare.  He was visiting the stall of one of the nurseries we buy our trees from – NursTech Inc. – and the company happened to have a spare bottle of our EVOO.

On a related note, the governor earlier this month officially proclaimed February 2010 as “California Olive Oil Month.”

Bon appétit,

Claude S. Weiller
Vice President of Sales & Marketing
California Olive Ranch

We were intrigued with Bastianich’s three newest artichoke recipes and wanted to share them.  One is for celery and artichoke salad; another for marinated artichokes; and the third for stuffed artichokes. All rely on extra virgin olive oil (EVOO).

We’d love to hear from you if you have artichoke recipes to share.

Bon appétit,

Claude S. Weiller
Vice President of Sales & Marketing
California Olive Ranch

The first course: black olive crusted tuna crudo. The sushi-grade tuna was dressed up with grilled local sardines, roasted peppers, shaved fennel and basil. Foshee pulled it all together with the olive oil blend we produce at California Olive Ranch. The full-flavored oil kicked up the overall flavors of the vegetables and the fish.

Foshee likes to work with fresh, local ingredients and relies on our extra virgin olive oil at Georges at the Cove. He says he far prefers it to an oil “that has been on a ship for months before it arrives at my restaurant.”

More recipes to come.

Bon appétit,

Claude S. Weiller

Vice President of Sales & Marketing

California Olive Ranch

You’ve come to the right place even if you already love drizzling extra virgin olive oil on grilled fish, roasted vegetables and soups. Looking for more ideas on how to cook with it? At California Olive Ranch, we share your passion. That’s why we’re launching this blog. It’s for chefs like you who are keen to explore ways to use super-premium olive oil, particularly fresh 100% California extra virgin olive oil (EVOO).

Our mission statement, if you want to call it that, is to create a dialogue with you about olive oil, a treasured food that’s been with us for thousands of years. We want to swap ideas, recipes, insights and information with you. In coming days and weeks, we want to use this space to explore:

– The various olive varietals that go into extra virgin olive oil

– Ways to help you match the unique taste of different oils with various dishes.

– The distinct grades of olive oil available in the market.

– Techniques for tasting extra virgin olive oil.

– Your recipes for using extra virgin olive oil, including the Black Olive Crusted Tuna Crudo in the photo crafted by Executive Chef Trey Foshee of Georges at the Cove in La Jolla.

– The international standards for rating olive oils – standards which mean that certain imported “extra virgin olive oil” may not necessarily be the real thing.

We’ll also offer up links to interesting articles, such as the health benefits of olive oil. And we’ll provide inspiration, ideas and comments from various chefs, such as you.

Above all, we want to hear your suggestions, recipes, reactions, and more. Let us know what you think by posting a comment at the bottom of the blog. By the way, you can check out our sister consumer blog at http://consumers.californiaoliveranch.com.

Thanks for your interest. Please stay tuned. And we’re off!

Bon appétit,

Claude S. Weiller

Vice President of Sales & Marketing

California Olive Ranch

Maybe you’re here because you enjoy sitting down for a meal and dipping a piece of crusty bread into extra virgin olive oil (EVOO). Or maybe you want to learn more about how to cook with extra virgin olive oil, particularly fresh, fruity oil made right here in the United States. At California Olive Ranch, we share your enthusiasm. That’s why we’re launching this blog.

Our goal is to create a wide-ranging conversation with you about extra virgin olive oil, a treasured food that dates back thousands of years and is enjoyed around the globe. We hope to swap ideas and tips for using extra virgin olive oil. Some people we know, for example, enjoy cooking pasta and then simply tossing it with extra virgin olive oil and freshly cracked pepper. We also want to share our experience with you about everything from how to shop for extra virgin olive oil to hosting a tasting party.

Over the coming days and weeks, we plan to use this space to explore:

– Tips on buying and storing olive oil.

– Recipes for using extra virgin olive oil to create delicious dishes such as soups, pastas and deserts including chocolate truffles and the cake in the photo made with oil pressed from the Koroneiki olive.

– The different grades of olive oil available today on store shelves.

– Tasting olive oil to discover its diverse range of flavors and aromas.

Along the way, we’ll point out articles that discuss such things as the health benefits of olive oil. And, most importantly, we want to hear from you. Send us your thoughts, tips, recipes, or stories involving extra virgin olive oil. You can do so by posting them at the bottom of the blog.

Please visit us often!

Bon appétit,

Claude S. Weiller

Vice President of Sales & Marketing