An awesome gift

Our kids surprised me with an awesome gift: a sampling of high quality olive oil and vinegar from Emerald Coast Olive Oil in Panama City Beach, Florida. You can find them online here. And they ship -- so I know where I'll be headed once I use up my stockpile!

The main type of fat in olive oil is monounsaturated - a healthy dietary fat. A diet including unsaturated fats, like monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, instead of saturated fats and trans fats, provides certain health benefits. Olive oil may help lower the risks of heart disease and cancer (particularly organ cancers), lower total cholesterol, and decrease low-density lipoprotein (LPL) cholesterol - the bad kind. Vinegar can help regulate blood sugar levels, is high in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, and may also reduce pain and inflammation.

These are the three samples of olive oil I received and I have tasted each one. Yep, literally finger-licked a sample from each bottle. Each is very smooth and rich with its own unique flavor. And the lime one - oh my gosh - so limey! Delicious. 

Due to the popularity and scarceness of high quality, 100% Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO), many grocery store varieties have as little as 15% EVOO and are then diluted with low quality olive oil or even other types of oil, but still labeled and sold as EVOO. (whaat?) These, from Emerald Coast Olive Oil, are the real deal - pure and unadulterated. I know it will be very hard to go back to the grocery store variety after being spoiled with these!

Here are the vinegar flavors I received. Yep, I tasted each one as well.
The depth of flavor is amazing - so rich and sweet and wonderful.

✿ڿڰۣ(̆̃̃

I will be using my olive oil and vinegar mostly for dressings and toppings so I can fully enjoy their exotic flavors. I figure, when I cook with olive oil and vinegar, I'm usually adding other spices and flavors and likely won't be able to appreciate the unique flavors of these special ones.

First up: a dressing made with Persian Lime olive oil, Strawberry balsamic vinegar, and a pinch of salt and pepper, drizzled on baby spinach, topped with feta, fresh strawberries, and slivered almonds. Three words: To  die  for.

Special thanks to my wonderful children for this awesome gift!