There’s no doubt that We Olive’s Meyer Lemon Olive Oil is a fan favorite and that its uses are endless. We know it’s fantastic on veggies and delicious over chicken and fish, but we get great suggestions each week from lemon lovers all over. Following are our favorite “A-ha!” ways to use lemon olive oil.

1. For breakfast! Spread it on toast instead of butter and then top with strawberry jam. Better yet, add it your pancakes or waffles in place of butter or vegetable oil – blueberry lemon pancakes? Yes, please!
2. In sweet treats! If you haven’t baked with olive oil, get yourself into the kitchen pronto. This lemon oil enhances, cakes, cookies, and muffins with a bright lemon flavor. Try out the our recipe for Strawberry Lemon Cake here!
3. Salad, salad, and more salad. Whether you’re pairing our Lemon Olive Oil with sweet and complex Aged Balsamic or a simple squeeze of lemon juice and some freshly grated parmesan, this oil elevates basic greens to sublime salad.
4. Veggies for the kiddos! We know how great lemon olive oil is on sautéed grean beans or roasted asparagus, but it also livens things up for the little ones in your life. Try tossing steamed broccoli with a tablespoon of Lemon Olive Oil or sauté spinach in it – that sweet lemon scent and flavor have worked on some of the pickiest eaters we know.
5. On the grill! Grilling season is nearly here and there’s no better oil for marinades or basting than this lively lemon. Use the oil as a base for a marinade, adding garlic and fresh herbs for extra flavor or baste grilled chicken, seafood and veggies with it for added zest.

Tasting California’s best extra virgin olive oil at a We Olive store, is a sensory experience like no other. As you taste, you pick out flavors like apple or grass or even butter. And as you ponder the complexities of the olive oil, you begin to imagine ways to enhance your food with the flavors. Or maybe you have no clue what you are tasting or how you are going to use it, but you do know that you like it. No matter which type of taster you are, we’ve got a great new section on our blog called We Olive Top 5. We’ll be posting our favorite uses for our bestselling oils and vinegars. And some of our best ideas come from you via our website, Facebook page, and in stores, so don’t be shy about sharing your inventive ideas for EVOO! Check out the new Top 5 for fan favorite, Meyer Lemon Olive Oil, here.

Ready for today’s We Olive Extra discount? We Olive’s Ascolano extra virgin olive oil will be 15% off, just for you from April 17th – 30th when you use the discount code SPRING online or mention it in participating stores. Ascolano, with hints of tropical bananas on the nose and butter smooth mildness on the palate, has a delayed sharp pungency. This oil is perfect for roasted vegetables, meats and fish. Find recipes for using Ascolano here. 15% discount good for new purchases and in-store refills. Participating stores: Paso Robles, San Francisco, Walnut Creek, and La Jolla. Discount code: SPRING.

Whether you’re shopping for your favorite We Olive oil or browsing our blog for recipes, we appreciate the time you’ve taken to get to know us better. As a thank you for being a We Olive customer and fan, we’ll be offering special discounts starting today for We Olive Extra readers and Facebook fans. Check the site regularly or make sure you “like” our Facebook page for an exclusive discount code for savings on our featured product. The discount can be applied to online purchases and be used in participating stores. Ready for today’s discount? We Olive’s Arbequina, one of our most popular extra virgin olive oils, will be 15% off, just for you from March 19th – 31st when you use the discount code BREAKFAST online or mention it in participating stores. Stock up on this fantastically fruity olive oil, featured in this recipe for Blueberry Muffins. Arbequina, which has medium fruit and light pungency, is the perfect olive oil for salads, drizzling on soups, and even for baking. Also, try this delicious oil on toast with honey. 15% discount good for new purchases and in-store refills. Participating stores: Paso Robles, San Francisco, Walnut Creek, El Dorado Hills, Belmont Shore, Costa Mesa at the OC Mix, and La Jolla. Discount code: BREAKFAST.

Thanksgiving is easily one of my favorite days of the year. Unlike other holidays, there are no overpriced heart-shaped chocolates, no silly costumes, and no anxiety-inducing trips to the mall. It’s just friends and family gathered around the table, sharing and savoring a lovingly prepared meal, and reflecting on all the reasons they have to be grateful. How lovely is that? I’m sure there are also some screaming children, the oddball aunt or uncle, and perhaps a marshmallow topped atrocity masquerading as a vegetable. But there’s wine for that. So in the spirit of Thanksgiving and raising a glass to our family and friends, here’s wishing you a Thanksgiving table filled with a perfect meal, people you love, and lots of laughter. Cheers and Happy Thanksgiving!

While we’ll be reflecting tomorrow on all the good things in our lives and savoring the day, we all know what’s looming just past the dirty dishes and leftovers…Black Friday. Before you set your alarm for some ungodly hour to break down a mall door and stamp all the goodwill right out of the season, consider a more dignified approach to holiday shopping. I’ll be posting gift ideas and featuring gift baskets available both in We Olive stores and online so you can browse and shop right from home. If you’re considering something custom, call or stop in to your local store to have one of our team put together the perfect basket for everyone on your list. If you’re shopping at our OC Mix or La Jolla store, you can take the edge of the shopping crowds with happy hour pricing in our winebars all weekend long. Check back daily for new ideas, recipes and DIY gifts all month long!

Pablo Voitzuk educates Slow Food members on California Extra Virgin Olive Oil

As the premier retailer of California extra virgin olive oil, We Olive takes educating consumers about EVOO seriously. And by seriously, I mean that we’re committed to getting locally made olive oil in the hands of Californians, but not so serious that we won’t turn it into a party. Which is just what happened a few weeks ago in our San Francisco store when We Olive partnered with Slow Food to host an event that was educational, delicious, and in true We Olive fashion, a good time.

If you’re not familiar with the Slow Food organization, but like to eat food that was grown or produced locally, or you appreciate the value of sharing the pleasures of a meal with family and friends, you should really check out their movement. Slow Food is an idea, a way of living and a way of eating. It is a global, grassroots movement with thousands of members around the world that links the pleasure of food with a commitment to community and the environment. For these reasons, teaming up with Slow Food seemed like a natural partnership. We Olive offers the best quality extra virgin olive oil from small producers in California and celebrates the idea that sharing good food and good wine with good people is what makes life pleasurable. With this in mind, Owners and Managing Partners of We Olive, Frank and Ruth Mercurio, created an event that was both informative and tasty.

In addition to being educated about California’s extra virgin olive oil by some of the industry’s top producers and foremost experts, guests were treated to locally sourced foods, prepared with EVOO of course, as well as top notch wines from California winemakers. Presentations were made by California Olive Oil Council (COOC) Executive Director Patty Darragh and Pablo Voitzuk, an olive oil expert and member of the COOC and UC Davis tasting panels. Chef John McReynolds, Culinary Director of Stone Edge Farm demonstrated three fantastic dishes using extra virgin olive oils from Stone Edge Farm, including a shaved zucchini salad that I’m still trying to replicate at home. Acclaimed food writer and Author of “The New American Olive Oil”, Fran Gage was also in attendance and brought some fabulous truffles she’s prepared with Blood Orange Olive Oil from California. Finally, Ronna Stone from Roanti Ranch was in house offering tastings of her robust extra virgin olive oil produced in Sonoma.

COOC Executive Director Patty Darragh and Roanti Ranch Founder Ronna Stone behind with tasting bar at We Olive San Francisco

Inspired by the Slow Food ethos, Ruth and I put together a menu of locally sourced food and wine that showcased the versatility and range of flavors in California EVOO. Guests enjoyed:

A spread of artisan cheese and charcuterie all made either in the Bay Area or Wine Country. We also prepared a tasty accompaniment made by reducing We Olive’s Blackberry Balsamic Vinegar with smashed fresh blackberries until it began a thick, syrupy glaze, perfect for drizzling over soft cheeses.

We Olive’s Signature Hummus made with our Tuscan Varietal Blend extra virgin olive oil.

A creamy Smoked Albacore Spread made with Sonoma Smoked Olive Oil from the Smoked Olive.

A panzanella salad composed of toasted bread, arugula, heirloom tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and a balsamic vinaigrette made from a robust Pacific Sun Extra Virgin Olive Oil and We Olive’s Aged Balsamic Vinegar.

And finally, a roasted pork tenderloin slider, made with Llano Seco organic pork that was roasted with Ronna’s Roanti Ranch olive oil and served on a slider roll from San Francisco’s Chesnut Bakery with a Balsamic Onion Jam.

Recipes for some of these preparations can be found in the Recipes section or by clicking on any of the above menu items. If you’re interested in attending future We Olive events like this one, check the store pages for the location nearest you for coming events. Hope to see you at a We Olive event soon!

Slow Food members enjoying some wine on We Olive's patio

Working in the We Olive La Jolla store, I have opportunity each day to chat with people who are passionate about food and cook with top quality California extra virgin olive oil. I get inspiration from our loyal We Olive customers who, on return visits, share how they tried our Arbequina in a new vinaigrette, as well as our first time shoppers who taste our Fresh Garlic olive oil and instantly rattle off five different ways they want to use it. So when I found out that We Olive was launching a recipe contest on Facebook, I knew I’d be adding a few new EVOO recipes to my arsenal. My favorite dishes that I tend to make over and over are recipes that are flavorful, healthy, and easy to prepare and apparently the recipe contest judges feel the same. The grand prize winning recipe comes from AJ Dale, a college recruiter living in Long Beach, and it hits the trifecta of taste, simplicity, and health. Her California Sea Bass with Citrus Jalapeno Herb Vinaigrette uses different styles of California extra virgin olive oil and shows that eating healthy doesn’t have to mean eating boring or bland food. I sat down with AJ in Paso Robles at the Olive Festival to find out how she came up with this extra virgin winner.

Q: How did you come up with the recipe?

AJ says: I experimented a lot with the recipe, but I have to say first that before I’d been to We Olive, I had no idea how many different styles of olive oil were being produced in California, and just the range of flavors that you can find – it’s amazing! So to show those flavors, I used three different kinds of olive oil in my recipe. I used one to cook the fish that was buttery, and two for the vinaigrette, one that was lemony and one that was peppery, and I thought that worked really well with all the flavors.

Q: And how did you choose those particular olive oils to use in different components of the dish?

AJ says: Well, I knew I wanted to use a really versatile olive oil to cook the fish, so I chose a milder, buttery olive oil which was the We Olive Mission. (Editor’s Note: We Olive Triple A Blend and our new Organic Taggiasca are great alternatives to the Mission). And then I used the Meyer Lemon olive oil and the Tuscan Blend for the vinaigrette. I chose the Meyer Lemon because the flavor of Meyer lemons I just love and then I picked the Tuscan Blend, which on it’s own can be quite pungent and peppery, but with the citrus juice and the lemon olive oil, it worked very nicely.

Q: I see that you chose California sea bass and you’ve mentioned to me that you are pescetarian. Can you tell me a little about what that means and how We Olive fits in with your cooking and lifestyle?

AJ says: Being a pescetarian means eating vegetables and seafood, but no meat (and, yes, chicken is meat.  That always cracks me up when people ask that.)  The reason I switched to this lifestyle was in an effort to eat healthier and avoid the antibiotics, hormones and other chemicals that much of our meat supply contains.  Eating healthier also means eating healthy oils and I find the best olive oils at We Olive.  They have recipes in their online newsletter and often have a few in the store to help suggest uses for the oils.  While I’m more of a cook than a baker, I can’t wait to try the Blood Orange Olive Oil in cookies.

Q: I am SO not a baker, but you’re right some of those infused oils can inspire. I made a lemon cake recently with our Meyer Lemon olive oil and the results were worth the trouble of all that measuring and precision that baking requires. It sounds like you get a lot of great ideas from your local store – Belmont Shore. Can you tell me a bit about the community and the We Olive store there?

AJ says: Belmont Shore is a special place, nestled along the coast of Long Beach, where the main road, 2^nd Street, is a great place to stroll and shop.  It’s a tight-knit community that tends to support small businesses.  The We Olive store fits in well with the community.  My favorite thing to get there is probably the Meyer Lemon Olive Oil, as I eat a lot of seafood and vegetables;  it goes well with all those foods.

To test out AJ’s winning recipe, visit our recipes section by clicking here.

If you’ve been to one of our ten We Olive stores in California, you know that we take pride in sharing the high quality olive oil that our states growers are producing. You may have even noticed a small seal featuring an olive branch that adorns each and every one of our extra virgin olive oils. That seal tells you that the olive oil in the bottle has been certified as extra virgin by the California Olive Oil Council, or COOC. Why does that matter and what does it mean? I sat down recently with Patricia Darragh, the Executive Director of the COOC, for a Q&A session to find out.

Emily asks: Extra Virgin – we hear the term all the time and most people know that it’s the best quality of olive oil, but why?

Patricia says: It’s the highest standard for olive oil, so it’s absolutely the best olive oil that you can consume. Extra virgin means that the olive oil must be free of defects, so it must undergo chemical analysis  in a lab that has been certified to test olive oil with the most current equipment and technology. The olive oil will also undergo a sensory assessment, where a panel will blind taste it to determine if it’s free of defects. In addition to the chemical and sensory testing, the producer of the olive oil must provide legal documentation that the olives are 100% California fruit.

Emily asks: I’m sure most people don’t realize how strict the standards are to be certified as extra virgin. Aside from being the highest quality of olive oil, why is extra virgin better than say, virgin olive oil?

Patricia says: One of the primary benefits of extra virgin olive oil is that it is one of the least processed fats available to consumers. We all need a small amount of fat in our diets and extra virgin olive oil is very high in polyphenols and antioxidants, which makes it the best type of fat to include in a healthy diet. At the same time you are consuming something that is very fruity and flavorful and fresh to the market. You want to consume olive oil very young, much like produce, in order to get the best health benefits.

Emily asks: While we are on the subject of health benefits, I often have guests come in to the store who are trying to sort through the different things they’ve heard or read about olive oil. One of the most common questions is about the smoke point in olive oil. Many people want to know first, what is the smoke point (which generally refers to the point at which cooking fat or oil begins to break down into free fatty acids and glycerol and begins to produce smoke) and second, if high heat cooking damages all those healthy benefits we get from the oil. Can you shed some light on the subject?

Patricia says: That’s a great question because there’s a lot of controversy about that. All of the research that I’ve done, on behalf of the COOC shows that olive oil has a higher smoke point than most people think. It’s anywhere from about 395 degrees to 425 degrees. Now, most of us prepare our food at around 375 degrees, when we are roasting or sautéeing, but people should feel comfortable doing the same up to 425 degrees, knowing that they will retain the health benefits of extra virgin olive oil. I would not recommend deep frying, because any fat will break down to some extent over high heat, but for most of what you cook, olive oil is the best choice.

Emily asks: So we now know that certified extra virgin olive oil is the highest quality and healthiest kind of fat we can include in our diet. Is there a reason to buy California olive oil over say, olive oils from countries like Italy or Spain?

Patricia says: You know, a lot of people have traveled to the Mediterranean and if they’re on vacation in Greece or Spain, they’re probably getting fairly fresh, delicious, local olive oil. And a lot of the best olive oils and freshest olive oils are being consumed within the country in which they are produced. The majority of the olive oils we find on our supermarket shelves  would not qualify as extra virgin in their own country because the export laws are so lenient. They favor the distributor, so we do get a tremendous amount of adulterated olive oil. There are unscrupulous importers in the US who do sell olive oil that is not actually extra virgin and is in some cases not even olive oil. We do get some great true extra virgin olive oils from other countries, but you really have to know and trust the source you’re getting it from. Consumers have to be aware that at some lower price points, they may not be getting authentic extra virgin olive oil, and if they want authentic extra virgin, and they want the health benefits, they have to look for some third party regulation, and that’s the service that we at the COOC think we can provide. And it’s our hope that the new USDA standards (which the COOC helped put in place and took effect in October 2010) will help curtail the importation of inauthentic olive oil.

Emily says: I think more and more people today are motivated to support local farmers and to know the source of the food they are consuming. Olive oil doesn’t have to be any different especially with the bounty we have in California. You’ve been incredibly informative to me, and I’m sure to our readers in deciphering the ins and outs of extra virgin. Before I let you go, would you mind sharing how you personally use olive oil?

Patricia says:  Sure! When I’m cooking, I use it for everyday things like frying eggs or roasting asparagus. When I have toast, I put olive oil on it. When I make salad, I use it in my vinaigrette. There are so many great olive oils with different flavor profiles that it’s fun to experiment with different dishes. For example, if I’m grilling a flank steak, I would use a more robust, peppery oil than I would for something like a beet salad, which I’d use something more delicate and fruity. I even give 2 teaspoons to my aging dog every day, it really helps keep his coat shinier!

To learn more about the California Olive Oil Council and their mission, please visit www.cooc.com. Look for updates on the blog about happenings in our stores, where Ms. Darragh leads tastings and demonstrations for special events.

Fresh shipments of extra virgin olive oil and gourmet foods are delivered almost daily to We Olive La Jolla, usually carted in on a hand truck being pulled by our regular delivery guy. So when an olive oil shows up in a Mini Cooper that’s been driven down the California coast by its’ stylish Napa Valley creators, we take notice. We knew that we were getting a handful of cases of Grove 45’s limited production olive oil and we had heard that the women behind the oil, Bonnie Storm and Nena Talcott, would delight both our staff and our customers. What we didn’t know was just how  charmed we’d be by these two extraordinary women and their unabashed zest for life. Part of their charm lies in the story of Grove 45’s creation, which you can find below. The other part of their appeal is not unlike their sleek silver bottle of olive oil, which seems a genuine reflection of Nena and Bonnie: glamorous packaging, robust flavors up front, and an intricate finish that reveals something different each time.

The intense green oil, a blend of Tuscan olives (Frantoio, Leccino, Maurino and Pendolino varieties) and the Sicilian varietal Noccelara de Belice, is beautifully complex, with green, grassy notes in harmony with a fruit forward body and bold peppery finish.

How to use Grove 45 olive oil:

Bonnie says: “I use olive oil every day. I just had a yummy salad with a yogurt, anchovy, lemon juice, EVOO, Worcestershire, and pecorino dressing. Then I ADD more EVOO! I will have a homemade soup tonight. I ADD EVOO on top. I pretty much use it on anything that goes in my mouth. I even give the sludge to my dogs, just drizzle a little over their kibble.”

Nena says: “I use olive oil like most people use other vegetable oils, I cook with it as well as drizzle it on almost everything. I use olive oil in baking as well, try it in brownies or ginger bread – fantastic!”

We Olive recommends: This robust oil is the perfect way to finish any dish. Drizzle over steamed or roasted vegetables, leafy green salads, and grilled meats and poultry. Garnish soups with a splash of Grove 45 for bright color and rich flavor. Think of it as a peppery condiment that will elevate any of your favorite foods.

The Chiles Valley occupies a remote, eastern slice of the Napa Valley and is a far cry from the multimillion dollar tasting rooms and luxury hotels that dot the most worn paths in wine country. Tucked away in this rugged section of the valley is the historic ranch that is home to the hundreds of olive trees that produce Grove 45’s much sought after, organically farmed extra virgin olive oil. Depending on the day, you’ll find Grove 45’s founders, Bonnie Storm and Nena Talcott here, attending to the duties of their two-woman operation: racking oil, hand labeling each of their 1,800 bottles, and even driving the tractor.

How the two friends landed in this chapter of their lives is an extraordinary story in itself and reads like a who’s who of the early Napa food and wine pioneers. Nena and her husband moved to the valley in the mid 70’s and began growing premium grapes for the area’s wineries, all the while raising a family. Bonnie, a wine country native and frequent traveler to Italy, became olive oil obsessed during her visits. Storm recalls:

“My husband and I went to Capri every year and I fell in love with the life and lifestyle. I would have killed to be one of those glamorous Italian women. I spent a few months in Lucca studying Italian. Our home in California had landscape olive trees around and I remember calling this new young chef in St. Helena named Michael Chiarello, who had a small olive press at his new restaurant called Tra Vigne. I told him I had olives to press…he said “how many tons?”… I replied “tons! I have a gunny sack full!”

From there, she read about a new group called the California Olive Oil Council , who were offering the first olive oil production trip to Italy. Off she went, along with the notable group of Nan McEvoy (McEvoy Ranch Olive Oil) Lila Jaeger (Founder of COOC, Freemark Abbey, Rutherford Hill, and Jaeger Olive Oil), Paul Vossen (University of California Farm Advisor), and Darrell Corti (American food and wine trailblazer), among others. Here she met Attillio Sonolli, who had a nursery in Pescia, Tuscany. As soon as she bought the Chiles Valley ranch, Bonnie ordered 1,000 trees from Attillio, a Tuscan field blend of Frantoio, Leccino, Maurino and Pendolino, and went to Customs to pick up them up. And as Bonnie says “Then the fun began…..”

The trees were planted and production of what would become international award winning olive oil was underway at Storm Ranch. Nena, who at this point was not only a seasoned farmer, but a friend, tennis partner, and traveling companion of Bonnie’s, was ready to try her hand at olive oil as well. She took cuttings from Bonnie’s trees and planted them around her vineyards, producing an award winning product herself. After several successful years, Nena decided to sell her vineyards and business and moved into town to enjoy retirement, but soon began to miss the farming community. Bonnie grew tired of doing all the work on her own and considered unloading her business. Over lunch one afternoon, the two friends talked about the next chapter of their lives and what it would hold. Before the meal was finished, Grove 45, named for the year of their birth, was born. It was decided that Nena would manage the sales and marketing, Bonnie would head up farming, and both would have their hands in production. They’ll tell you that their friends had concerns about them working together, but their partnership seems to have only strengthened their bond. Nena shares:

“For me, working with Bonnie is like having the best of all worlds, like being able to do something you love with a sister or best friend. We both respect what each of us brings to the business and our own unique qualities and skills. I do not think we have ever had a cross word with each other or disagreed on any decision. When you love what you are doing and have the added benefit of doing it with your best friend it makes the work a joy!”

The two women, while like minded when it comes to the business, are very different in many ways. Says Bonnie:

“She gets manicures, I move bales of hay. But I would think that we both agree this partnership has been seamless and symbiotic. Nena is a real detail person (once you get her going!) She is the more social of the two of us and brings that to the plate. Together we really rock and play off one another and keep things rolling. I do most of the manual stuff…I literally drive the tractor, irrigate, mow, weed eat…all the physical stuff. Nena loves to noodle on the computer and has brought her talents to that arena. Both of us are not afraid of hard work.”

And making olive oil is truly hard work. After the physical toll of production and bottling, which is all done by hand, Nena and Bonnie have to make sure that each case of Grove 45 makes its way to the handful of shops and markets chosen to carry their beloved oil. Instead of loading it on to a truck and shipping it off, they carefully pack it into the back of a Mini Cooper, drive down the California coast and hand deliver it to their vendors like they’re making social calls to old friends. And once you meet this ebullient pair, it’s inevitable that you will become just that.