Food Gifts: Olive Oil, Balsamic Vinegars and More! - By: SallyN

With an increasing amount of food programmes now appearing on our screens and with people’s expectations of food increasing, food related gifts are becoming more and more popular. Great gourmet gifts can include olive oil, olives, balsamic vinegars and gourmet food hampers. Such items are products which you are not necessary going to find on the high street which makes the gift more unique to the recipient.

Olive Oils
Olive oil has many benefits. Other than providing a fabulous flavour in cooking, olive oil (particularly pure extra virgin olive oil) has many health benefits, from preventing heart disease, cancer and heart disease to providing beauty benefits for the hair and skin.

There are many varieties of olive trees and therefore the olives and olive oil that are produced. From French, Greek, Spanish and Italian olive oil they make the perfect gourmet gift for the ultimate foodie. The main types of olive oils are:

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Obtained from high quality olives, this oil has a strong aroma of the fruit and has less than 1% acidity
• Virgin Olive Oil: It is made from olives that are slightly riper than those used in the production of extra virgin olive oil
• Refined Olive Oil: Olive oil known as "refined olive oil" is made by refining the virgin olive oil. The final product is basically a tasteless olive oil.
• Pure Olive Oil: Pure olive oil, usually called just olive oil, comes either from the second cold pressing or the chemical extraction of the olive mash left over after the first pressing. This grade is also called commercial grade oil.

Infused oils are also very popular and offer an alternative to the usual types of olive oil. Try varieties such as chilli and garlic, citrus, rosemary, Mediterranean and Spanish thyme infused extra virgin olive oils. Extra virgin olive oils have the most distinct flavour and offer the better health benefits. Therefore, they are considered a luxurious cooking product in any household.
Why not combine an oil drizzler with your chosen olive oil to create the perfect gift. Oil drizzlers come in a range of styles and sizes.

Balsamic Vinegars
There are three types of balsamic vinegar: commercial grade balsamic vinegar, Condimento grade products and authentic artisan balsamic vinegar. Balsamic vinegar is perfect used in salad dressings, dips, marinades and to enhance the flavour of steaks and even strawberries!

There are a range of varieties of balsamic vinegars including fruit vinegars and sherry vinegars which are perfect for adding the ‘wow’ factor to a meal or as a gourmet gift. Traditional balsamic vinegar such as red label balsamic vinegar of Modena is slowly aged in oak casks and has a full mellow flavour. Il Borgo del Balsamico’s Modena Vinegar Yellow Label is carefully aged with a classical, slightly pungent flavour, making it ideal for salad dressing and a product designed for the family’s everyday use. So there are a number of types to choose from – if you did need more information on the best type to go for make sure you enquire before you buy as such specialist retailers are very knowledgeable about their products and would assist in every way.

Special Foodie Hampers
For the perfect Christmas gift or birthday present why not create your very own individual foodie hamper, full with gourmet goodies. You could fill with specialist balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, dried herbs, an olive oil drizzler and even some specialist pasta. What’s more you could even customise your hamper in terms of regions or countries add a couple of recipes or cook books for that extra special touch.

About the Author

Gourmet cooking products such as olive oil, balsamic vinegar and seed oils provide the perfect gifts for Christmas and birthday.

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