As featured on season two of Top Chef Canada
TORONTO, June 4, 2012 — Drizzle it, toss it, coat it, blend it, or simply spoon it over your favourite greens … it's just that good! Louianna Certified Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Certified Organic Balsamic Vinegar are the hottest couple found on shelves … including the pantry shelves from Food Network Canada's Top Chef Canada, Season Two.
Louianna Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Organic Balsamic Vinegar – they enrich the flavour of food, contain many health benefits, and have been featured in many of the recipes created by the competing chefs on season two of Top Chef Canada. Quality ingredients, organic products and attention to detail are all characteristics important to that of any top chef — including the use of certified PDO organic extra virgin olive oil and PDO organic balsamic vinegar, produced by Canadian-owned and operated Louianna Inc.
"Whether you are feeding your family at home or the guests at your restaurant, high-quality and fine ingredients are essential in everyday cooking — they can literally make or break a dish," says Mark McEwan, Celebrity Chef, Restaurateur (One Restaurant, North 44, Bymark, Fabbrica) and Head Judge on Top Chef Canada. "Louianna Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Organic Balsamic Vinegar were included as part of the Top Chef Canada pantry because of its fine preservation process, distinct flavour, heritage, and dedication to quality." McEwan has also chosen to sell Louianna products at his McEwan gourmet marketplace in Toronto, ON.
A superior-quality product from the Mediterranean, Louianna proprietors and brothers Dominic and Louie Spedaliere grow their own trees, handpick the fruit, and manage production in the local frantoio (local mill considered to be among the finest Organic Certified mills globally), approximately 8 km from their estate.
Louianna's Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar are also among the prestigious list of Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) certified products; the list is guaranteed by the European Economic Community and was created to protect and promote the authenticity of origin.
"Louianna Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Organic Balsamic Vinegar are made with fine quality ingredients, and have such great flavour depth," says Anthony Sedlak, Canadian celebrity chef and host of Food Network Canada's The Main and judge on Family Cook-Off. "Whether you're making vinaigrette to dress a salad or simply dipping in a piece of bread, a good quality olive oil and balsamic vinegar are staples for any culinary enthusiast — a pantry must-have!"
Trust your palate, not your pocket!
Many home cooks purchase extra virgin olive oil or balsamic vinegar on sale or at the lowest price. For the discerning cook, however, it's about quality and not necessarily price-point; mislabeled and fraudulent oils that cheat consumers and undercut honest producers have been an emerging issue in the production industry. Simple ways to distinguish a quality product versus the imitations are:
- Purchase from this year's harvest; look for bottles with date of harvest and "best by" date that should be maximum two years after bottled
- Ensure the oil is labeled "extra virgin"; other categories ("pure," "light," "olive oil" and "olive pomace oil") have all undergone chemical refinement
- Look for balsamic vinegar that is a rich dark brown, an indication it is both sweet and tart with a complex flavor; avoid brands that include added caramels or sulfates
- Favor bottles or containers that protect against light
- PDO (protected designation of origin) and PGI (protected geographical indication) status inspire confidence and quality
- Find a seller who stores in clean, temperature-controlled areas
"Being certified organic and certified PDO is a proud designation indicating our products are indigenous, organic and that there are absolutely no shortcuts taken in the production process," says Dominic Spedaliere, President and CEO, Louianna Inc. "There is a sense of place palpable in the distinct flavour of Louianna. We've stayed true to our heritage and the product that our grandparents made since the 1920s! Not derived from different areas or counties, not mixed or cut, no additives or sulfates, but 100% pure and distinctly made in Italy; this is the Louianna difference!"
Not all olive oils are created equal!
Coming from the family estates in Montorio nei Frentani, Italy, Louianna's Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil is tested at ITS Caleb Brett lab for its nutritional content. It contains higher Vitamin E content and polyphenols, more so than many sub-par olive oils on the market. Not cut with other grades or types of oil, Louianna is 100% pure. Louianna Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil has been selected by the Italian Culinary Institute as the finest olive oil to represent the Molise region.
How sweet it is!
The same care and attention is applied towards Louianna's Organic Balsamic Vinegar. Created from the region of Modena (where balsamic vinegar was first invented), it has no added caramel to thicken it, nor are there any sulfites added to increase aging. The result is slow acidification of cooked grape and wine vinegar alongside a three-to-four year maturation process, in oak wooden casks. The aging process makes for thicker, sweeter and more aromatic vinegar. Louianna's Organic Balsamic Vinegar has been awarded the prestigious PGI Balsamic Vinegar of Modena label (an award recognizing the quality and reputation of products made in Modena, Italy).
About Louianna Inc.
In 2002, brothers Dominic and Louie Spedaliere created Louianna Inc., named after their grandparents, Louie and Anna. Louianna products are pure and not cut, guaranteeing a fresh product. Louianna Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Organic Balsamic Vinegar are sold in over 150 fine food stores and grocery chains across Canada, including: Ambrosa Natural Foods, Longo's, Pusateri's, McEwan, Fortino's, Galati Market Fresh, Bruno's Fine Foods, Nature's Emporium, Organic Garage, Garden Foods & terra20. For more information, visit: http://www.louianna.com.
"Like" Louianna at: http://www.facebook.com/LouiannaEstates.
Follow Louianna at: http://www.twitter.com/louiannaestates.
For more information or to speak with Dominic Spedaliere, President:
Pamela K. Singh
Korrelation Communications
Email
647-393-7267
Dominic Spedaliere
Louianna Inc.
Email
416-671-6546
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