Fruit & Nut Oils

Most everyone is familiar with the plethora of health benefits from olive oil.  Olive oil is notorious for its culinary uses as it lends a distinct yet subtle buttery, peppery flavor to salads, soups, and pasta dishes.  Olive oil has been an ancient resource for food, cosmetics and many other purposes.  But olive oil is not the only benevolent fruit oil out there.  There exists so many more fruit and nut oils that provide a multitude of beneficial uses--avocado, hazelnut, walnut, raspberry seed, macadamia, grape seed, argan, apricot seed, and the list goes on and on.  The choices are many for those searching for alternatives to olive oil that are sustainable and local.  I hope to highlight the various oils available throughout the United States, because there are many noteworthy brands that deserve attention in todays fruit and nut oil markets.

I live in the region of Hill Country Texas, fortunately for me I have access to quality olive oils.  My favorite olive oil is First Texas Olive Oil produced by Bella Vista Ranch in Wimberley Texas:

It has a delightful, peppery bite to it, making it an ideal addition to just about any fresh salad, drizzled on bread or with soup.  I especially like to drizzle a little on my homemade Italian chicken kale soup. 

I toured Bella Vista Ranch back in July 2010 and met the owner of the olive orchard, Jack Daugherty.  I found Mr. Daugherty to be extremely knowledgeable about agricultural practices and passionate about his cultivating philosophies.  But what is most remarkable is the flavor of his olive oil, absolutely delicious.  Having lived and traveled around the world, I can taste that Daugherty's tenacity has paid off--First Texas Olive Oil rivals other established oliviers from California, Italy, and Greece.  Perhaps it does not have the same fruity flavor of the many olive oils that hale from Spain, but it has its own unique Hill Country flavor, exemplifying the "terroir" of this region.  First Texas Olive Oil can hold its own amongst many international olive oils.  I would describe it as grassy and finishing with a peppery bite on the back of the tongue.  You can learn more about First Texas Olive Oil here:
http://www.ksat.com/video/24374293/
http://www.texasoliveoil.com/Olives-OliveOil.htm

Bella Vista Ranch, Olive Orchard, July 2010:

House Cleaning Products Alternatives

We have all heard of the myriad of "green" housecleaning products out there on the market.  Some products I've used and liked are J. R. Watkins (made in Winona MN) and The Good Home Co (made in New York).

J.R. Watkins:



The Good Home Co:

But I find that a lot of these cleaning products are expensive, and am literally dumping money down the drain.  So, what I like even better is making my own cleaning products using some good old fashioned methods of cleaning--vinegar, baking soda, castile soap, and plain hot water.  A google search for cleaning uses of these products will pull up a multitude of different house cleaning recipes.

Often I like adding my own essential oils to my cleaning products.  Some of my favorite essential oils to use for cleaning are Rosemary, Peppermint, Lemon Eucalyptus, Lemon Myrtle, Lemon, and Pine.  Many of these oils are antibacterial, anti-fungal, even anti-staph.  I purchase most of my essential oils from Nature's Gifts.  I highly recommend Marge Clark's informative website to learn about the use and properties of essential oil's http://www.naturesgift.com/descript.htm .  Nature's Gift provides a wealth of information on essential oils uses and properties.  All of Nature's Gift essential oils list the country of origin.

Another distributer of essential oils that I highly recommend is from Aromatics International http://www.aromaticsinternational.com/ .  Aromatics International's Andre Butje has traveled around the world and visited with the small farmers and distillers that create the products they sell.   Every batch of oil they purchase is tested with the Gas Chromatography/ Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS).  I also appreciate that Aromatics International lists the country of origin and the date of distillation.

Another method I use that's really simple and affordable is steeping fresh herbs into hot water and using that "tea" to clean my surfaces.  One of my favorite simple, affordable, cleaning recipes is to gather some fresh Rosemary from the garden, add to the bucket and pour boiling water over it, let it steep.  Once the water cools I'll don some plastic gloves, grab a rag, and wipe down my counters, cabinets, and floors--leaving behind the clean pungent scent of Rosemary.  After I'm done I dump the water and rosemary into the compost or grass.

Anchor Hocking - Affordable and Quality Glassware

Anchor Hocking has been producing quality glassware products in the USA since 1905.  My favorite product from Anchor Hocking are the Bake 'N' Store containers because they are so versatile.  They are oven safe (up to 425 F), you can put them in the freezer, use them in the microwave, or for food storage.  I appreciate a product that can be utilized for so many different functions.  Also, if you are concerned about the safety of storing foods in plastic then Anchor Hocking's Bake 'N' Store is a wonderful product for food storage.  (You can read more about plastic toxicity and plastic chemicals from containers leached into food here: http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine-archive/december-2009/food/bpa/overview/bisphenol-a-ov.htm )

Here are some pictures of the Bake 'N' Store containers:



I make my own chicken stock and use the 2 cup containers to put the stock in my freezer, this way I always have pre-measured portions of chicken stock available when I need it:

More information on Anchor Hocking from their website:

http://www.anchorhocking.com/prod_300_bake_n_store.html

"Since 1905, Anchor Hocking has produced quality glassware in the United States of America. The majority of the products are manufactured at the original site in Lancaster, Ohio.  A second manufacturing facility is located in Monaca, Pennsylvania. The company employs over 1,500 associates nationwide.
Anchor Hocking is proud to be a leading glass manufacturer here in America. We strive to maintain high standards to provide the finest quality products in the marketplace today. Our "Made in the U.S.A." logo is featured on our packaging and our website to bring awareness to the consumer of the products manufactured in the U.S. Currently Anchor Home Collection™, Anchor Signature™ and Stölzle products are sourced worldwide.

Thank you for your support throughout the years, we appreciate your business."

Hartstone Pottery Dinnerware of Zanesville Ohio

I love the products made by Hartstone Pottery in Zanesville Ohio.  Their dinnerware is durable and has a substantial feel to it.  Their designs are whimsical, hand crafted, and hand painted.  I highly recommend Hartstone Pottery pieces because their products are of high quality and made in the USA.  You can find their products here:
http://www.hartstonepottery.com/

"The Hartstone product is fully vitrified stoneware produced from the finest raw materials in North America, our stoneware clay body is fired to 2200° Fahrenheit and is bright ivory in color. All body, glaze, and paint raw materials are lead and cadmium free. Our product is California Proposition 65 compliant.
All of our ceramic products are handcrafted and decorated in Zanesville, Ohio.
All Hartstone Pottery is freezer and dishwasher safe, and may be used in both the microwave and conventional ovens."

I own several pieces from the Wild Blueberry collection:

Some other beautiful designs they carry are the Winter White and Autumn Leaves: