As Estonia is a long way from the Mediterranean Sea, setting the perfect Italian-style table for a snack can sometimes require a bit of head-turning. However, to simplify the decision-making process, the Da Vinci e-shop has a range of Madama Oliva products direct from Italy. This range includes large juicy table olives ( table olives) as flavoursome sun-dried tomatoes, capers, artichoke hearts and pickled garlic that will make any Italian dish shine.
In the Italian tradition, a small amount of very high quality ingredients is enough for a great dining experience. The same principle undoubtedly applies to the Madama Oliva range. Madama Oliva olives are certainly the shining example. They are true masterpieces, because the mission of Madama Oliva sums up in a single sentence the company’s feelings and ambition for quality. “Olives are our passion,” Madama Oliva proudly proclaims.
It is said that olives are one of the ‘holy trinity’, or the three staple foods of Mediterranean cuisine – along with grapes, which produce wine, and wheat, which is a staple ingredient of pasta and pastas. However, the preparation of olives for our tables requires great care and dedication. Only 10% of the olives produced in the world ever make it into table olives, the remaining 90% are pressed into olive oil.
The journey of the precious olives we choose to eat often begins half-ripe. A distinction is made between raw or green olives, semi-ripe olives (often reddish-brown) and ripe or black olives. Most olives, however, have a bitter taste after picking and are kept in brine for a certain time to remove this bitterness. The olives are also often treated with alkaline compounds, which break down the bitter-tasting compounds in the olives. At the same time, the olives undergo a mild fermentation process, which gives them their characteristic pleasant taste and smell.
Da Vinci’s range includes both mild and sweet large portions. Castelvetrano-style olives, large and soft black and green Cerignola olives and slightly sweet Giganti large green olives. These high quality table olives are perfect for the luxury snack bar, cheese platter or martini glass. Olives are also ideal for adding flavour to salads and Italian panini sandwiches, pasta dishes and rice dishes.
In addition to their great taste, olives also have a number of health benefits. Here are 4 of the main benefits:
- Olives are rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, which are associated with anti-inflammatory and heart disease-preventive effects.
- Olives are good sources of vitamin E. Vitamin E helps strengthen the walls of blood vessels and is also an antioxidant, helping to slow down the ageing process of cells.
- Olives are also good sources of iron, copper and calcium. Iron and copper are used in our bodies, for example, in the synthesis of haemoglobin in the blood and thus in the supply of oxygen to body cells.
- Olives contain a wide range of other antioxidants in addition to vitamin E. Antioxidants are compounds from food that help protect our bodies from chronic diseases.
In addition to top-quality olives, the Madama Oliva range also offers other classic Italian cold-plate symbols to enjoy: capers, pickled garlic, artichoke hearts and sun-dried cherry tomatoes. As is typical of Mediterranean cuisine, these foods also carry a number of health benefits:
- Garlic is perhaps one of the best known herbs, native to both the Nordic and Mediterranean countries, and is known for its health-giving properties. Garlic aids digestion, increases tonicity and acts as an antiseptic. By the way, garlic also has a blood pressure lowering effect, making it beneficial in cases of high blood pressure. Garlic is also a good source of selenium.
- Capers stimulate appetite and ease digestion. They contain the bitter-tasting compound glycoside, which is why capers are also considered to have tonic and diuretic (water-removing) effects.
- Artichoke promotes bile secretion, increases appetite, cleanses the blood, is good for the liver and has a detoxifying and diuretic effect. Artichoke is also rich in potassium and magnesium, which we need for normal nerve function.
- Sun-dried tomatoes stimulate the appetite, provide versatile care for our cardiovascular health and help cleanse the body of toxins. Tomatoes are a good source of vitamin A precursors – carotenoids – which also act as antioxidants in our bodies.
Together, the olives, capers, pickled garlic and artichokes and sun-dried tomatoes make the perfect main course for an Italian appetizer platter and are also perfect as an appetizer. On our website, we’ve put together a vision of an Italian snack to enjoy with wine in the evening: the recipe can be found here!
Madama Oliva’s excellent olives and other ingredients for the perfect Italian wine dinner or cocktail party can be found in the Da Vinci Food e-shop: Click here!
