Taste of Crete Expands Biolea Olive Oils

Taste of Crete Expands its Representation of Biolea Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oils with its Newest Offering, Nerantzi Oil made from the Bitter Nerantzi Orange

Following on the success of their Lemon Oil, Biolea has developed Nerantzi Oil, an Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil pressed with Nerantzi, bitter oranges native to Greece.

BRIDGEWATER, N.J.--(PR Newswire) – May 15, 2008 – Taste of Crete has represented the Biolea line of certified stone ground, organic extra virgin olive oils since early 2007. This has been a prosperous partnership and now we are happy to present the latest addition to the line, Biolea’s Nerantzi Oil. Pressed with newly harvested organic Koroneiki olives, the Nerantzi create an exotic tasting hybrid oil with the unmistakable aroma of orange blossoms and a flavorful tingle of orange rind. 

The Biolea organic olives oils are special. Last year, Food & Wine Magazine selected the Biolea organic extra virgin olive oil to its Top Five of its 100 “Must-Have” Tastes for 2007. Olive Oil connoisseur Judy Ridgway in Best Olive Oil Buys Around the World described the oil in the language of fine wine as “Intensely herbaceous aromas… followed by light bitterness and a good burst of pepper. Herby sorrel tones return on the long aftertaste." Expert chef David Rosengarten commented on the Lemon Oil, saying “Biolea's lemon extra-virgin is the first flavored olive oil I've ever loved.” We expect the Nerantzi oil to be no different. 

Biolea creates such great oils is because their Koroneiki olives are grown and pressed with such careful attention to detail. Produced on the Astrakis Estate carrying PDO status, the olives are grown using organic, arid agriculture techniques. Although this reduces yield, it creates in the olives intense flavor and high concentration of antioxidants that give Koroneiki oils their characteristic peppery taste. Biolea oils are certified as stone ground and cold pressed. Low temperature stone milling produces an exceptional quality olive oil because the pressed olives remain below a temperature of 27°C throughout the process; also no hot water is added to flush out the oil. Although this again reduces yield, it avoids washing out water soluble natural antioxidants and nutrients in the olive oil. 

With such a superbly balanced olive oil as a base, the Biolea Lemon Oil and Biolea Nerantzi Oil have a great start. Just to be clear, though, they are not oils flavored with essences. They whole fruit is tossed into the press along with the olives to produce these surprising hybrid oils. Because the citrus juices and olive oil mix directly as they emerge from their fruits, these delicious flavored oils do not separate. The Lemon Oil has developed a strong reputation as a great complement to steamed vegetables and fish. We also recommend Biolea’s Nerantzi Oil over vegetables and especially for marinades with meat dishes. 

Last year in Crete, Esther Luongo Psarakis, the owner of Taste of Crete, visited the Astrikas Estate, an ecological prototype farm powered by an EU-sponsored engineering project to use press waste products as an alternative power source. There she met George Dimitriadis and Christine Lacroix, the fifth generation of this family to farm this land. Esther Psarakis stated, “We are looking forward to introducing Biolea’s Nerantzi Oil at this year’s New York Fancy Food Show. At last year’s show, those lucky enough to taste the Biolea oils were amazed by their exquisite aroma and complex flavors” 

Taste of Crete is an import company with a strong focus on supporting artisan, women and agricultural cooperatives in Greece. Its award winning products are sold in leading natural and gourmet specialty stores. Taste of Crete was a 2007 finalist in American Express’ Make Mine a Million Business Program for Women Entrepreneurs. More recently, Taste of Crete won the 2007 Small Business Vitality Award from the Somerset Business Partnership.