California Olive Ranch offers many different types of amazing and decadent Olive Oils. Many of their oils have won awards for their taste and freshness. Here are a few tips for keeping your olive oil fresh.

1 – Exposure to Light: It is generally a good idea to store olive oil in a dark cupboard and away from direct light. That’s because UV rays can break down an olive oil over time. This is the primary reason why all California Olive Ranch products consist of very dark bottles or packaging which strictly limits the oil’s exposure to light.

2 – Exposure to Heat: Olive oil can also get damaged if it is exposed to warmth or heat from a nearby stove or oven. The ideal storage temperature for California Olive Ranch EVOO is room temperature – preferably in a cupboard away from any heat source. Refrigerating the oil will hold the freshness only while it is refrigerated. Once you bring it back to room temperature the oil will last for a shorter period of time. Some flavors are lost when the oil moves from a solid (refrigerated) state to a liquid state.

3 – Exposure to Oxygen: Olive oil is a form of fruit juice. Therefore, it is perishable. Exposing an oil to air accelerates the oxidation process and will eventually cause the oil to go rancid. Once the bottle is opened, we recommend using the oil quickly (30-60 days) as the flavor and aroma will fade. California Olive Ranch uses glass bottles for its oil is to minimize oxidation and exposure to UV rays. Plastic bottles have a tendency to “breathe”. This means that oxygen passes through the bottle wall, makes contact with the oil and accelerates the oxidation process. An unopened bottle of oil stored in a temperature controlled environment will last longer than its intended shelf life. As oil (any oil) ages, it is exposed to heat, oxygen and light. Over time, the quality, fresh aroma and flavor of the oil will fade and deteriorate. The oil slowly becomes rancid.

San Diego Caterer, Eco Caters donate some savory tastes for this fundraising event.

San Diego catering company, Eco Caters, loves the San Diego Oceans Foundation and wanted to give back to them. We teamed up with a few other leading local chefs to provide the SD Oceans Foundation gala with yummy sustainable seafood dishes. All seafood was donated by our friends at Carlsbad Aqua Farm and Catalina Offshore. San Diego caterer, Eco Caters, brought out our love of southern food with our Chargrilled Oysters with Louisiana Liqueur and Parmesan Cheese. Guest were raving over them. The event was held at a beautiful home in Ranch Santa Fe, there was live music and a silent auction, all helping to raise money for the SD Oceans Foundation. They also had students from Scripps Oceanography program talking about each type of sustainable seafood, which San Diego catering company, Eco Caters found very interesting!

The mission of the San Diego Oceans Foundation is to promote ocean stewardship by leading community-supported projects that enhance the ocean habitat and encourage sustainable use of the oceans resources. SDOF recruits and trains community members to assist with our marine programs. These volunteers work at the grass-roots level where they learn new skills and become educated in marine conservation efforts. This is all something the San Diego caterer, Eco Caters believes in and was so happy we got a chance to support them. Check out how you can get involved at SDoceans.org

Eco Caters, a San Diego Catering company, put together a filling Vegetarian feast

This feast was for a wedding in Temecula. San Diego Caterer, Eco Caters, travels all over southern California catering events almost everywhere. For this meal we started with our crowd pleasing Chef’s Choice Cheese Display with Market Fruit and Preserve, and our homemade Hummus Trio with Tabouli, Olive Salad, and Grilled Flat-bread. For dinner, San Diego caterer, Eco Caters served our fresh from the Farmers Market Salad, Spicy Coconut Curry with Market Vegetables and Coconut Rice, and our decadent Butternut Squash Ravioli with Brown Butter and Crispy Sage. For sides the Bride and Groom chose, Gouda Mac and Cheese, and grilled Green Beans. Everyone loved the meal, and most guest didn’t even notice it was completely vegetarian. This bride and groom we originally married in Scotland and this night was for their stateside guests. The bride chose fresh white linens with rich brown napkins. The flowers were sweet and simple wildflowers, which added a nice burst of color on all the tables. Her friends made the cutest cupcakes and her uncle gave a very heartfelt speech. It was a lovely evening and San Diego caterer, Eco Caters was pleased to be part of it.

San Diego catering company, Eco Caters has many different vegetarian dishes to please any taste bud. Please contact us today for a custom proposal and menu. Everything we make is fresh and from scratch, which enables us to customize any menu item to fit your needs.