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‘Fresh is better’: Sudbury’s Adoro promotes Mediterranean living with speciality olive oils

Extra virgin olive oil, or EVOO, is garnering praise for its myriad health benefits Client: Jodie Gibson, Adoro Olive Oil
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For Jodie Gibson, owner of Adoro Olive Oils and Vinegars, the long-held adage “you are what you eat” still holds true.

Gibson, who first began importing olive oil to her Sudbury store in 2011, said as trends shift towards healthy eating, and people look for ways to improve cardiovascular health and reduce inflammation, extra virgin olive oil is taking a prominent spot on dinner tables across Canada.

“If olive oil is produced properly, and if it meets the standards to be an extra virgin, then it is considered very healthy because of its high polyphenol count,” Gibson said.

Polyphenols, naturally-occurring micronutrients, are abundant in extra virgin olive oil, Gibson said.

A growing body of research shows that polyphenols are powerful antioxidants, which can help regulate metabolism, weight, and keep chronic disease at bay.

And with the popularity of the Mediterranean Diet, with its emphasis on foods common to Greece, Italy and other countries in the region, means olive oil is playing a central role in keeping Canadians healthy.

​That awareness has helped Gibson bring her freshly-crushed olive oils and balsamic vinegars to her two Sudbury stores, and is showing conscious customers how to reach for healthy alternatives to butter and salt.

But it’s not just about the health benefits, Gibson said. It's more about good food, great taste, and “being fresh.”

Customers will notice that approach to curating the experience when they walk into Adoro’s tasting bar, where staff will help you pair olive oils, balsamic vinegars and fresh bread for the perfect fit.

“Once they taste it, we can talk about it, and analyze why they're tasting what they're tasting. It's a huge difference.”

“There's no comparison to what you buy in the grocery store.”

Adoro’s oils – certified by the International Olive Council – means each bottle carries with it the council’s stamp of approval, as well as the date when the olives were crushed. As Gibson says, “fresher is better.”

Gibson said olives from each region – she imports from northern and southern hemispheres, depending on the time of year – carries with it traces of the land it grew from.

“It could be the soil, it could be the amount of rain, it could be the sun,” Gibson said. “The olives will take on different characteristics, even though they're the same type of olive.”

“Some olives, for example, the Coratina olives from Portugal. They call it a very green olive oil, because when you taste it, it’s almost like green grass,” she said.

“And the Coratina olives from Italy have more of a herbaceous feel or taste to them.”

But when it comes to sheer popularity, Adoro customers have already picked their favourites, Gibson said.

“Garlic-infused olive oil is turning out to be one of our biggest sellers,” she said.

That’s alongside other unique infusions like blood orange, Tuscan herb, and mushroom and sage, all types that can be found in gift packages, or small sample offerings, which fly off the shelves in the weeks approaching Christmas.

Interested in trying something different with Olive Oil?

Adoro sells theme packs, including a “Popcorn Lovers Gift Box,” which includes popcorn sourced from Southern Ontario, and 60 ml bottles of white truffle oil and dill oil.

Gibson said Adoro also offers a gift pack for gluten-free customers. The Gluten Free Pantry Gift Box includes Tuscan Herb olive oil, pomegranate balsamic vinegar, and gluten-free chickpea and turmeric pasta.

But one of the most interesting – and maybe the most surprising – uses of her product is a classic dish enhanced by vinegar.

“People are always shocked when I tell them that you can use balsamic vinegar on ice cream,” she said. “Use it as a syrup, I would say specifically the dark balsamic, because they're thicker, more syrup-like and and sweeter.”

“For example, my husband will often put raspberry balsamic on vanilla ice cream, and then he kind of just mixes it all in.”

“It tastes delicious.”

Discover new olive oils and shop now for perfect Christmas sets online here.