News

Educating Customers since 2010

The Olive Twist presents Balsamic Vinegar 101

Celebrating 5 years of Business!

Thank you, Thank you!!

We have the best customers, and we would like to show our appreciation to you during our two day celebration, November 6 & 7!!  We hope you'll accept our invitation in celebrating our 5 year anniversary! Stop in for a moment, or stay for a bit!  Tempting treats -- with recipes, of course -- will be available over the course of our two day celebration!    We are also pledging 5% of our sales during the celebration to Cancer Services. We've included a video clip to why we chose Cancer Services.  Get those lists ready! 

We look forward to seeing you Friday, November 6 and Saturday November 7.  We have enjoyed building relationships with each and everyone of you!!  

Join us!

The Staff of The Olive Twist

Gourmet Shop Hop Kick-off

The Olive Twist is honored to serve the Greater Fort Wayne Area!

 The Olive Twist Featured In NerdWallet Study On

Best Places To Start a Business

San Francisco, CA (May 6, 2015) – NerdWallet, a personal finance website, recently conducted a study about the best places to start a business, analyzing 183 of the largest U.S. metros with at least 15,000 businesses. NerdWallet based its study on the following variables:

• Business climate: NerdWallet considered the average revenue of businesses, percentage of businesses with paid employees, and number of businesses per 100 people
• Local economic health: Included here are median annual income, median annual housing costs, and unemployment rate

Fort Wayne was determined the ninth best place to start a business. Businesses in Fort Wayne earn the third highest average revenue out of the top 10 places in the study -- $1,965,562. That’s over $850,000 more than the average business revenue on NerdWallet’s list.

NerdWallet featured The Olive Twist as a vibrant local business. In learning about having been featured, Lori Berndt of the Olive Twist stated, “As a small business owner I think we are truly blessed to learn every aspect of the business from start to finish and have a greater appreciation for the business because of the hard work we put forth building and maintaining it. It hasn't always been easy, but struggles only make us work harder and appreciate every customer that walks through the door. I would say we have some of the best customers that we could ever ask for.”

Read the full study online for more information and resources for entrepreneurs. For more information about NerdWallet, visit NerdWallet.com/cities.

###

About NerdWallet

NerdWallet empowers consumers with tools and content on all topics of financial literacy. NerdWallet has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Reuters, and The New York Times. Visit NerdWallet.com to tackle your post-college career search, select the best credit card, navigate health insurance, and more.

Media Contact

Shannon Colin | Shannon@nerdwallet.com

Twisted Artichoke Din--er Dip!

This dip was just a little something to eat after a long day of filling bottles!  It hit the spot!  Hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

Twisted Artichoke Dip

1 Tbsp. The Olive Twist butter olive oil
1 Tbsp. The Olive Twist garlic olive oil
1/8 cup flour
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tsp Fresco Garlic Blend
Salt to taste
Dried Thyme to taste
Dash of spicy red pepper powder

½ cup shredded Gruyere cheese*
¼ cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
2-3 Tbsp. freshly grated Parmesan Cheese*

1 Tbsp. The Olive Twist garlic olive oil
2 Tbsp. finely chopped onion
1 Tbsp. finely chopped red pepper
3 cups freshly chopped spinach
7 oz. jar roasted artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
½ cup shredded Mozzarella cheese

In an oven proof skillet, heat over low-medium heat, butter and garlic olive oil. Slowly add flour, stirring to mix the oil with the flour. Once mixture is blended, add ½ cup of milk and cream at a time. Stirring until mixture is thickened. Season to taste. Add the shredded cheese and set aside to allow the cheese to melt.

In a separate skillet, heat over low-medium heat, garlic olive oil. Add chopped onions, peppers and sauté until tender. Add spinach and artichokes and sauté until spinach is wilted.

Blend the spinach mixture into the cheese mixture. Place the iron skillet into the oven at 500 degrees and allow the top to brown lightly. Remove from oven and let cool. Serve warm with tortilla chips or pita chips.
Optional: add smoked chicken pieces and/or shiitake mushrooms to the recipe for more depth in flavor.
.

* gourmet cheeses are available at our Auburn location, 115 N Main St, Auburn IN 46706

Tags: Butter Olive Oil, Fresco Garlic Blend, Garlic Olive Oil, Parmesan Cheese

Cabob, Kabab, Kabob, What's your preference?

Is there really a difference?  Technically, yes there is, but we won't judge if you want to use them interchangeably! We come from an area, where it is acceptable to pronounce caramel, as carmel, and we have cricks (aka creeks). Ok, I'm off track.  Let me get back to my self education and discovery.  It's fun to learn and clarify something every day-- at least to clarify to the best of a Google search!  

Cabob - The English version of our Western Kabob, which is actually the phonetic pronunciation of kabab. Clear as mud? Let me share what I learned today.

The British call small pieces of meat or seafood seasoned, typically with tomatoes, green peppers, and onions on a skewer, cabobs.  Western civilization, the Grand USA, call them Kabobs, but the original dish is Turkish and though spelled kabab, it is pronounced (kuh-bob).  

This Mediterranean dish is comprised of grilled meat on a stick.  It's closely related cousin Shawarma was recently made popular again because of the movie The Avengers--though it's been around for centuries. The difference between kababs and shawarma?  The stick (aka shis --- as in shis kabab).  Each meat is slow roasted, until succulent and delicious.  The shish kabob (a western version) is served on the stick (great for appetizers!) and usually contain vegetables, kabab is just meat on a stick and the shwarma is plated meat taken off the spit, and served with pita bread.  

All this lead me to gyro (pronounced ˈyērō,ˈZHirō/).  It's very similar to kababs and shwarma, but is a Sandwich. It was 'created' in the late 70's*.  Now my Texan family and friends, have a different name for slow roasting, succulent and delicious meat, but we'll save that discussion for another day.  For now, Enjoy Life . . . It's Delicious at The Olive Twist.

Chicken and Mushroom Kebob with a Balsamic Glaze

2 chicken breast cut into 1” cubes

5 large mushrooms cut into quarters

3 Tbsp. Olive Twist garlic olive oil (divided)

3 Tbsp. Olive Twist butter olive oil (divided)

2 tsp. Fresco Garlic Blend (available at our store)

1 tsp. dried basil

Salt & pepper to taste

Balsamic Glaze

½ cup Olive Twist Traditional Balsamic Vinegar

¼ cup brown sugar, packed

1 tsp. Fresco Garlic Blend (available at The Olive Twist)

Salt & Pepper to taste

Place cubed chicken into a glass dish, the mushrooms in a separate dish and set aside. Take olive oil and seasoning and blend in a small bowl. Pour half over mushrooms and half over chicken and let marinate for ½ hour. Place chicken on a Kebab skew and repeat. Keep separate from the mushrooms.

Do the same for the mushrooms and set aside.

In a small glass bowl together all ingredients for the glaze.

Grill the chicken Kebab for about 15-20 minutes on medium heat, basting with the balsamic glaze as you turn the kabobs. Remove from heat once centers of the chicken are cooked through.

About 10 minutes after the chicken goes on the grill, place the mushroom Kebab on the grill and brush with the balsamic glaze until the mushroom is cooked to desired tenderness.

Serve with potato salad, a green garden salad or rice.

*http://en.wikipedia.org/

NEW Product Line! The Olive Twist Private Label

Quick Bread Offerings

• Cinnamon Swirl
• Cranberry Orange
• Cheesy Garlic

• Rosemary & Parmesan Reggiano 
• Tuscan Herb
• Parmesan Cheese

• Killer Mud Brownie
• Salted Caramel Brownie
• Cappuccino Brownie

• Tuscan Vegetable Barley
• Italian Wedding
• Tortilla Soup
• Single Serve Cheesy Broccoli
• Single Serve Hearty Vegetable 

• Dilly Cucumber
• Spinach 
• Jalapeno Bacon Cheddar

And our New Product Feature . . . . 

Designed for the devilish side, these three great seasoning flavors are a perfect addition to any dinner or party menu.  

Where does the culinary term ' devil' derived?   The first print showing of the term devil in the culinary world was in 1786 with dishes that contained hot ingredients, excessive seasoning or ones fried or boiled.  Other popular names for these little devils, mimosa eggs, stuffed eggs, dressed eggs, or salad eggs.  They can be served warm or cold, they can even be deep-fried!  

• Parmesan Cheese & Basil
• Country Herb
• Spicy Bacon

The Benefits of Quinoa

Quinoa is a seed, but it is usually considered to be a whole grain.  To prepare quinoa you would do so, similarly to how you prepare rice or barely.  It prepares quickly, just 10-15 minutes, so it’s a quick and easy dinner.  Topping with choice olive oil, sea salt and lemon juice to enjoy, or you can dress it up like this Peanut Thai Quinoa recipe. 

BONUS:  this is the highest protein content of all the whole grains, and boasts ALL 9 essential amino acids.  It can stand on it own for dinner, or you can prepare it as a side.  Easily kept for 3 days, so make enough for left overs!

Peanut Thai Quinoa

2 1/2 cups water

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups dry quinoa, rinsed

1/4 cup natural peanut butter

2 T  Toasted Sesame Oil

2 T  soy sauce (or tamari as gluten-free option)

Juice of one lime

3 cups roughly chopped baby spinach

1 cup frozen peas

1 medium red pepper, diced

1/3 cup minced red onion

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 cup chopped peanuts

Bring water and salt to a boil in a medium pot. Add quinoa, then reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for 10 to 11 minutes, until quinoa is cooked through and tender, but not mushy, and water has evaporated. (If cooked through and a little water remains, drain it.)  Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter, sesame oil and soy sauce. Let sit for five minutes. Stir in lime juice, spinach, peas, red pepper, onion, cilantro and peanuts.

Taste and adjust salt as needed.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Allen County Solid Waste Management District Awards The Olive Twist

3R (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) Commercial Category:

The Olive Twist

The Olive Twist is an olive oil and vinegar store with two locations that recycles bottles with a discount to customers for bottle return.  This helps customers save money, reduces shipping costs for new bottles, and keeps glass out of the landfill.

Some accomplishments from the past year are:

• Customer education and outreach on bottle recycling through signs, word of mouth, social media, newsletters, and events.
• Reaching out to other olive oil stores to implement recycling.
• Reuse other materials as possible such as bags and boxes.
• Saving money for themselves and customers through re-use and recycling.
• Recycled 5800 bottles in 2013, on track to recycle over 7000 this year.  Saving $14,750 per year in new bottles and shipping.