Glossary
Acidity
Olive oil is a weak acid, and its acidity is used to measure its quality, indicating the health of the tree and its fruit. Virgin olive oils’ acidity ranges between 0.8% to 2%. The range requirement is a little stricter for extra virgin varieties. The International Olive Council, which sets the standards for olive oils, says that extra virgin olive oil must have acidity levels below 0.8g per 100g or 0.8%.
The acidity of Fancy Peasant GEVOO is one of the lowest, at .17%. You read that right - behold the power of sourcing from a single-estate!
Acidity also measures how much free fatty acids are in virgin olive oils, and it is the proportion of free fatty oleic acid (a monounsaturated fat) in olive oil. The measure is a general indicator of their quality; the lower the acidity of virgin olive oil, the better.
Blue Zone
Blue Zones are regions where people live significantly longer and healthier lives. Gianni Pes, Michel Poulain, and Dan Buettner coined the term. Five blue zones have been identified: Ikaria; Greece, Okinawa, Japan; Sardinia, Italy; Nicoya, Costa Rica; and Loma Linda, California, United States. These regions have several common characteristics that are believed to contribute to the longevity and good health of the people there.
Pillars of Blue Zone Lifestyle: People in Blue Zones follow a plant-slant diet (primarily whole foods that are plant-based) spend less time on devices, move as part of their daily repertoire, and value family, faith, and community. By adopting some of these lifestyle factors, it is believed that people can increase their chances of living longer and healthier lives.
Extra Virgin
The most desirable form of olive oil. The “extra virgin” refers to oil that is not refined and contains particles from ripe olives. These bits are the source of potent polyphenols like hydroxytyrosol. These bioactive activate your health defense system, fight fat and reduce inflammation!
Fancy Fact: To be deemed a high-quality “extra virgin” with distinct health benefits, olive oil must contain 55 mg/kg polyphenol and less than 0.8% acidity. We’re proud to relay that our oil never has less than 300 mg/kg of polyphenol (most of the time, it’s over 400), and our acidity is one of the lowest you can find, at 0.17%. That’s 4.7x less than the limit.
GEVOO
Our term for “Greek Extra Virgin Olive Oil.”
Koroneiki
The queen bee- is our favorite olive varietal with the highest levels of polyphenols! Known for its regal, small, green fruits, Koroneiki variety olive trees produce the highest quality oil yield of any Greek variety. Eleven pounds of fresh, aromatic, green guys are packed into every 500mL Fancy Peasant bottle.
Lathera
An entire category of Greek dishes is devoted to olive oil called lathera. When olive oil and vegetables meet in a Greek kitchen, the result is lathera, a vegetarian dish cooked in oil. The cooking term lathera comes from the word lathi, Greek for oil, and describes vegetables cooked in olive oil with a combination of herbs and tomato. Generally, vegetable and bean stews are vegetable and bean stews. Olive oil is used as the cooking medium. Raw olive oil is poured over the dish, too, as an additional flavoring. This makeup most of our blue zone-friendly recipes.
Mediterranean Diet
Named the healthiest way to eat in 2023 based on US News and World Report rankings. The proper Greek Mediterranean diet is mainly plant-based, focusing on vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, herbs, spices, and whole grains. It also focuses on healthy fat sources, most notably olive oil.
Meze
The word itself means “middle,” in the middle of the day or between meals. Because the meze table is not a full meal, relatively small bites are intended to be shared. In Greece, meze is a way of life- an expression of something Greeks hold dear: socializing over a few plates of simple, tasty food, letting the wine or spirits flow, and savoring the liberating, gratifying effects of the two together. The meze table is one of the most delicious, accessible, and traditional ways to enjoy the variety of Greek cuisine in flavor, texture, and temperature. The whole point is to excite the palate in small bites. Typical mezethes include Greek marinated olives, spicy feta dip, grilled pepper, pitakia, octopus, and pickled and roasted veggies accented with ouzo.
Monounsaturated Fatty Acid (MUFA)
The heart of olive oil’s magical effect protects your heart and brain. This particular kind of fatty acid lives abundantly in Mediterranean Diets. A 2017 review found evidence that practicing a Mediterranean diet could decrease cardiovascular disease risk, cancer incidence, neurodegenerative diseases, diabetes, and early death. A 2018 review showed that the Mediterranean diet might improve overall health by reducing the risk of non-communicable diseases. It also may reduce the social and economic costs of diet-related illnesses.
Oregano
"Mountain glory," as its Greek name implies, comes from the Greek word for “joy” and is the most powerful herb on the Greek country table. Greeks prefer this wildly medicinal herb dried, but fresh is also wonderful. When combined with lemon, GEVOO, garlic, and salt, Oregano lends the perfect quintessential “Greek” flavor to countless Fancy Peasant recipes.
