Fresh, Antioxidant-packed Olive Oil from Hvar Island

Update: Final Survey Will Be Out Later This Friday
almost 8 years ago – Tue, Nov 15, 2016 at 04:00:14 PM

This post is for backers only. Please visit Kickstarter.com and log in to read.

Project successfully funded! The olives are in!
about 8 years ago – Tue, Nov 01, 2016 at 10:28:38 PM

Dear Friends!

Your trip to olive oil heaven is just a step away. Since you last heard from us we have been busy -- very busy -- making this year's harvest a reality and bringing you the healthiest, freshest olive oil possible. 

A few updates from our side:

• We have been in contact with Dr. Prokopios Magiatis, a leading researcher on the health benefits of olive oil, and we are proud to announce that we will be having the polyphenol/antioxidant content of our olive oil tested and verified this year by the University of Athens. 
• Harvest lasted roughly two weeks this year. After a bit of inclement weather, the skies cleared up and we were able to have a very successful early harvest. The oil this year tastes excellent: a fresh cut flavor with plenty of zest, the oil is smooth on the attack and opens up to a very floral bouquet followed by a long-lasting aftertaste in the mouth and throat with notes of black pepper and thyme. Can absolutely not wait to get this oil to you. 
• We have started gathering supplies of oregano, rosemary, and wildflower tea. As promised, we will be making these available during the final "check out" phase of the project to those of you so inclined.

What comes next?

• We'll be sending out a survey in the next few days to collect your mailing address and contact info. During this process you can also add additional bottles or island herbs during the streamlined "check out" process. 
• The olive oil is now settling in a tank to separate the sediment from the oil using gravity instead of mechanical filtering (after years of experimentation, we've found that this method of "unfiltered" olive oil does the best job of leaving the flavor and vitality of the oil intact). In two weeks we begin bottling, and after that we begin packaging and shipping.
• You can anticipate receiving your olive oil in early December. Once we ship, you will be notified and also receive a tracking number. 

Greetings from Hvar!

Tom & Danica

New Stretch Goal 13k: Support Biodiversity via Export of Wild Oregano and Rosemary
about 8 years ago – Tue, Oct 11, 2016 at 04:20:46 PM

Dear All!

We've been thinking a lot about how we want to expand our project, and we would like to export wild oregano and rosemary from the island of Hvar as our stretch goal (which we accomplish if we manage 13k by the end of our project). 

With this extra funding, we will roll out a line of freshly-dried, organic, and uniquely flavorful herbs from Hvar's fields and forests. On the one hand, this will be a step towards protecting Hvar's biodiversity by making sure that its wild foliage is valued and protected. On the other hand, it will be a unique way for you to experience the advantages of biodiversity first-hand.

These wild species have not been overbred or homogenized and the results are fantastic. As an American born and raised, I had no idea that oregano could have such a minty lingering taste, or that rosemary could fill your taste buds like a symphony until I was introduced to these hand-harvested herbs by Danica's family. The herbs and spices we have access to in the US and EU are by and large from large scale, non-organic production of homogenized species that have lost their character and taste. The introduction of these herbs to your kitchen, even in small quantities, will open up your dishes in ways you never could have imagined (imagine baked potatoes with zesty rosemary or mozzarella cheese covered in olive oil and garnished with pungent wild oregano).

We will use the funds from this stretch goal to package and label these herbs for our backers. If we hit our stretch goal of 13k, each backer will have the option of adding-on our delicious wild oregano and rosemary herbs to their pledge. 

Nothing like the real thing baby. The incredible case for Early Harvest Olive Oil.
about 8 years ago – Sun, Oct 02, 2016 at 10:36:58 PM

 Authentic early harvest olive oil (EHOO) can be difficult to find and is almost always more expensive than traditionally harvested olive oils. Farmers are not in a rush to process unripe olives because they produce much less oil and require labor intensive handpicking directly from the tree. This begs the question: why bother with EHOO at all?

 

The answer, in short, is in the fact that the taste and health qualities of EHOO are vastly superior to conventional olive oil. Many gourmands and foodies are discovering the taste of EHOO (characterized by a multifaceted and lingering flavor of bitter, pepper, and fresh-cut grass) to be much exciting and to their liking than traditional olive oils. This simple fact has put authentic EHOO — when it can be found — in high demand in the gourmet restaurants of Italy, the USA, and England in recent years.

A second major fact, and one I find just as appealing, is that EHOO has some very special health qualities. EHOO is packed with the antioxidants that have made olive oil famous for its protective effects again degenerative arthritis, Alzheimer’s, and cancer. The major difference between EHOO and traditional olive oil? EHOO has 4 to 6 times the number of these important antioxidants. 

 

Oleocanthal, a polyphenol and antioxidant indicated against heart disease, degenerative arthritis, Alzheimer’s, and cancer, is rife in EHOO. The same goes for oleuropein, another important polyphenol.

Do all olive oils contain oleocanthal and oleuropein? The answer is no. One article from UHN suggests oils vary hugely in their polyphenol content and some oils contain none at all. If you’re looking for health benefits, your best bet (and what we and the UHN both suggest) is to either stick to authentic EHOO or to drop your olive oil ambitions altogether. Go big or go home.

Some other useful tips from UHN for choosing a healthy oil:

- Oil should be bottled in dark glass or other containers that protect against light.

- To ensure freshness, look for bottles with a date of harvest, or at least a “best by” date. Try to buy oils only from this year’s harvest. Also use bottles within six months of opening.

- Avoid oils whose precise point of production – a specific mill – is not specified on the label.

Find out how to order world-class, Croatian EHOO from the Island of Hvar at www.Hvar-Gourmet.com

Three days left, 111% Funded!
about 8 years ago – Fri, Sep 30, 2016 at 11:13:06 AM

Dear Backers!

3 days left in our campaign and we are an amazing 111% financed! We are truly astonished and grateful with the support we've received from the Kickstarter community. Making this slow food project of ours come alive has been a dream of ours for a long time. We want to change the way people think about healthy olive oil, and this Kickstarter campaign is a big first step on that journey. 

As we enter our final push in the last three days of our campaign, we are offering you 10% cash back to share our campaign. Simply follow the webpage posted above (or click here) and it will create a link for you to share with your friends. 10% of any contribution they make will then be credited to you! 

Our little way of giving back. Thank you for the help :)