Valentine's Day is the day of love and there's nothing more special than cooking for someone you love. That's where Colavita comes in.
Colavita is known for its incredible and tasty selection of olive oils. While the brand is known for its oils, there are plenty of other great products to try from beans to tomato paste to pasta and different types of vinegar. I was lucky enough to get some samples from Colavita and I'm already in need of a restock.
Given how much I enjoyed these products, I jumped at the chance to talk to Colavita's Certified Master Chef: Ken Arnone. While we talked about some of Colavita's lineup, I was also able to sneak in a few questions about Valentine's Day and since Valentine's Day is upon us, there's no way I couldn't ask a few questions about Valentine's Day.
Whether you're already a fan of Colavita's products or need a reason to check them out, this interview with Ken Arnone is enough to make you want to fill up your shopping cart. Before getting into the interview, I'd like to thank Ken Arnone for answering my questions and getting me even more excited to hone my cooking skills.
Ken Arnone talks Colavita, cooking with olive oil and Valentine's Day.
Guilty Eats: Colavita has so many great products. If you're new to cooking, what staples do you need to get started?
Ken Arnone: A great place to start is building a pantry with the following: one or two extra virgin olive oils, two to three vinegars, (i.e. chardonnay, white balsamic, sherry, rose balsamic, etc...), a variety of pasta shapes and tomatoes. A few great additions for those looking to expand include basil oil, balsamic glaze, sundried tomato pesto, capers, and carnaroli rice.
GE: For those who are looking to impress for Valentine's Day, do you have any recipes to recommend?
KA: A delicious, easy dessert would be vanilla gelato, topped with ripe berries and a drizzle of aged balsamic vinegar! I also love to make a Dark Chocolate EVOO Mousse-- it’s rich and velvety.
Dark Chocolate EVOO Mousse: Yields 10 servings
Ingredients:
Dark chocolate, 74%, chopped 10 oz.
Eggs, large, separated 8 each
Sugar, granulated ½ cup plus 2 Tbl.
Colavita Spanish EVOO ½ cup
Cognac 3 Tbl.
Espresso 2 Tbl.
Cream of tartar ¼ tsp.
Sea salt 1/8 tsp.
Method:
1. Scale all ingredients and clean glasses or molds.
2. Place the cognac in a small saucepan and reduce by ½, remove from the heat and cool to room temperature.
3. Place the chocolate in a stainless-steel bowl and melt over a double boiler, set at low-medium heat. Stir until completely melted, set aside in a warm place until needed.
4. Whisk the whites and the cream of tartar until medium peak and set aside.
5. Combine the yolks and the sugar, whisk over a double boiler until it reaches 140F and begins to form a ribbon.
6. Remove the yolks from the heat and continue whisking constantly until very pale yellow and the mixture increases in volume by approximately 2X and is very thick. Use a stand mixer if possible.
7. Slowly add the cognac, espresso and salt while whisking constantly.
8. Slowly add the EVOO while whisking constantly, ensure that the oil is fully incorporating before adding the full amount.
9. Check the temperature of the chocolate to ensure that it is still fluid, warm slightly as needed, then slowly add to the yolk mixture while whisking constantly.
10. Fold the whites into the mixture using a whisk 1/3 at a time until fully incorporated.
11. Place the mousse in a piping bag and fill the glasses/molds and refrigerate until completely set.
GE: Cooking is a love language for some. What items do you think would make the best gift for Valentine's Day?
KA: That's an easy one - Baci Perugina, which are amazing chocolate truffles! Colavita’s Premium Italian EVOO, Aged Balsamic Vinegar, and Black Truffle Pate would also be great gifts.
GE: Lastly, Olive Oil plays a critical role in cooking and can make or break a dish. What do you think is a common mistake people make when cooking with olive oil and how can they avoid it in the future?
KA: One of the most common mistakes that people make is putting EVOO in a cold pan, turning the heat on and allowing it to heat until it begins to smoke. This ruins the oils flavor and can also affect the flavor of your dish. It’s important to preheat the pan first over medium heat and then add the oil and ingredients right away.
As you can see, Colavita and Ken Arnone are an unmatched duo as he's so knowledgeable and answered all of the questions I had. Frankly, if you haven't tried any of Colavita's products, be sure to check them out and see how much their products will make a difference in the dishes you cook.