​About 5 years ago, mysterious concoctions arrived at my doorstep. The bottles were dark, viscous, unlabeled, and clearly home-brewed. I checked the shipping labels- it was from my soon-to-be-mother-in-law. I was a bit suspicious since we had recently gone through the ceremonial culling of “the extended families” from the wedding invites.  Was this some old Italian way to settle a score?
 
Thankfully, I realized she had graciously gifted me her latest olive oil harvest. What I discovered in the bottles was an incredibly, delicious olive oil that was vastly different from a store-bought version. Her oil was incredibly earthy and fresh; and the store-bought just seemed neutral. I could have literally swigged it right out of these tantalizing bottles.
 
This disparity in taste initiated an in-depth inquiry which ultimately led to a disturbing discovery- the olive oil industry was wrought with fraud. I found myself being incredibly frustrated and a bit paranoid that I really had no way of knowing if something was pure or impure. Through research and scouting, this blog is to provide you some guidance around discerning, buying and storing olive oil. 

I don’t like steamed broccoli… but if you present a platter of roasted broccoli with ample olive oil, I’ll eat the whole plate. For me, the joy of food is heavily influenced by what you do to it to make it delicious.  Catfish? Meh. Blackened catfish? Now we’re talking.

​I love the flavor and textures that you get from different cooking methods like pan frying and grilling; but your method of cooking actually has a very big impact on more than just taste. What you eat and how you prepare it may create toxicities that simply aren't doing your body any favors. 

Today we learn about Advance Glycation End Products (AGEs).