The Blue Olive is an olive oil and vinegar tasting bar located on Charles Colman Boulevard in Pawling. Run by Beth Canevari and Laura Leahy with support from both of their loving families. The Blue Olive has a sparkling, fashionable interior where customers can sample a diverse array of fine quality olive oils and balsamic vinegars. You can taste oils made from many different ingredients – like the varieties of apples, each has its own unique characteristics – or sample from the broad assortment of balsamics – white or dark; some of them infused with flavors like espresso, dark chocolate, or even blueberry, perfect as a topping on any salad, or if you’re feeling adventurous, even ice cream. I know what you’re thinking, but it’s actually pretty good! You can also find a collection of fused and infused olive oils with flavors as unique and delicious as blood orange. But if you do not know where to start – don’t worry. The Blue Olive offers sampler packages for anyone daunted by all the choices. The store also sells all-natural pastas, flavored salts, balsamic jams, and artisanal olive oil soaps, among other goodies.
Each airtight stainless steel container of olive oil is labeled with its content in polyphenols, peroxides, and other beneficial organic compounds. Not only is olive oil good for you, it is recommended that you intake two tablespoons of good quality olive oil a day. High-quality olive oil has a high antioxidant count, is known to help reduce cholesterol levels, reduce the risk of cancer and osteoporosis, and maintain healthy blood sugar levels in diabetics.
The Blue Olive’s olive oils are made from olives imported from the finest groves around the world, and kept in six-month seasonal rotation to ensure maximum freshness. Currently, the olive oils available are from groves in the northern Hemisphere; Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Tunisia. Unlike the mass-produced oils you buy in supermarkets, these olive oils are legitimately extra-virgin; they have been pressed to perfection without the excessive heat and chemicals found in mass-production, stored in dark, cool, air-tight spaces, and passed through the exacting standards of certified olive oil tasting panels to ensure the freshest, most unadulterated olive oil.
The Blue Olive’s friendly and sophisticated atmosphere coupled with its exquisite selections make it a great addition to Pawling, and something you just have to check out. Once you have purchased their oils and vinegars, you can return with your clean empty bottles and get a refill for a nominal fee. Laura and Beth are also collecting recipes from customers highlighting their products.
The Blue Olive is open six days a week, Tuesday through Sunday, at 26 Charles Colman Boulevard in the village of Pawling – you can also visit their page on Facebook, or give them a call at (845) 289-0097.
