New Store Offers Specialty Olive Oil

A new store that opened in Westwood this week offers 25 exclusive varieties of olive oil, balsamic vinegar and other olive oil-based products.

Olive Branch & Grape Vine owner Paul Karoyan said he and his wife, Darina, were inspired to open the store because of the impact olive oil has had on their own health.

"The health effects are tremendous," Karoyan said. "We wanted to share that with people."

The store carries 25 different varieties of cold pressed extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar, including many infused with different flavors. Karoyan said they found many olive groves while travelling and has arranged for the groves to bottle the oils for him. Unlike olive oil from supermarkets, which often is blended from many different groves, each bottle of Olive Branch & Grape Vine's oil comes from just one grove.

The bottles, which are dark to help preserve the oil longer, include information about and suggested ways to serve each oil.

The store also carries related goods, including spices, pasta and olive oil-based skin products like soap and lotion. The spices, from Chef Chuck Adams of Waldwick's Take Away Gourmet, also include suggested ways to serve them with Olive Branch & Grape Vine's oils.

For customers looking for a recommendation, Karoyan said he likes habanero-flavored oil drizzled on a hard boiled egg.

"It's delicious," Karoyan said.

He also recommends the blackberry-infused balsamic vinegar drizzled on vanilla ice cream and his wife likes the roasted garlic oil on fish or chicken.

Olive Branch & Grape Vine will hold a grand opening September 8 at 2 p.m. The celebration will include giveaways, demonstrations and a ribbon-cutting.

If all goes well, Karoyan said he may expand the brand to a second location elsewhere in the county.

Olive Branch & Grape Vine is located at 288 Third Avenue in Westwood. You can "like" Olive Branch & Grape Vine on Facebook here.

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