Walking into Carter & Cavero, Old World Olive Oil Company, is like walking into an airy art gallery. Beautiful art and hand painted pottery hang on the walls framing artfully-displayed traditional Spanish terra cotta pottery, cazuelas, and colorful, hand painted earthenware by Spanish artist, Tito, from Ubeda, Spain.

But the display that is the piece de resistance is the shelves lined with utilitarian metal containers, called "fusti" that hold a wide variety of olive oils and vinegars. Next to the fusti are tiny cups for customers to sample and explore this unique offering of extra virgin and whole fruit-infused olive oils, as well as balsamic vinegars from Modena, Italy. Customers are encouraged to taste different pairings of oils and vinegars to create their own personal blend.

Lined up below the fusti are gorgeous black glass Italian-made bottles. Once the bottles are made, they are shipped to Spain where an artist etches one of four elegant olive motif designs on each bottle. The bottles are made with pourable caps, which are sealed to protect the oil's freshness. The bottles are provided for housing the customer's special selection of vinegar or oil.

The olives are grown and pressed in special mills in Spain, Italy, France, Greece, Australia and California. One of the partners, Cesar Colliga, resides in Madrid and holds the distinguished title of Master Taster for the European Union.  He is the quality controller, assessing the quality of the olives and rating the oils. Similar to what a master sommelier is to wine, Cesar is to olive oils, smelling and tasting to find the superior quality of oils that Carter & Cavero produce. In judging oils, Cesar says, "Smell is the most important factor. It is the juice of the fruit and shares the same elements. Extra virgin olive oil should smell of lawn grass or green tree leaves, such as fig." Most common in the sensations of smell are apple, almond, tomato, plantain and artichoke.

Among the extra virgin olive oils are oils from Tuscany, Chile, California Mission and Spain. Specialty oils are infused with exotic flavors and include blood orange, white truffle, Persian lime, chipotle and porcini.  The balsamic vinegars are made in Modena, Italy, traditionally aged and produced in tantalizing flavors e.g. fig, pomegranate and tangerine.

A potpourri of unique imported food products abound ~ salts from around the world, spread and unusual pestos, spices, pastas, sauces, tapenades and, of course, olives.  From appetizers to desserts, you will find foods from every corner of the Mediterranean region.

Kitchen and table ware are artfully arranged among the food products ~ traditional Spanish terra cotta called cazuela include multi-purpose cookware, serving dishes, pitchers and wine glasses.  Beautifully lathed olive wood bowls, cutting boards and utensils exude the warmth and richness of the deeply grained wood.

Health and beauty are not overlooked as there is a small line of luscious olive oil soaps, lotions, skin and hair care products

How did such a uniquely elegant gourmet shop settle in Red Bank?  The story is one of serendipity, all starting with the holiday of one partner, a former attorney, Chris Wall from Brielle, traveling in Spain, meeting up with Spaniard, Chris Ortiz, another partner, who comes from a long line of olive growers and knew Cesar Colliga, the Master Taster, would be an integral part in maintaining the quality and integrity of the olive oils.  Joining the three partners was Wall's friend, Sam Berg, an advertising and marketing professional from New York, and Sam's dad, Howard, an advertising executive, advising the four partners. The newest partner to join the team is Tom Fulton, CPA, from Allenwood, who left the accounting field to account for olive oils and a greater quality of life.

The partners united in a commitment to create a retail concept that would embrace a tasteful, authentic, healthy way of living, while adhering to the principles of offering products that were unique, original, artisan-crafted and extraordinary. Their mission was to have Carter & Cavero extend the olive experience through an unparalleled environment of olive-related products for cooking, health, home and beauty.

Carter & Cavero opened its doors just in time for the holiday season in 2007. When 2008 proved to be a successful first year in Red Bank, the partners opened a temporary location in May, 2009 in Long Branch's Pier Village. This coming March, a permanent store will be opened in Pier Village and, in April, the team will open a kiosk-type shop in what was formerly the Limelight nightclub in New York and is now converted to the Limelight Marketplace. This young company is continually evolving, growing and looking for other locations statewide. Wherever the next store opens, good fortune will befall the residents who will have such an unique store in their midst. Carter & Cavero is located at 19 Monmouth Street, Red Bank.

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