Popeye loved his spinach and his “Olive Oyl.” Turns out he was onto something.

Gourmet olive oils, especially when paired with fine balsamic vinegars, are delicious and also pack a powerful nutritional punch.

A new specialty shop at Redmond Town Center, Seattle Olive Oil Company, offers a wide selection of plain or infused olive oils and dark or light balsamic vinegars, with prices ranging from $12-26, depending on the variety and the size of the bottle. And a little of each product goes a long way.

During a recent visit to the store, Seattle Olive Oil manager Karen Gosselin said the base for the infused oils is Mission Winter Harvest, which doesn’t lose its health qualities when used for cooking. Paired with Oregano balsmic vinegar, it makes a tasty dip for crusty bread, she noted, offering a taste.

Shoppers can sample any of the oils or vinegars in the shop and get recipe tips from the staff at Seattle Olive Oil.

While basic white vinegar from the supermarket is nothing you’d want to drink alone, these fine balsamic vinegars, made from the concentrated juice of wine grapes, are sweet and fruity, ranging from 18-year traditional balsamic to types featuring black currant, tangerine, fig, raspberry, peach and others.

Use them to marinate meat or fish, mix into a salad dressing or even drizzle over ice cream, in the case of the pomegranate balsamic vinegar.

These balsamic vinegars have antibacterial and antiviral and antioxidant properties.

Best-selling infused olive oils at Seattle Olive Oil include Meyer Lemon for chicken and fish dishes or Blood Orange for Asian cooking. Spicy olive oils include Tuscan Herb, Chipotle and Jalapeno.

“There are no additives and no heat used in the process,” said Gosselin.

Olive oil helps to control LDL (bad cholesterol) while raising HDL (good cholesterol) levels and is well tolerated by those with stomach disorders.

Gift baskets are available at Seattle Olive Oil and can be shipped anywhere in the U.S., except for Alaska or Hawaii.

For more information, stop by at 16431 NE 74th St. or call (425) 869-8000.