Olive Oil – Liquid Gold – It’s not that long ago that people here in the UK had to buy olive oil at the chemist, in a tiny bottle, with a view to sorting out earache! But people in the Mediterranean have appreciated it and used it for thousands of years, it’s believed Greece was the first home of the olive tree and indeed, inscribed earthenware tablets from Crete that date back to 2500 BC are the oldest known references to olive oil and ancient physicians, philosophers referred to its curative properties. The Greeks considered the olive tree to be a symbol of peace, wisdom and triumph – Olympians were crowned with an olive wreath and it’s thought that by the 5th Century BC the Greeks were producing so much olive oil that it became a major export.
We are now realising that this liquid gold has health benefits as well as tasting delicious. In fact, the European Union allows health claims to be made for extra virgin olive oils containing 250ml/kg or more of polyphenols. The benefit is usually taken to be “towards the prevention of coronary heart disease” from consumption of 20g of these oils every day. But chemical components, such as polyphenols, that contribute to the health benefits of olive oil can also change the balance of the tasting experience. If you want to find out more about olive oil, then Judy Ridgway, a doyenne of the olive oil scene, has an excellent website that not only takes you through the various oils, but gives in depth information and is a veritable olive oil treasure trove.
If you like olive oil, you’ll know that different oils can be very different in flavour, just like wines. However, unlike wine, very little information is usually given on the label, so you need to rely on your own tastebuds as the guide. Colour is not a guide for olive oil – some with a strong green colour do have a ‘green or grassy’ flavour but others just don’t. By the same token, pale yellow oils can be sweet and mild but also very peppery. Add to this the fact that good quality oils tend to be packed in dark coloured glass bottles or metal cans to protect them from the light and it’s even more difficult.
Here are a few olive oils that I’ve tried recently and would recommend:
Little Olive Oil is a new Albanian extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) that was recently launched in the UK. While Greece, Spain, and Italy dominate the EVOO market, Albania remains a hidden gem in the affordable, yet quality, EVOO sector. The country’s Mediterranean microclimate and fertile soils produce olives with remarkable character, offering peppery, smooth, balanced flavours that stand out. Little Olive Oil sources its olives from small, family-owned groves in Albania. Groves that follow a long- standing tradition where families harvest their olives and take them to trusted local mills, keeping what they need and selling the rest. Little Olive Oil’s launch collection features three distinct EVOOs, each reflecting the richness of Albania’s land and its olive-growing tradition. Kalinjot Pure is produced from early-harvest Kalinjot olives, often called the queen of olives, delivering a beautifully balanced flavour with gentle bitterness and subtle pepperiness. Koroneiki Superior, made from 100% Koroneiki olives, presents a bright, grassy profile with a smooth, gentle finish, ideal for everyday use. Trio Select combines Koroneiki, Frantoio, and Leccino olives to create a mild, silky oil with a delicate bitterness, perfect for those who prefer a softer, more nuanced flavour. From £20 for 500ml you can choose between 100% recycled aluminium or recyclable glass packaging. There are plans afoot to provide refillable packaging aimed at further supporting the eco-conscious among us.littleoliveoil.co.uk
Good Phats tells us that it’s a company on a mission to make health a tasty pursuit: “Fat. It wasn’t always a priority in our house. In fact, we used to (like almost everyone out there) think it was the enemy – low fat yoghurt anyone? We were led to believe that it was the reason for the increase in the poor metabolic health of the world. How wrong were we.” It also states: “We search high and low and work with the finest farmers and fat lovers you can find. We choose fats that simply put, do good. We say yes to olive and avocado oil because it’s high in oleic acid that promotes good health, and no to seed oils that are high in linoleic acid that doesn’t.” The website is a treasure trove of oils: Spanish and Italian and in containers that allow you to squeeze, pour or spray. Available also from Ocado with prices from £14.95 for 750ml of Spanish EVOO and £15 for 500ml of Italian in squeezy, glass or clever 200ml spray cans of Spanish (£6.50) that I find are ideal for using with the air fryer. goodphats.com
Citizens of Soil is not only available in supermarkets (Waitrose, Ocado and others) but you can also have it delivered through your letterbox. Don’t worry, it’s not messy! In recent years, we’ve seen letterbox flowers, chocolate, dishwasher tablets and now letterbox olive oil in ecofriendly pouches. Extra virgin, to be exact. Citizens of Soil makes sure all its olive oil is “high polyphenol”, with 250mg or more per kilo, and even makes some batches with triple that amount, to make sure they’re still high after being bottled for a year. Where Citizens of Soil really stands out, though, is the amount of information it gives for each of its oils. When buying online, you can see specific varieties of olive used, when and where the olives were harvested and how quickly they were milled afterwards. Citizens of Soil removes guesswork by describing key flavours and food partners. It also grades its oils for fruitiness, pepperiness and bitterness from ‘mellow’ to ‘intense’, helping compare varieties and offering recipe inspiration. According to Citizens of Soil, its pouches produce 15 times less carbon than its bottles. Once a pouch is empty, just send it back for free recycling.
And there’s no need to keep reordering your extra virgin olive oil as you can subscribe. You can pause, skip or cancel it anytime, and switch the frequency to suit your usage. At just £15 a month, it’s a healthy and different subscription, and makes a lovely present. But do have a look at the website if you’re serious about your oils, the company also has a section of award-winning Extra Rare oils from £35 for 500ml.
The Seasoned Gastronome
#General images are all courtesy of Citizens of Soil