Olive Oil: The Mediterranean Gold
We’ll say it loud and proud—olive oil is THE quintessential ingredient of Italian and Mediterranean cuisine. Its historical, cultural, and gastronomic value is inestimable, and so we thought it was high time we painted a proper picture of this icon. Let’s shine a light on the almighty olive oil!
A Deeply Rooted History
Uncovering the origins of olive oil requires going back thousands of years. About 8000 years to be more exact, which is around the time humans started cultivating olives. The oil extracted from these precious fruits was beloved for its unique taste, but not only. Many ancient civilizations also swore by it for lighting, healing, cosmetic uses, and even commercial exchanges. Oh, and the olive branch is the universal symbol of peace, which really says something about the emblematic nature of that majestic tree. The cultural frontiers of the Mediterranean are hard to delimit, but people generally agree that to know whether you’ve set foot in Mediterranean territory, you should look for the olive trees. That’s how intimately linked the tree is to the very essence of the land.
The popularity of olive oil hasn’t dwindled one bit. Nowadays, we mostly associate it with the famous Mediterranean diet, a lifestyle and dietary approach with yet-to-be-beaten health benefits that highlights lean proteins, whole grains, vegetables, and healthy fats… such as olive oil. Rich in polyphenols, monounsaturated fats, and antioxidants, olive oil has been linked to a reduction in inflammation and lower risks of heart diseases, amongst other things. But mostly, olive oil remains an all-time favourite because of its rich, yet delicate flavour.
Extra Virgin, Extra Good
Olive oil has become a staple for many kitchens all over the world, and although it’s often used on the daily, the details of its production remain somewhat of a mystery for many. So here are a few essential things to look for when choosing your olive oil. First, it should be noted that the “extra virgin” mention isn’t just some sort of marketing buzzword, it refers to the first cold pressing of the olives, without heat or chemicals. That is arguably the most important thing to ensure a tasty and property-rich oil. A good-quality olive oil will also have a fresh, green taste, with a hint of bitterness and a little peppery punch. If the oil is dull, waxy or stale, it’s probably of a lower quality or has been altered by light or heat.
Other fun fact, the acidity level of premium olive oil will stay below 0.8%, which indicates that the olives used were healthy and intact. (Not to toot our own horn, but ours barely gets to 0.4%!) This is also a time when you should look closely at the label. Check for a harvest date and aim for a product that stays within the optimal shelf-life timeframe of 18 to 24 months. Official certifications such as PDO, PGI, and organic are also good signs of a quality product, and there should absolutely be a clear indication of provenance and cold pressing. Otherwise, there’s reason to be suspicious. And please, stay away from thin, transparent plastic bottles!
Precision Production
Making quality olive oil is a labour of love. Although mechanized harvesting methods exist, rocky terrains and a commitment to optimal traditional techniques leave many tasks to still be executed by hand. Producers also have to carefully monitor their trees to ensure their wellbeing, as well as to determine the perfect harvest time, that will ensure the perfect taste. Then, it’ll take somewhere around 2000 to 3000 little olives to make a single litre of oil. Once pressed, the oil will have to be carefully bottled and stored as quickly as possible. Knowing all this and considering the limited growing regions of olive trees, as well as their high climate sensitivity (drought, frost, pest), it’s no wonder that the production of quality olive oil is such a challenge. These factors also partly explain the relatively high cost of quality olive oil, although a good old discrepancy in supply and demand is also at play. (On that note, if the price of a bottle of olive oil seems too good to be true, it’s indeed probably not real, good olive oil.)
Partners in Quality
We strive to create the perfect Italian table and to make it as easy as possible for you to get your hands on simple and good products—the kinds that are made according to traditional know-how and terroir-driven approaches. And so we’ve travelled across Sicily to find you a real, authentic extra virgin olive oil producer: a family business founded in 1916! Why Sicily you might ask? Well, Sicilian olives produce exceptional extra virgin olive oil due to the island’s unique climate, rich volcanic soil, and traditional cultivation methods. The Mediterranean sun, combined with cool sea breezes and mineral-rich terrain, enhances the olives’ phenolic compounds and antioxidants, contributing to both taste and health benefits. And so it’s on these rugged hills that the 100% Italian olives used for our oils are cultivated and harvested, before being pressed within 45 minutes of picking to ensure an unmatched freshness. Our everyday extra virgin oil is prepared with a blend of three olive varieties, while our premium quality finishing oil contains just one, the stupendous Nocellera Del Belice. And no cheating when it comes to our spicy oil either: 100% olive, and no trace of canola oil. In short, we relentlessly do our homework so that you can effortlessly count on a perfectly authentic, high-quality olive oil.
