Its seems odd that I have chosen to write a review of olive all when so many have been written already.

Well I?ve just finished reading all of them, and it seem that there are still a few pieces of the jigsaw missing.

I noticed in the other ops that people rave about cooking with olive oil. I would not cook everything in olive oil. Depending on the oil, it can impart a very strong flavour into the dish.

Some oils should not be heated at all, ever. Once heated they loose their fantastic aroma and their potency.

I have several different types of olive oil in the cupboard, plus a number of oils I have flavoured (for fish and meat).

The first (and most precious) I get direct from my friends olive grove (Zakynthos Greece). Its cold pressed single grove olive oil. No virgin about it, it comes straight from the olives. Nothing has been added.

I use this oil as it is. I would never make dressing with this oil, nor cook with it. It is purely for drizzling. Everyone who tastes it, is amazed by is flavour. It is a deep green colour, with a slightly peppery flavour. Kostas swears by its aphrodisiac qualities. Just a little on tomato is amazing.

You can get oil like that in this country, but it is prohibitively expensive. Next time you`re on holiday, speak to an olive farmer, they are fanatically passionate about their oil, which is always superior to their neighbours. A two litre pop bottle full will cost you less than a 500ml bottle of the rubbish stuff over here.

The second type of oil I use if for cooking. I only ever buy single pressed virgin olive oil. I use this for dressings, or finishing pasta dishes. All supermarkets carry this.

** Pressings **

I have been fortunate to be at a pressing of my friends oil, and taste the oils as it comes out of the machine (straight onto some fresh bread). It is an amazing taste, really bright and zingy.

When the olives are pressed there a
re several stages. First they are shaken, to remove stones, leaves and animal droppings. Then they are washed and milled. They then pass into the press. They are crushed and liquid flows out. Some of this is water and, and its separated off. This oil, is your cold pressed extra virgin oil.

The liquid left over from the separation, is kept, added to everybody else liquid and further processed to get more oil from it. No longer cold pressed, but often called virgin. All of the crushed olives are loaded onto huge wagons and transported to a big factory. Here along with crushed olives from many regions, this will be pressed again, and more oil extracted (second press, no longer virgin), the leftover is then treated using hot water refining and further oil will be extracted. The cheap as chips oil.
Olives are produce in many countries, Spain, Greece, Italy and yet many people think olive oil only come from Italy. The difference in tastes is notable, paella only tastes like Spain when cooked with Spanish oil.

Often olive oil is a blend, and is made with oil produce in more than one country (this stuff is usually yellow in colour).

A good olive oil should be greenish yellow, and have a bright smell about it. It should be able to cling to the back of a metal spoon.


Good Eating!

HSIBOY