Crafting Liquid Gold
Growing and producing Olives for oil is an ancient process that dates well back into the BC years. The Mediterranean Region, which has an optimal climate for Olive production, was one of the first production areas to emerge all these years ago.
Global production and consumption is truly vast, although the various growing seasons across the world do fluctuate in yield and therefore supply volumes definitely drive prices.
Alert consumers will have noted olive oil prices increased steeply recently due to a world-wide shortage. Olives are an annual crop so this situation will probably change soon.
Besides food, Olive oil has historically been used for religious rituals, medicine, fuel for small items such as lamps and soap or skincare application.
These days Olive Oil is used mostly for cooking, consumed standalone with specialty bread, or as an ingredient in many dishes. The term EVOO (or Extra Virgin Olive Oil) is based on the purity of the olive processed (no additives) and a lower level of acidity, but the basic rule is buy EVOO for a higher quality oil that you would eat rather than simply shallow fry with. As well as tasting great EVOO should always be high in polyphenols (natures antioxidants) and have a range of beneficial health qualities.
In NZ olive production is relatively new but the warmer dry parts of NZ make for excellent quality. As with so many other products NZ is a high end producer and our oils are developed mainly with quality in mind.
NZ’s industry is small but vibrant and we are seeing a gradual phasing out of the “hobby” type grower/producer shifting to more commercial style operators. The charm of growing a beautiful grove of olives has to be offset against the work involved with grove husbandry – pruning, picking and general tree health needs.
Processing olives into oil basically involves crushing the fruit (stone in) into a pulp and this is then pressed and squeezed until the fluid component is separated sufficiently. The “conversion rate” from a whole olive to the liquid component of oil is quite low. You might obtain about 20 % of the whole olive as the final oil product.
The fun part is consumption, I love olive oil in so many ways. Here are some favourites :
- The traditional fresh sourdough bread dipped. Add Dukkah if you like.
- My favourite breakfast is Vogel’s toast with butter and a big topping of avocado. On the avocado pour a generous amount of EVOO and add freshly squeezed lemon with a little salt. Amazing.
- I also pour EVOO on a poached or fried egg. It works.
- Any salad is great with EVOO. Especially those with a tomato base, adding ingredients like red onion and herbs. Use lots of different coloured tomatoes to create more complex flavours in your dish. The orange and yellow ones light up a plate.
- Vegetables are beautifully enhanced by EVOO and this can be used both pre and post cooking. Some of my favourites are broccolini, leeks, mushrooms, pumpkin, kumara and cauliflower. Use plenty of oil and experiment.
- Venison and beef dishes respond well to EVOO. I would use it post-cooking as part of a finished and served dish.
- EVOO is a great additive to baking. It provides moisture, texture and taste.
What I would encourage is to be generous in your application of EVOO to meals and cooking. Too little an amount won’t deliver the full flavour, and always remember the fat content is one of the healthiest available and highly antioxidant rich.
A quick word on storage and life. Keep your olive oil stored away from light in a coolish environment. The best quality EVOO will last approximately 24 months if carefully stored.
If you are looking for inspiration and ideas to use EVOO then review the Instagram page of Allpress Olive Groves. I am involved in this business – we delight in showcasing this beautiful product with recipes and education. Get creative !
Words by Mike Taylor
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