Olive Oil Unites the Positive

Whether slightly bitter or infused with blood orange, it is priceless as a source of refined pleasure and health...

Text: Sevdelina Ivanova

Photography: Goodlife.bg, Foodphotography.bg

Do you like dipping freshly baked bread in premium extra virgin olive oil? If this combination, brilliant in its simplicity and as ancient as the lands around the Mediterranean, gives you pleasure, then your interest in olive oil has probably already been awakened. But the subject of olive oil is inexhaustible and never gets tiresome, because the variety of products is endless, new facts are constantly being discovered about the qualities and properties of the “liquid gold,” as the Phoenicians called it in antiquity; production technologies are being refined, and new trends are emerging in quality extra virgin olive oils (EVOO, the officially adopted abbreviation in the EU). For us, people whose professions are connected with the precious oil from olives, it is a mission, an identity, magical tastes and aromas, traditions, health and a great deal of passion.

Spain is the undisputed world leader in olive oil production. Depending on the harvest, the Iberian country produces between 40 and 55% of the world's olive oil. And the province of Jaén alone, part of Andalusia, produces half of all the olive oil in Spain! The Picual olive variety, traditional and emblematic for Jaén, yields today some of the most perfect and most awarded olive oils in the world.

For these premium-quality olive oils the olives are collected as early as October, if the weather permits and the fruit is ready. They are picked at the optimal moment of ripening in order to obtain natural early-harvest extra virgin fruit oils – balanced, elegant, intense and complex. They are extracted at a very low temperature to fully preserve the precious polyphenols, the fragrances, the flavor aromas, the bitter-pungent character, and also the healthy qualities. These early-harvest extra virgin olive oils have a much higher content of vitamins, antioxidants and the whole palette of trace elements that make an olive oil a product of the highest quality. They also have more freshness, much more distinct and pleasant grassy aromas and flavor notes of banana, tomato and almond. They are suitable for finishing and final seasoning of dishes such as green and other salads (even fruit salads or ice creams!), roasted garden vegetables, baked fish or seafood, as well as for drizzling over cream soups or simply over tasty bread.

The next period for picking olives and producing olive oil is in November, when the fruit is slightly to medium ripe. The olive oils made from them are good for cooking and can be used in all culinary techniques. In Bulgaria the mistaken opinion still prevails that olive oil is not suitable for heat treatment, whereas in fact various studies prove that it is the best fat for cooking, including for frying. This is because it is very stable, and it also creates a thin insulating layer and does not penetrate into the food – so fried foods are healthier. On our market there is already, for example, gourmet potato chips, prepared with Spanish premium extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt – a natural product made to a traditional recipe, which will delight even the most discerning palates.

Besides Spain, I really like Greece as a producer. Our partners from our southern neighbor say that the olive harvest depends strongly on the microclimate of their farm, which is in the Messinia region of the Peloponnese. There the olive trees grow close to the seashore, but also at a higher altitude. It is also determined by the weather during the year – how long the dry period lasted in summer and when it rained. In some cases it is better to wait until November for the harvest, in others until the end of October, but they have even had a year in which the December harvest gave a better olive oil. The producer knows their farm best and looks for the optimal final result every year. Their olive oil has characteristic notes of green grass, nettle and artichoke in the aroma and is exceptionally balanced.

When choosing an olive oil we should bear in mind that the highest-quality olive oils require extremely careful attention literally at every stage of the production process. Everything matters and every detail affects the quality of the final product: the varieties, the terroir, the proper cultivation of the trees, the gentlest harvest and good storage, the fastest and at the same time delicate and effective cold pressing, natural filtering techniques… And patience and perfection inevitably raise the price of quality olive oil. Unfortunately, cheap products in supermarkets impose a different taste that confuses consumers, and they often pay no attention to the quality of the olive oil they consume. But low-quality olive oil cannot give us the health benefits offered by carefully produced pure and natural early-harvest olive oil.

An important trend in the world of olive oil is organic production and organic products – in step with the nature-friendly thinking and healthy lifestyle of the younger generation, which is also our main ally. Our partners do not use pesticides and artificial fertilizers, but apply ecological farming practices in order to preserve the natural environment and wildlife. Olive plantations would not be possible without all of their biodiversity. Insects are very important for the pollination of olive trees. And, for example, the beautiful ecological series of Spanish olive oils Eco Day & Eco Night displays on its labels the bee and the night moth, today endangered species.

And in cooking, extra virgin olive oil takes on ever more interesting roles.

Infused olive oils are very popular – in them natural aromas such as citrus and herbs are added to the extra virgin olive oil, rather than during pressing. Olive oils with different fragrances also make it easier to prepare more refined dishes at home. Truffle olive oil, for example, will help you achieve at home in less than 30 minutes the mushroom risotto that would be served to you in a luxury restaurant. Or to whip up a more exotic salad by adding blood orange olive oil to the dressing.

And one more trend: strong olive oils with bitterness and distinct pungency are increasingly in demand. The idea is becoming popular that olive oil has many different flavor and aroma profiles and each is suitable for different foods. One olive oil cannot be used for everything, and with the right olive oil the food stands out.

In Spain, where haute cuisine is placed on a pedestal, choosing the right olive oils is a religion for star chefs. Here at home, in the restaurant of chef Sevda Dimitrova (winner of one of the seasons of the culinary TV show “MasterChef”) there is a display case with high-end olive oils. She was the first to establish the idea that quality extra virgin olive oils not only have a place but are even mandatory in restaurants with boutique-level aspirations.

We are also raising the curtain on something completely new. Together with one of the best bartenders in Bulgaria – Petar Bozhinov – we developed cocktails with high-end olive oils and balsamic vinegars. The result is a passionate and enchanting dance of flavors and aromas!

Olive oil is magic, and those who deal with olive oil and talk about it are positive people. This discovery is the result of a study by the International Olive Council, published in its newsletter this July. People who talk about olive oil talk about health and aromas, and it gives rise in them to a sense of belonging, tradition and passion, the study also claims.