Olive Oil – An Exquisite Fruit Juice

by Don Harris, founder and co-owner of La Tienda

When we hear the word “fruit juice”, sweet childhood memories may come bubbling to the fore — long before we would ever consider the juice of the olive! However, if we think about olive oil in the way we think about wine, the association between the juices of the olive and the grape may emerge more readily. Both of them are, of course, fruit juices that are extracted once a year and bottled for our pleasure. Wine comes from a wide variety of grapes whose juice which has been stored, and allowed to mature in order to perfect the flavor. Similarly, olive oil comes from a wide variety of olives, but, unlike wine, it is at its peak during its first two years, and then slowly loses its original bouquet.

For many, the idea that olive oil can present a variety of exciting flavors comes as a surprise. And indeed, there are plentiful quantities of commercial and low-grade olive oils that are quite bland. (Think of jug wine). To muddy the waters further, the term extra virgin is about as reliable as the label: “all natural.” Some of the less expensive oils may tout the term but use substandard fruit in the mix. As in wine, so with olive oil, to really enjoy the complex flavor of the artisan product, you have to look to the artistry of the producer.

One of the lessons of life is that typically, you get what you pay for.  A cheap wine is apt to be rough or lack body, olive oil will be lacklustre: jug and generic are truly inferior. Factors that affect the cost of the most elite olive oils include the  rarity of the olive and  the quantity used in production.  For example, many more olives are required if they are picked at their absolute prime on the first day. Some are proud of their insistence on an artisanal – non-mechanized — method of production, even to the point of using age-old stone mills. If you want to graduate from using a price-point as your only gauge, you will want to delve into a discovery of the tastes of various kinds of olives, whose variety and complexity may astonish you!

Sample a range of oils made from arbequina, picual, picudo and hojiblanca olives, for instance, and you will find quite a variety of taste experiences, just as you would with various grapes in wine. Oils made from a single variety of olive will have a consistent, straightforward flavor, whereas the blends of two or three olives have a balanced and subtle one.

One of my favorites from Spain is a wild olive oil made from an arbequina olive grove high in the Pyrenees Mountains with a touch of wild empeltre olives from neighboring trees.The initial flavor is wonderfully fresh, but then surprises you with little peppery finish – nothing better for a green salad of arugula and bibb lettuce. My other favorite is made from a combination of picual, picudo and hojiblanca olives grown outside of Córdoba in Spain. Each year, the producer balances the flavors to tasty perfection depending upon the olive yield. This olive oil is robust and fruity – great drizzled on an ensalada mixta (Spanish mixed salad) with lots of crunchy romaine lettuce, tomatoes, spears of white asparagus and  topped with a chunk of white meat tuna.

We love having customers come in for olive oil tastings here at La Tienda, and you can also replicate this tasting experience at home or with friends. First select your range of oils, pour out a small amount of each into small bowls or even custard cups. In your cupped hands, warm a bowl to room temperature one at a time and breathe in the aroma while swirling the oil – just as you would a snifter of brandy. Then taste the oil, letting it roll across your tongue before swallowing, making special note of the “finish” or aftertaste. Jot down your impressions and then cleanse your palate with a small slice of apple before moving onto your next oil to taste.

You’ll find that some oils have a fruity or grassy flavor, while others are peppery. Still others have some bitterness to them derived from the natural anti-oxidants in the oil. Enjoy this sensory experience of olive oil tasting and revel in your own journeys of discovery! I suspect for some of you, the bottle of Wishbone salad dressing will become a thing of the past.

Don Harris has been writing very popular reflections on Spain since 1997. He fell in love with the Spanish culture over forty years ago, when he stepped ashore in Spain as a chaplain in the U.S. Navy. For a time he and his wife Ruth raised their young family among the sherry bodegas of El Puerto de Santa María (Cádiz). After retiring from the Chaplain Corps as a captain, Don founded LaTienda.com with his wife and sons. They all visit Spain regularly. The company is now one of the finest providers of Spanish food in the U.S., supporting artisanal and small family firms. In 2009, Don received the Admiral Pedro Menéndez Friend of Spain Award from the Society of Spain for his outstanding leadership and dedication on behalf of Spain and Spanish culture.

La Tienda – The Best of Spain is a family owned company with a mission to support artisanal and small family firms in Spain. Founded in 1996 by the Harris Family, La Tienda has grown to be the largest source for gourmet food and cookware from Spain. With warehouses in both Williamsburg, Virginia and Alicante, Spain, La Tienda ships hundreds of thousands of orders across the USA, Canada and Europe. In 2009, the Harris family opened up the La Tienda retail store in the historic Whitehall Building on 1325 Jamestown Road. There, they offer all of the great products from Spain, tapas served fresh daily, wine tastings and special events. There is always someone on hand to guide your exploration of Spanish food. Come visit today!

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