Extra Virgin Olive Oil as a Spice & Nutraceutical
There are only two valid reasons to consume extra virgin olive oil. 1. To impart flavor to food 2. To reap the perceived and real health benefits associated with it. Extra virgin olive oil does not have fewer calories, does not cost less than, and does not outperform most "cooking" oils on the market in terms of durability under heat.
We know that extra virgin olive oil decreases in flavor and health benefits over time. Fresh crushed olive oil is like fresh squeezed fruit juice in that it contains the most flavor and nutrients. Over time the flavor and nutrients fade. Poorly made extra virgin olive oil yields fewer health benefits and less desirable flavor out of the gate. Becoming intimately familiar with a particular extra virgin olive oil's flavor characteristics, chemistry and crush date will allow you to help your customer make an educated decision. Many consumers may be unconscious about the reasons they are consuming extra virgin olive oil. Reminding them of the primary reasons will allow the education process to begin.
The appellation or country of origin of a particular extra virgin olive oil does not speak to when it was crushed, how it was crushed, its flavor characteristics, unique chemistry and what health benefits might be associated. It misses the vitals completely and obfuscates the truth. For this reason, we highly discourage including country of origin/appellation in the education process. This is not to say that you should hide this fact but should point out that it does not constitute a vital piece of information necessary to becoming an educated olive oil consumer or connoisseur.
We encourage any comprehensive olive oil tasting to begin with the most delicate extra virgin olive oil and proceed to the most robust or intense extra virgin olive oil. The complexity and subtle nuances of delicate oils will be lost on the taster if they move up and then back down the intensity scale. For this reason, it makes sense to set up the unflavored extra virgin olive oils by level of intensity. Phenolic quantity is usually tied to intensity. Intensity correlates to the natural peppery finish and bitterness of extra virgin olive oils. If we line the olive oils up by intensity we are having two conversations simultaneously. We are indicating a spectrum of intensity which speaks to culinary application and flavor as well as health benefits which are tied to the intensity.
-Rachel
We know that extra virgin olive oil decreases in flavor and health benefits over time. Fresh crushed olive oil is like fresh squeezed fruit juice in that it contains the most flavor and nutrients. Over time the flavor and nutrients fade. Poorly made extra virgin olive oil yields fewer health benefits and less desirable flavor out of the gate. Becoming intimately familiar with a particular extra virgin olive oil's flavor characteristics, chemistry and crush date will allow you to help your customer make an educated decision. Many consumers may be unconscious about the reasons they are consuming extra virgin olive oil. Reminding them of the primary reasons will allow the education process to begin.
The appellation or country of origin of a particular extra virgin olive oil does not speak to when it was crushed, how it was crushed, its flavor characteristics, unique chemistry and what health benefits might be associated. It misses the vitals completely and obfuscates the truth. For this reason, we highly discourage including country of origin/appellation in the education process. This is not to say that you should hide this fact but should point out that it does not constitute a vital piece of information necessary to becoming an educated olive oil consumer or connoisseur.
We encourage any comprehensive olive oil tasting to begin with the most delicate extra virgin olive oil and proceed to the most robust or intense extra virgin olive oil. The complexity and subtle nuances of delicate oils will be lost on the taster if they move up and then back down the intensity scale. For this reason, it makes sense to set up the unflavored extra virgin olive oils by level of intensity. Phenolic quantity is usually tied to intensity. Intensity correlates to the natural peppery finish and bitterness of extra virgin olive oils. If we line the olive oils up by intensity we are having two conversations simultaneously. We are indicating a spectrum of intensity which speaks to culinary application and flavor as well as health benefits which are tied to the intensity.
-Rachel
