Around the World with Olive Oil

By Judy Ridgway

Author Judy Ridgway is a highly respected authority on all aspects of olive oil “From the Tree to the Table”. This is an essential and handy (almost pocket-sized) introduction to the key aspects of olive oil. The first half gives the reader details of the different varieties of olives, the different qualities, flavours and styles of oils and also the health properties they can provide. The second half then takes you on a journey through the main olive oil producing countries. Having travelled the world tasting olive oil, Judy presents information on the key regions and varieties and also gives regional food suggestions and highlights some of the best producers.

• Language: English
• Publisher: IW&FS
• Release date: Oct 5, 2021

Book preview

Introduction

Olive oil enchants with its tastes and flavours, and interest around the world has never been greater

Olive oil is one of the great culinary foods of the world. In the countries where olives grow, the oil has always been an integral part of the local cuisine. Not only does it act as an excellent cooking medium, it is also a great flavouring ingredient in its own right. Spanish gazpacho, Italian pasta sauces, Greek vegetable dishes and Middle Eastern mezze would not be the same without it. Today its use has extended to all kinds of other dishes, from pot roasts and baked fish via barbecues and salads, to baked bread, cakes and biscuits and even desserts.

My own deep interest in the subject grew out of encounters with olive oil on my travels as a wine writer in the late 1980s. I was fascinated, and still am, by the amazing range of styles and tastes from oils in different regions. Today I continue to be inspired by the oils I taste and with each new oil immediately start thinking of new and different ways to use it.

Illustration

Olive oil has been around for thousands of years but it has never been more widespread in its production, consumption and appreciation. Olive trees are now grown in almost all parts of the world which have a Mediterranean-style climate. With olive oil production no longer confined to the countries of the Mediterranean basin, significant amounts of olive oil are also coming onto the market from Argentina, Australia and other southern hemisphere producers.

Production and consumption

Total production has grown over the years to a record of 3.3 million tonnes. Weather permitting, this total is set to be equalled or overtaken in the coming years.

Current consumption and appreciation of olive oil is even more widespread, with the non-producing countries of the Western world consuming more than ever. Countries in Asia are also starting to use olive oil in a way that they never did in the past, and some of them are also planting their own groves.

Spain remains the top producer in terms of volume, with Italy and Greece traditionally in second and third place. But change is under way. In 2015 a bumper crop pushed Tunisia temporarily into second place, although production is expected to fall back, at least in 2016.

Other important producing countries are showing increases, but predictions are difficult as each year brings different growing conditions to the various regions.

A question of quality

As well as the growth in production there has also been an increase in the percentage that can be immediately bottled as virgin or extra virgin to almost 50%. These changes have been driven by increasing demand, by modernisation in the more backward regions of the olive oil world, and by the application of the results of research in cultivation practices and processing techniques.

In the olive groves, the introduction of high-density and then super-high-density planting schemes has increased the yields and substantially reduced the costs of harvesting, while maintaining the quality of the olives and subsequent oils (see Grove management).

Changes in processing methods have been slower but recent research is also set to cut costs at the same time as increasing yields.

The chances of fraud

Even though the overall quality is increasing, the growing demand for olive oil coupled with a run of bad harvests seems to have increased the risk of adulteration. There have been a series of high profile stories in the world media about corner-cutting and downright fraud. This has started to dent the public’s faith in the authenticity of the oils on the shelves, and illustrate that olive oil fraud is not limited to any one region or country (see Fraud).

These problems have come at a time when consumers are becoming more concerned about the quality and authenticity of the products they buy. As a result, producers, both large and small, are coming under increasing pressure not only to offer the very best quality oils that they can, but also to prove that their products are what they claim to be. The description extra virgin may no longer be sufficient to indicate the very best oils.

Different approaches to deal with this are being put forward. They include new categories with higher standards than those for extra virgin status, such as the relatively new Californian standards and HS accreditation in Italy. Some tasting panels are experimenting with including additional factors such as harmony and complexity in their tasting profiles (see Tasting panels). In addition, comprehensive verification systems with full transparency and traceability back to the olive groves are becoming more widespread.

The healthy option

In recent years a third parameter has joined quality and authenticity in the appreciation of olive oil and that is its health benefits. Traditional wisdom always held that olive oil was good for you but now modern science has proved it. Alongside the research into the best practice for the production of olive oil there has been considerable research into the chemical composition of olive oil, particularly extra virgin olive oil, and the effect it has in the body. It seems that there is now hardly an illness or chronic condition that the consumption of extra virgin olive oil has not been shown to help to prevent or alleviate.

These benefits