It has been some time since avocado oil was on my agenda but last week I had a very informative meeting with a producer from Kenya and tasted five avocado oils currently on sale in the UK, all from different producers. The results were surprising. Two of the oils were good but three of them…
Mother’s Garden Rejects Plastic
This small olive oil company based in Catalonia has announced it will no longer be selling premium extra virgin olive oil in 2 litre or 5 litre plastic containers. While continuing with the 500ml glass bottles, they will be switching to 3 litre tins for larger quantities. Martin Kirby and Maggie Whitman, who run Mother’s…
Sydney Times features recipes from The Olive Oil Diet
Six recipes from my book The Olive Oil Diet written with Dr. Simon Poole were featured last month on the Sydney Times website at sydneytimes.net.au Great to see our ideas down under. LENTIL FALAFEL WITH TAHINI SAUCE Lentils do not usually need to be soaked overnight but it is essential for this recipe but once…
Olive Oil for Christmas
Olive oil for Christmas has two meanings – in the food and among the presents. Of course olive oil will be in full use in my kitchen this Christmas, but here I want to talk about extra virgin olive oil as a Christmas present. Lots of my friends and family enjoy first class olive oil…
A Busy Week of Tutored Tastings
I shall be conducting three special extra virgin olive oil tutored tastings at classes in London in the week beginning Saturday 14th October. They are all open to everyone and will be held at The Welcome Italia Exhibition, The Divertimenti Cookery School and the Premises of the Oil Merchant. There are still places available at…
EVOO Great for Cakes
Using olive oil in baking is not only a great way of adding more olive oil to your diet it also ensures good results without too much effort! Here are three lovely cake recipes using extra virgin olive oils from France, California and Spain. The first recipe comes from my fellow cookery writer, chef and…
Designer Packaging for EVOO
A range of designer packaging will be on show at Anuga and other food shows with an eye to the Christmas market. Here are just a few of them….. Zeet Last year Zeet Tunisian extra virgin olive oil launched a range of new packaging by established international contemporary artists. They temed up with Selma Fariani…
European Evoo Tasting Courses in English
In reply to those of you who are interested in experiencing the tastes and flavours of olive oil in more depth here are details of a number of tasting classes and courses being held in various European countries before the end of the year. Contact the organisers for full details. September Savantes Dublin Master…
Off the Shelf: September
This month I bought three extra virgin olive oils from shops in Brighton all at prices under £13.00 a litre. Cypressa EVOO from Taj in Western Road Brighton There is very little information of any kind on the label other than that the oils is from Greece and is packed there for Katsouris Brothers Ltd…
Planeta-olive-oil and the magical island of Sicily
I am just back from a wonderful trip to Sicily as the guest of the Planeta family, producers of Paneta-olive-oil and I was bowled over by the rich history of the island . The earliest visitors to put down roots were the Phoenecians, closely followed by the Greeks and then the Romans. A few hundred…