This drink is definitely new to me but “Olive oil is a great addition to a cocktail” says Jonathan Stanyard, mixologist and founder of The Bitter Gringo, an American company that produces artisanal bitters and other cocktail ingredients. “It smooths the rough edges of a spirit while adding great texture”. He thinks nothing of reaching…
New way to solve the problem of finding the best olive oils in the shops
As the amazing range of health benefits from including plenty of extra virgin olive oil in everyday cooking is becoming more and more apparent, I am increasingly being asked “what is best olive oil to buy?“ This is not an easy question to answer. Am I being asked which oils are considered by the experts…
Storm damage in Andalucia: 2024 olive harvest update
Spain I watched the storms lashing through Andalucia recently and, like everyone else, I was horrified to hear about the loss of life and the destruction of homes and infrastructure. I have now started to think about the wider implications of the disastrous weather for agriculture and in particular for the olive harvest. Things were…
SAVANTES COMPLETE OLIVE HANDBOOK
“Olive Oil and Table Olive Production to Sales”This new book by Simon Field founder of Savantes and leading Australian olive farmer, really lives up to the promise in the title. It does exactly as it says and tells the reader, in extremely useful and practical detail, how to produce top quality table olives and olive…
What Will the 2024 Harvest Bring?
The official global production forecast is 3,000,000– 3,200,000 tons, with Spain expected to lead with 1,300.000 – 1,500,000 tons, followed by Turkey at 300,000 –320,000 tones, Greece at 230,000–290,000 tones, Tunisia at 260,000–280,000 Italy at 180.000–200,000, and Portugal at 160,000–180,000 tons. This looks better than last year. I have started to see some extremely encouraging reports about what to expect from 2024 olive oil production…
Know Your Olives: Koronieki
This Greek olive variety is certainly up there with Italian Frantoio and Spanish, Picual both of which have been highlighted in this series of posts on the different varieties of olive which are predominantly pressed for oil. It would not be exaggerating to say that the majority of Greek oils that are to be found…
The Gift of Oil: Websites revisited
In May 2020 I featured The Gift of Oil website, the brainchild of Phil Bianchi. He had spent many years working for blue chip food companies ending up in Athens working for a large olive oil company. Here his interest in top quality olive oil flourished and he decided to set up a website to…
It Starts with Veg
This is the title of an imaginative new book from Ceri Jones, Food Educator at the Garden Museum in London and US trained Natural Chef. The subtitle is 100 Seasonal Suppers and Sides but it is the main title which sets the scene. Ceri takes a collection of 40 different seasonal vegetables and makes them…
Off The Shelf
This is a feature which I have decided to revive in this very difficult time for buying half-way decent olive oil without breaking the bank. I am starting with my local supermarket which happens to be Waitrose. I cannot taste all the oils on the shelf so am using my previous experience of the oils…
Amuse Bouche from Profile Books
If you are planning a trip to France then Carolyn Boyd’s new book Amuse Bouche is the just the thing for you and if you had not thought of going there you may well after reading it. To my great disappointment I have just had to cancel a six day break in Normandy, but actually…