The Olive Oil

That’s the reason why it took me almost a month of research to be able to write this article about the most fascinating oil.

A lot of people love olive oil for his great taste and his gold color, which sometimes turns a little bit green. A very good olive oil has the fruit flavor, a little bit spicy or soft and a good quality. Most of the time the criteria depends on the type of olives.

And the olive never gives the same oil. It takes many years for a olive tree to have some good fruit to make a great olive oil. That’s why the people who grow the olive really try to take care of it constantly. When the olives turn black , that means the oil is inside; it’s time to pick it.

On top of that we take note:

_the time to pick them(once they are picked, we check the caliber, the weight, the wash) _the nature of the soil _the climate _the variety of the olive _how long we are going to keep them _but mostly how people are going to work them.

We need to know that the olive oil is not only a great oil, but it’s also really healthy and cures people. Rich in vitamin E. Raw or cooked, it helps to digest a little bit easier.

To have less heart trouble, it is very good to consume olive oil. In SPAIN this is what people said about it: the olive oil takes away every bad thing.

How to know the difference between olive oil.

First: Extra virgin olive oil. The taste is perfect

Second: Virgin olive oil. The taste is good.

Third: Basic olive oil. The taste is normal; there’s only a little more acidity than the 2 first ones

Fourth: Mixed olive oil. It’s the result of the mixing of virgin olive oil and basic olive oil.

How to keep it. About 18 months for a extra virgin olive oil. No heat and no light it’s even better Now that you know a little more about olive oil, please keep using it.

I’m CHEF SERGE . A BIENTOT. Serge Pambo is co-owner and chef at Café de Paris on 7th Avenue South in Lakeview.

Anonymous oliviatory remarks: When you are talking about olive oil, think like a wino and talk like our friend Serge, a Frenchman. That is because many of the same rules of climate, soil, varietal, artisanal care, and flavor descriptors apply. Here are some that sound good to me, and you can make up any combination depending on what else you are eating. 

nutty (almonds, pine nuts) are they toasted?

fragrant - floral or perfumed like Torrontes

fruity – could range from intense tropical guava to earthier avocado

green - mint to apple spectrum

One of the bad descriptors used by experts: vomit - you don´t want to taste that--lest it remind you of the country girl on the bathroom floor in Miami. Olive oil could have improved her health.

The main type of fat found in all kinds of olive oil is monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs). MUFAs are actually considered a healthy dietary fat. MUFAs may help lower your risk of heart disease by improving related risk factors. For instance, MUFAs may lower your total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. On the quality, don’t take my word for it, or Serge’s, even in translation. The International Olive Oil Council sets the standards and organizes the panels of judges. They must not have my phone number. Virgin oils are extracted only by mechanical means that do not lead to alterations in the oil.

The numerical sensory values for each of the first three grades (extra virgin, virgin, and ordinary virgin) come from olive oil ratings by a qualified taste panel that has been officially recognized by the IOOC. The majority of the tasters, usually 5 of 8, must agree statistically on the olive oil ratings indicating the same defect, if any is present and similar intensity for fruitiness, bitterness, and pungency. Note that oils within the same grade can taste noticeably different, depending on terroir. A good olive oil will have complexity, a distinction between nose and palate, tactile qualities in the mouth (though even olive oil can go too far in this department—throat-catching is not a compliment). It will also have balanced acidity, and some equilibrium between fruit and bitterness.

And of course the best olive oil depends, like wine, on the food pairing. Strong extra virgin oil is good for simple bread dipping. A light, white fish prepared in olive oil may call for milder lubrication. This intensity can be affected both by the olive varietal, of which there are too many for even Anonymous to elaborate at this date (maybe another time, if by popular demand), and also by the maturity at picking.

A late harvest olive is going to have a lighter taste. The most prominent oil varieties in the world are Piqual, Empeltre, Arbequina, Frantoio, Coratina, Aglandaou, Picholine, Leccino, Chemlali, and Koroneiki. Oils with high polyphenol content have longer shelf life and are generally more bitter and pungent. Possible defects to taste for: rancid, musty, dry, muddy (failure of flavors to coalesce into any recognizable impressions), stewed, stale, moldy, vinegary, burnt, overly briny (whereas that is what you like in your dirty martini)

Processing factors that affect the quality: harvest maturity, selection and method (by hand is always best); temperature at extraction-higher heat produces more oil and less natural flavor. Beware of "pure" and "light" which are actually refined oils, meaning extracted with heat or solvents—the makers have to add in artificial antioxidants to keep shelf life, replacing the natural ones lost in refining process. Perhaps the most important factor is timing, not only the maturity of the grapes (not too green, not too far gone), but the time elapsed from harvest to extraction. The sooner the better. And next time just listen to Serge—his instruction is simpler. A.