“Good oil, like good wine, is a gift from the gods. The grape and the olive are among the priceless benefactions of the soil, and were destined, each in its way, to promote the welfare of man.” - George Ellwanger (1848-1906) Pleasures of the Table (1902)

Throughout history, olive oil has held a place of divine importance to the peoples of the Mediterranean. It has anointed the heads of kings and covered the lithe bodies of Olympic athletes and Roman gladiators. Olive oil was a source of wealth and power, and the olive tree was a symbol of peace, purity, and healing. Hippocrates, the “Father of Modern Medicine” prescribed it for curing muscular pain, ulcers, and cholera. The great historian Pliny (AD 23 – 79) wrote, “Except the vine, there is no plant which bears a fruit of as great importance as the olive.” Homer called the oil of the olive “liquid gold,” singing its praises in his poetry, while the Prophet Muhammad advised, “Consume olive oil and anoint it upon your bodies since it is of the blessed tree.” In the Hebrew Bible, olive oil was used to consecrate one chosen for God’s work, and the Jewish Menorah traditionally used olive oil as fuel for the fires that lit its seven branches (not candles).

The olive tree itself is a lesson in resilience. It was the branch of an olive tree that the dove brought to Noah after the Biblical worldwide flood, as proof that the waters had receded. According to Italian lore, “sun, stone, drought, silence and solitude” are the five characteristics needed for an olive tree to thrive. With a lifespan of 300 to 400 years*, they are able to survive brutal, scorching summers and bitter cold winters. Their gnarled, twisted trunks and squat, stunted appearance seems to be a testament to their longevity.

There are a number of different cultivars and colors of olives, however olive oil is made only from green fruit. The flavor profile and color of fine olive oil is dependent upon variety of fruit, weather conditions during the growing season, and location of the trees. Just as with wine, many believe that the best oil is made from trees that have the harshest growing conditions. More than 750 million olive trees are cultivated around the globe, with 95% of those found in the Mediterranean area, and the olive industry employs 12 million people worldwide.

Similar to harvesting grapes for wine, olives destined to become oil must be picked carefully and at optimal ripeness. If the olives are too green, the oil will be bitter, and if the olives are overripe, the oil will be rancid. Hand picking is the method of choice for the production of the finest quality oils, as it is the least damaging to the fruit (bruising of the fruit at harvest can result in adverse flavors). After being washed and de-stemmed, the olives are ground into a paste either by stone wheels or hydraulic machinery. This paste is then cold pressed (heat alters flavors), and the oil collected during this phase is considered the best and called “extra virgin.” The pressed olives or ‘pomace’ still contain some oil at this point in production.

Though olive oil is one of the oldest culinary oils and was the foundation of the Mediterranean diet, its popularity in the U.S. is fairly recent. As such, the U.S. has entirely different labeling requirements than the majority of olive producing countries, which are members of the I.O.O.C. (International Olive Oil Council). Therefore, interpreting labels can be a frustrating process indeed. Generally, olive oil is labeled by how it was produced, by its chemistry, and by its flavor. In I.O.O.C. member countries (there are 23 of them to date), ‘virgin oil’ is defined as oil that has had no chemical treatments (refining), and ‘refined oil’ has been chemically treated to neutralize strong tastes and acids. Store labels of oils produced in these countries reflect the oil’s quality, with ‘extra virgin’ being the best, followed by ‘virgin,’ then simply ‘olive oil,’ and finally ‘olive-pomace oil.’ Currently, the U.S. has its own grading system that does not reflect I.O.O.C. standards and no regulations at all concerning labeling.

However, on September 30th of this year, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger of California signed into law a bill that will ensure his state’s olive oil labeling conforms with “international standards.” As 99.9% of olive oil produced in the U.S. is grown in California, this is a giant step forward for the American olive industry. When purchasing a domestic olive oil, savvy consumers can look for the California Olive Oil Council seal to be sure they are buying more than a fancy label.

Traditional Mediterranean olive oils (especially super fresh ones) have a much stronger flavor than the refined oils to which most Americans have grown accustomed. Just like wine, it’s a matter of tasting a variety to find which oil you prefer. As a general rule, the deeper the color of the oil, the stronger its flavor will be. Those that enjoy tannic wines might also enjoy stronger flavored oil.

Olive oil’s health benefits are well documented. It is rich in monounsaturated fats (those are the good kind), polyphenols, and antioxidants and may help reduce the risk of coronary artery disease, cancers, and liver disorders, as well as delay aging.

For storage purposes, treat your gourmet olive oil as you would a fine wine. Air, heat, and light are the enemies of olive oil, so store your oil in a cool, dark area in a tightly sealed container. As oils break down with time, the fresher the oil, the better the flavor and vise versa. So that bottle you forgot about in the back of the cabinet might be better used for cooking than drizzled on a salad. If it’s exposed to cold temperatures, olive oil may congeal or become cloudy. Not to worry, once it warms, it will return to its unadulterated state.

Many gourmet shops offer a wide variety of beautifully packaged olive oils, especially during the holiday season. Quality often, but not always, is reflected by pricing, so ask your favorite CRUSH retailer to assist you in finding the perfect oil that will also fit perfectly into your budget. This Christmas, show your friends and family what you really think of them. Treat them like kings and give the age-old gift of gold… liquid gold. Cheers!

*There are many olive trees in Israel and Greece thought to be from 2,000 to 4,000 years old, and all of these trees still produce fruit.