Cape Town - Since the history of the edible olive dates back 5 000 to 6 000 years, with the earliest evidence of its domestication coming from the Chalcolithic period – a phase of the Bronze Age – it’s understandably difficult to pinpoint who first discovered the bitter fruit could be palatable, or that its glorious oil, with its many health benefits, is so desirable.
Fast-forward a few millennia and picture yourself at the supermarket. There was a time, not that long ago, when the shelves had only with imported olive oils. Now there is a much wider variety available, many of them South African. With more choice, how do we make informed decisions about the best oil for our needs?
After speaking to several local olive oil producers, tasting and asking questions to confirm or dispel myths, I’ve learnt a great deal. Let’s begin with the elephant in the room: price.
Times are hard, and many of us will buy according to what we can afford. You’d expect imported products to cost more than local, but often the opposite is true when it comes to olive oil. This has a lot to do with the EU subsidising the overseas industry, bringing their prices down. South African farmers don’t have that luxury, which can make our oils more expensive. But next time you’re standing there with a bottle of Italian or Spanish in one hand and a bottle from Stellenbosch or Riebeek Kasteel in the other, stop to consider something even more important.
The quality
Some of the people interviewed for this story mentioned Tom Meuller, author of Extra Virginity: The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil, who says “Tasting is believing. You can read about great olive oils, and their vast superiority over bad oils, all you want. You can hear folks talk about the subject, you can watch videos on it. But until you try first-rate olive oil for yourself – actually put the good stuff in your mouth, and compare that experience to the bad stuff you’ve eaten in the past – you won’t really get it. You won’t fully believe there’s a problem, or, in your heart of hearts, that all the fuss over bad oil is entirely justified.”
Last week we held an informal tasting at Societi Bistro. At the table with me were Societi’s chef Stef Marais, Clare Mack from Spill, Brenda Wilkinson from Rio Largo and Wilna Hugo from Olyfberg – who happen to be neighbours on the banks of the Breede River. We had a selection of oils from them, as well as Kloovenburg, Slaley, Morgenster, Willow Creek, and Olive Pride.
A proper olive oil tasting is as complex as a wine tasting. And so it should be, since almost all extra virgin oils are blends of different cultivars, carefully balanced to create a unique oil. In addition, “an olive oil is the result of the cultivar, the terroir, the season, the microclimate, the harvesting, the production processes, the storage and the blend,” said Gerrie Duvenage, olive oil maker at Morgenster.
While colour is not an indication of the quality of the oil, freshly bottled oil with a high percentage of Mission olives will be distinctly greener. The Coratina will add a more peppery flavour, and the Leccino brings fruity, herbaceous qualities to the oil. Like wine, these can be detected in the aroma. When tasting pure oil – which you should slurp in your mouth – it is judged by how it hits the back of the throat. The more you cough, the better.
We were more relaxed about it; my main objective was to discover if I could detect flavour differences. The answer is yes. Some were more pungent, others delicate. This is useful to know when choosing an oil depending on whether you’re going to use it for cooking, dressing a dish, or dipping. What could be better than a simple bowl of pasta drizzled with a fantastically grassy olive oil and a pinch of Maldon salt? Or the classic Caprese salad?
“When you learn to love olive oil, you start using it for everything,” said Brenda Wilkinson, whose husband Nick is the chairman of the South African Olive Association.
The association promotes the table olive and olive oil industry and runs a quality control programme which assures consumers are getting a quality product within the international specifications of extra virgin olive oil, explained Brenda.
Looking for quality? Look out for the SA Olive sticker. It states the year of harvest and indicates the producer has participated in the “Commitment to Compliance” programme. This means the oil has been tested by a laboratory for chemical compliance to international standards for extra virgin olive oil, as well being subjected to organoleptic testing by an approved tasting panel which ensures the oil carries no defects and can rightfully be labelled as extra virgin olive oil.
The harvest date is relevant because the fresher the oil, the better it is. Ideally, it should be consumed within two years of harvest. “I understand it is illegal in the EU to sell olive oil and call it olive oil after 18 months from vintage,” said Lindsay Hunting from Slaley. “You may sell it as oil, but not as olive oil. The best guarantee right now is to know your oils and your producers.”
Olive oil production is a relatively quick process. Harvested in the cool months between March and July, the berries should be pressed well within 24 hours of harvest after which they begin to ferment and deteriorate which adversely affects the flavour. The oil goes into bottles shortly afterwards. In August, the local industry presents its annual awards, and in September the new oils go public. Right now you should be looking for oils with a 2013 harvest sticker, prominently displayed, and from September, one which says 2014.
These stringent quality control systems for South African oil are to our advantage but once you’ve bought it and taken it home, the responsibility moves to you. Buying the best you can afford is no good if you don’t store it properly. Sun and air are the enemies of olive oil so it should be kept in a cool, dark place, and its primary container is still a dark glass bottle, said Wilna Hugo. There is another new way, used by Olyfberg and Rio Largo, which could be even better and that’s the bag in a box. It’s the same as boxed wine, with a foil container in a sturdy cardboard tube. The tap and the closed environment mean no light or air gets in and there is no spillage.
And here are two more reasons to buy South African. “For consumers and traders who are conscious of the environment, the use of a local product is much ‘greener’ with lower transport inputs. South African produced oils develop the local economy, creating 5 000 permanent jobs and 20 000 seasonal positions at a time when no other fruit is harvested,” said Duvenage. - Sunday Argus