Italian Olive Oil Producers Enjoy the Best Harvest in Years!

Presenting a Trio of Exclusive Club Selections for Your Table

• A nearly ideal growing season, unprecedented in recent years, set the stage for a beautiful collaboration between the Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club and award-winning artisanal producers from family farms in Tuscany, Abruzzo, and Sicily.
• Available nowhere else, these outstanding extra virgin olive oils will bring joy to your cold-weather meals.
• All were rushed to the US by jet to preserve their intoxicating aromas, complex flavors, and healthful polyphenols.
• As always, all have been certified by an independent lab to be 100 percent extra virgin.

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How best to frame the story of my quest to bring you the world’s best and freshest olive oil in this, the last quarter of the year? Borrowing from the profound introductory paragraph of Charles Dickens’ novel, A Tale of Two Cities, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…”

The good news is that this set is one of the most stunning trios of Italian olive oils I’ve assembled in at least a decade. For the family-owned farms that produced these just-pressed oils, 2020 was anno buonissimo! The bad news—for me personally, anyway—was that I was unable to physically be there for this epic harvest.

This was very distressing to me—a cruel irony, as Italy has long been one of my favorite olive oil destinations for many reasons. Chief among them is Italy’s intimate relationship with the world’s most important evergreen, Olea europaea. It has been going strong for thousands of years and plays such an important role in Italy’s unique culture. The country is home to more than 550 varieties of olives, most of which thrive nowhere else; many of them have made custom-blending oils a real joy over the years.

An Especially Sweet Victory

On the other hand, I was thrilled for the olive farmers who, despite the hardships imposed by the coronavirus, enjoyed nearly ideal growing conditions all season long: a spring that treated flowering trees tenderly; a warm summer that discouraged attacks by pests; well-timed rains; and a cool but frost-free fall that accommodated an early harvest (always my preference). They needed and deserved that bit of extraordinary luck after the hardships many have endured in previous harvest seasons.

Earlier this year, Italy was one of the first Western countries to restrict travel during the pandemic. So it was clear months ago that my annual visit to Italy was not in the cards. Fortunately, I had two quarters’ worth of experience finding premium extra virgin olive oils in Chile and Australia by relying on dependable longtime contacts, residents of those countries who know how exacting and meticulous I am.

Introducing My “A” Team

As the Italian harvest approached, I was in the best position I’d been in in months, considering international travel from the US was impossible. From Rome, I was being advised by Duccio Morozzo della Rocca, a world-famous olive oil expert and master miller I’ve collaborated with for 10 years. Poised to join him, once the harvest began, was one of my dearest friends, Tjeerd Belien, a Dutch citizen and an intrepid world traveler. (His first name is pronounced “cheered.”) We have known each other since 1996. Not only is he the photographer whose work always illustrates the pages of the Pressing Report, but he also speaks five languages and is an accomplished olive oil taster, a logistical genius, and the best person on the planet for channeling me in the field.

Plus, he can drive anything—trucks, cars, campers, etc.—and on the left side of the road, too, a skill that comes in very handy when we’re visiting olive producers in the Australian Outback. After renting an RV in Germany (see photo above), Tjeerd stocked up on groceries (many European hotels and restaurants are closed during the pandemic) and as planned, rendezvoused with Duccio in Italy. Duccio had already identified the season’s most promising producers—all families with whom we have long and successful working relationships, including the Pruneti brothers in Tuscany, the Di Mercurio family in Abruzzo, and Salvatore Cutrera in Sicily. These names will be familiar to longtime Club members who have previously enjoyed their outstanding olive oils.

The Best Italian Olive Oils in a Decade, Says Expert

We kept in very close touch, exchanging opinions on samples and blends and handling the myriad details necessary to get these precious oils to your door. Tjeerd created a vivid “you are there” connection for me with phone calls, emails, photos, and video recordings, as he knows how dearly I love the hunt for Italy’s “liquid gold.”

Duccio continues to rave about the oils—some of the best he’s tasted in his professional career, he says. I have to agree. This trio of polyphenol-rich olive oils is incredibly well-balanced, with exquisitely long finishes and parity between fruitiness, spiciness, and bitterness. I couldn’t be prouder of these exclusive creations, or of the extraordinary effort exerted by so many people to put them in your hands.

These ravishing EVOOs will be amazing additions to your winter kitchen. Their robust healthfulness and food friendly characteristics will delight and astound you. As always, I’ve included Italian-inspired recipes to show off their finest qualities, as well as detailed tasting notes and recommended food pairings.

Happy drizzling!

T. J. Robinson 
The Olive Oil Hunter®

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This Quarter’s First Selection

• Producer: Salvatore Cutrera Exclusive Signature Selection, Chiaramonte Gulfi, Ragusa, Sicily, Italy 2020
• Olive Varieties: Tonda Iblea, Nocellara del Belice
• Flavor Profile: Mild

The Olive Oil Hunter was born in Sicily. Figuratively speaking, that is—T. J. Robinson was born in North Carolina, but my love of fresh-pressed olive oil and my mission to bring it to America year-round started back in 2003 on the rocky island wedged between the toe of the Italian boot and the coast of North Africa. At a Sicilian harvest celebration, someone handed me a small glass of indescribably fresh, green, life-affirming olio nuovo—“new oil”—and my life changed forever.

Native Sicilian Salvatore Cutrera takes it a dimension further: “I was born in an olive mill,” he says. “This is my habitat, like the lion in the savannah.” Salvatore and I got to know each other three seasons ago, in 2017. In our initial encounters, I had the sense I was being sized up—Is this guy the real deal?—but my discerning palate won him over, and Salvatore excitedly shared with me (and you, my lucky Club members!) what he calls his “secret stash,” pressed from his very finest olives, reserved for only those who can truly appreciate it.

Salvatore and I are thrilled to feature an exclusive Cutrera blend as a Club selection this year. “It was a perfect season,” he announced. “In 20 years we have not had such a beautiful season.” While Italy is home to more than 550 olive varieties, the groves at Frantoi Cutrera, intriguingly, are devoted to two: Tonda Iblea and Nocellara del Belice, both of which are popularly served as table olives. (I adore great olive oils pressed from table olives, as the fruit is cultivated for its intensity of flavor.)

Duccio described the choreographed “craziness” at the Cutrera mill during the harvest as “well organized, military-Sicilian style,” running 20 hours a day, with trucks laden with bins of just-picked olives arriving nonstop from the groves. “A beehive,” evoked Tjeerd. “Everyone has a role.”

Salvatore explained his uncanny ability to step from his office into the fever-pitched activity of the mill, always intuiting where he is needed, and for what. “It’s not just tasting and smelling that makes you a great miller—perfect managing involves using all the senses. When you are inside the mill you see, smell, hear, touch. You listen to the rhythm and noise of the equipment, and you know if something must be done.”

The intense productivity of the mill is made possible by the extended—and extensive—Cutrera family. Salvatore’s two sisters and both his brothers-in-law are involved in the business, as are some of their children, totaling at least 12 of the employees. They are always looking forward, striving for perfection.

Last season the mill implemented a heating exchange system, in which a long stretch of tubing allows the olive paste to be cooled to an exact temperature, reducing the time and heat exposure, increasing the aromas, and allowing for better oils.

“Next year,” Salvatore promised, “you will visit my new facility.” In the ambitious, groundbreaking project, connecting corridors of glass will allow all production areas to be visible to each other and to visitors, promoting olive oil education by drawing locals and tourists alike to observe the process. Seventy-five huge olive trees encircle the structure. All the state-of-the-art equipment and holding tanks will be brand-new, and Frantoi Cutrera plans to premiere a technique for transporting each just-pressed oil directly to its corresponding storage tank, under temperature-controlled conditions, with no oxygen exposure. Among attempts to evoke the scale and importance of the new mill, I think Duccio described it best: “It will be a cathedral of olive oil.”

I can’t wait for you to taste this exquisite blend—it exemplifies all the sensuous characteristics of Tonda Iblea, fortified by Nocellara del Belice. Even though I have worked with these two varietals in the past, this particular blend is one of a kind. Every year is different; as Salvatore observed, “You must put the season in context in order to understand how to work with the olives to produce the very finest oils.”

He then returned thoughtfully to the idea of craziness, opining that to create something truly great, one needs to have a little touch of insanity. “I see the same craziness in T. J., the passion we share.”

Impressions and Recommended Food Pairings

Green in the glass and on the nose, this intoxicating olive oil is perfumed with the scents of tomato, tomato leaf, fresh basil and mint, green apple, baby fennel, celery, and walnuts, punctuated with the spiciness of arugula and white pepper. In the mouth, my tasters detected fresh-cut grass, green tomato, and minerally baby spinach with Belgian endive-like bitterness. We were captivated by the nuttiness of Nocellara del Belice and the tomato-ey notes delivered by Tonda Iblea.( Both varietals are natives of Sicily.) Extremely well-balanced with a warm, lingering finish.

This oil would be perfetto with fresh bread; mild white fish, such as sole or cod; lobster, shrimp, or crabmeat; chicken; risotto, polenta, and other grains; white beans; squash; salads featuring fruit and/or nuts; crudités; tomato bruschetta; pizza; pasta; potatoes; roasted pears with pistachios; mild cheeses; or a variety of soups, such as chickpea, tomato, minestrone, potato, or cauliflower.

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This Quarter’s Second Selection

• Producer: Frantoio Mercurius, Penne, Abruzzo, Italy 2020
• Olive Varieties: Dritta
• Flavor Profile: Medium

For the past two years, veteran Club members have received a phenomenal extra virgin olive oil pressed during the Italian harvest called Frantoio Hermes. The name, as fans of Greek and Roman mythology will recognize, was a play on the producer’s surname, Di Mercurio.

Somehow, this diminutive 60-acre family farm in rural Abruzzo snagged the attention of the high-end Paris fashion house founded in 1837, also known as Hermes, which flexed its legal muscle to force a name change. Thus, the olive oil brand that delighted Club members in 2018 and 2019 is now known as Frantoio Mercurius.
(Sometimes, Goliath wins.)

But you win, too, dear Club member, as the oil pressed during the current harvest by this small boutique farm is once again—for the third year in a row—outstanding. (Usually, olive trees require at least one season to recoup their vigor.) The name may have changed, but this family’s unwavering commitment to quality continues to impress. Among the many awards Claudio Di Mercurio and his team have won in a mere 10 years is the much-coveted “Frantoio dell’ Anno” (Mill of the Year) by the prestigious Italian food and wine empire known as Gambero Rosso.

Almost as precious to Claudio are the compliments he’s received from my appreciative Club members. He grins widely when he recalls them. He is still incredulous that the extra virgin olive oils he and his family produce from Dritta olives, an early ripening varietal unique to Abruzzo, are on the tables of olive oil-savvy Americans like yourself.

Dritta is one of several hundred Italian olive cultivars. The name translates to “sweet,” “dependable,” or “trustworthy.” As an adjective, the word dritta can be applied to people as well—certainly, it’s appropriate for the sweet and trustworthy Di Mercurio family.

While I savored the many photos, videos, and olive oil samples Tjeerd and Duccio sent me from the farm, I felt wistful that I couldn’t be there in person to savor the first drops of just-pressed olive oil on the family’s warm-from-the-oven bread, steaming soup, garden-fresh salads and vegetables, cured meats, and more. Nostalgia overwhelmed me when I saw a recording of one of Claudio’s sisters stirring pasta into a huge pot of boiling water over an outdoor propane burner fashioned from a tin wash tub. I remembered so well the family’s warm hospitality from my first meals at their table, and later, the comfortable and informal way we related at the end of long days in the groves or at the mill.

Weariness, of course, is much easier to cope with when the harvest is as sensational as this one was in both quality and quantity. The entire season, Claudio noted happily, was almost picture-perfect. No curveballs from Mother Nature! Cooler temperatures in the spring and early summer made for good flowering (if there are too many buds, the tree’s energy can be sapped as the fruit develops) and were inhospitable to the pests that sometimes threaten the crop. Well-timed fall rains helped the fruit mature, as did optimum differentials between daytime and nighttime temperatures. (The latter is critical for the development of intoxicating olive oil aromas.)

Claudio, an electrical engineer by training (his wife, Olga, is a medical doctor), relentlessly searches for ways to improve the quality of the oils the family produces. This year, he invested in a device that produces inert nitrogen gas, which is used by the world’s best olive oil producers to displace any oxygen that might come into contact with the fresh-pressed oils. Nitrogen inhibits premature oxidation and protects healthful polyphenols.

In another new development, the Di Mercurios’ 19-year-old son, Antonio, has taken a year off from his schooling to learn the olive oil business from the ground up, a source of great pride for his parents.

If you are unfamiliar with it, Abruzzo is a region in South-Central Italy about 60 miles east of Rome. The Di Mercurio farm, its beautiful hills studded with olive trees, is located near the Adriatic Sea and the ancient city of Penne. Just over the ridge is an otherworldly area resembling the American West where American-made films, such as “spaghetti Westerns,” were shot in the 1960s and 70s. (See the photo above.)

I can’t wait for you to taste this exclusive and very special olive oil, which is available only to members of the Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club. I promise it will be a singular experience.

Impressions and Recommended Food Pairings 

For the third consecutive year, this personable oil, pressed from rare Dritta olives, stays mostly in character. Herbal and grassy, it’s evocative on the nose of almonds, artichokes, green bananas, golden apples, cinnamon, mint, red peppers, and chopped winter greens. Abundant polyphenols give it a Szechuan peppercorn-like spiciness in the mouth, tempered with the flavors of arugula, radicchio, artichoke, hazelnuts, celery, and lime zest. Beautifully calibrated. Anticipate a pleasant and protracted finish.

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This Quarter’s Third Selection

• Producer: Frantoio Pruneti, San Polo in Chianti, Tuscany, Italy 2020
• Olive Varieties: Moraiolo, Leccino, Frantoio, Pendolino
• Flavor Profile: Bold

When you walk into Frantoio Pruneti, the air is alive and tingling with peppery, spicy, pungent polyphenols and the scent of fresh, green olive oil. I fervently missed that olfactory experience this season; if I close my eyes and imagine standing in that space I can smell the greenness, and my throat practically tickles from the oleocanthal in the olives.

Brothers Gionni and Paolo Pruneti are fourth-generation olive oil producers with gold-medal-winning, diversified groves located sixty miles from Siena. Their extra virgin olive oils consistently reap the most coveted honors, with at least four appearances on the Top 20 list of Flos Olei, the connoisseur’s guide to the world’s best olive oils. On my very first visit, in 2012, I was so smitten that I presented one of their brilliant oils as a Club selection, and we have collaborated a number of times since. The impeccably maintained groves, comprising more than 30,000 trees, carpet the hills in and around the town of San Polo in Chianti, along the storied wine route between Siena and Florence.

Gionni shared exuberant news early: “This is going to be a great season!” For the first time in fifteen years, the Pruneti groves enjoyed normal weather (or, rather, what used to be considered normal weather)—a hot summer, with enough rain to create plump fruit, but not too much moisture; and a pleasingly cool fall. This provided for an early harvest—my timing preference for maximizing the complex flavors and plentiful perfumes in the resulting oils—and for a manageable, standard workday for the harvest team. (The hotter temperatures of the past several years have dictated that harvests start before dawn and end before midday in order to protect the picked fruit from the blistering heat.)

I can’t lie to you—I was deeply disappointed to miss the best Tuscan harvest in more than a decade. But I couldn’t ask for a better virtual reality experience than via my two most trusted colleagues, Tjeerd Belien and Duccio Morozzo, who served as my nose, palate, eyes, and ears in the Remote Italian Olive Oil Hunt of 2020.

Tjeerd shared a steady stream of details, starting with “Gionni is thrilled with the olives… and beyond exhausted.” During peak harvest time, the mill runs round the clock, and the brothers swap shifts: Gionni works from 8 a.m., when the harvest day starts, past midnight, then sleeps four to five hours on a pullout bed. Paolo covers the second shift, from about 10 p.m. to the early morning.

Running the olive mill (frantoio) and the business is truly a family affair. Gionni oversees the production process while Paolo handles marketing and also fills in at the mill. Their father, Gilberto, is retired but continues to make rounds, while the youngest generation enjoys hanging out with the harvest team and witnessing the olives’ journey from the tree to the mill to the table. Little Lorenzo, Gionni’s 7-year-old son, wears big earmuffs to protect his ears from the whir and din of the equipment as he marches around, monitoring the progress. You can see one of Paolo’s daughters, Elisa, in the groves with the harvesters and her papa above.

This season, Gionni explained, they installed a new disc crusher with a differently shaped grid that helps maximize the aroma in the resulting oil. (Olive crushers are of three varieties—knife, hammer, or disc—each with particular attributes.) The team also shortened the pipe that transports the olive paste, keeping it cooler and further optimizing the aroma and flavors in the final product.

Gionni and Duccio share a history going back to 2006. They met while working for Alfa Laval, the renowned manufacturer of world-class olive-milling equipment, and both are master millers, the highest level of expertise in olive oil production. As longtime colleagues and friends, it was meaningful to them both to collaborate on this exclusive, quintessentially Tuscan-style blend for our Club.

Gionni experienced a moment of confronto (reckoning) as Duccio reminded him how receptive the Club would be to a bold, robust oil: his eyes lit up and he got a big smile on his face. The two olive oil geniuses put their (curly) heads together, “channeling T. J.,” as they put it, and arrived at a gorgeous blend that embodies the finest qualities of Tuscan olive oil: it’s bold, dazzling, harmonious, and exceedingly food friendly.

Paolo and Gionni asked that I extend their congratulations to the Club for helping educate Americans about high-quality extra virgin olive oil. From Tuscany, in the form of the shimmering bottle of liquid gold you hold in your hands, they send their very warmest “Saluti” and “Grazie!”

Impressions and Recommended Food Pairings 

In the past, I have referred to a robust Pruneti blend as “Tuscany in a bottle,” and the description is still apt. The nose is dominated by the scents of almonds, green bananas and apples, vanilla, fresh oregano, fennel, and wheatgrass with white pepper for spiciness and marzipan (almond paste) for a touch of sweetness. So substantial, it’s almost chewy in the mouth, reprising almonds along with wild greens, black kale, nasturtiums, sage, and the assertive spiciness of mixed peppercorns. Pulls no punches, but was described by one of my tasters as “a joy ride on the palate.” Indeed.

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Olive Oil and Health

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Kudos from Club Members

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Recipes

• One-Pot Pasta with Sausage and Spinach Hearty, filling, and needing only one pot, this comforting dish will warm a three-dog night. I first cooked with passata (strained uncooked tomato purée) during a visit to Italy, but have since found passata on some upscale American supermarket shelves. view recipe
• Italian Apple Olive Oil Cake Rustic and moist, this Ligurian cake deserves a place in your olive oil baking repertoire. It will infuse your kitchen with the scents of late fall—apples, cinnamon, and nutmeg. No frosting is required, but we wouldn’t say no to a drizzle of warm honey or a scoop of premium vanilla ice cream. view recipe
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Onions with Mushroom Lardons Some of our favorite members of the Brassica family, brussels sprouts, star in this vegan-friendly mélange of seasonal vegetables. Large king oyster or shiitake mushrooms can be found at many supermarkets or Asian food emporiums. Feel free to substitute other meaty mushrooms, such as portobellos or creminis. view recipe
• Sicilian-Style Grilled Artichokes Longtime friend of the Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club, author and TV host Steven Raichlen, shared this recipe from his forthcoming book, How to Grill Vegetables. It pays homage to Italians’ love of grilled artichokes. Here, this delectable botanical (yes, artichokes are technically flowers) are grilled directly in the embers of a wood or charcoal re. view recipe
• Dry-Rubbed Beef Tenderloin with Red Wine Sauce Nothing says “special occasion” more eloquently than beef tenderloin. To make sure the mild flavor of the meat is front and center, we rub it with a fragrant paste of fresh herbs, garlic, and extra virgin olive oil before ovenroasting. You can even skip the red wine sauce and drizzle the sliced meat with more… view recipe
• Maine Downeast Pumpkin Bread Make a double batch of this moist bread, as it freezes well and is great for sharing with family and friends. If you’re a “from scratch” kind of person, you can make your own pumpkin purée from pie pumpkins. view recipe
• Antipasto Bites For a carb-free version of these colorful, festive skewers, replace the cheese tortellini with cherry tomatoes, marinated mushroom caps, or pepperoncini. view recipe
• Ribollita In the spirit of cucina povera (poverty cuisine), Italian mothers and grandmothers have repurposed for generations a thick vegetable stew (every family has their own recipe) by submerging bread and cheese in it and reheating. view recipe
• Sweet Potato Soup with Sage Pesto A cornucopia of seasonal flavors comes together in this creamy vegetarian soup. It’s homey, yet you can serve it to the most sophisticated palates in your best china or rustic soup bowls. It gets a double hit of fresh-pressed olive oil, which is used in the vibrant, herbaceous pesto as well as the soup. view recipe
• Kale Salad with Grana Padano Tuscan kale is sold under several names and might be labeled dinosaur kale, black kale, cavolo nero, or lacinato kale. Grana Padano is an aged cow’s milk cheese from Emilia-Romagna. If you can’t find it, substitute Parmigiano-Reggiano. view recipe

No Worries, Mate! Against All Odds, Your Olive Oil Hunter Proudly Presents Three
Magnificent Fresh-Pressed EVOOs from Australia

• Enticingly food-friendly and brimming with antioxidants, these dazzling EVOOs were rushed to our shores by jet (no small feat).
• All are custom blends created by yours truly, procured from award-winning Australian producers (also no small feat).
• All are Club exclusives, available nowhere else in the US.
• All are certified by an independent lab to be 100 percent extra virgin.

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G’day, mate! It’s that Down Under time of year—when the freshest, most flavorful olive oils on earth come from Australia, our seasonal opposite. Mother Nature doesn’t shift the global harvest schedule, even while a pandemic continues on her watch.

Nor does your Olive Oil Hunter. At this point in the calendar I’m usually knackered from the 20,000-mile round trip to Oz. I love the annual journey, visiting groves that I’ve watched develop and flourish over the past decade and collaborating with the ingenious Ozzie producers, many of whom are now dear friends. In just 25 years, Australia has given rise to a charismatic, innovative olive oil culture, pioneered by scrappy small-scale growers and guided by cutting-edge agricultural science. My appetite is also geared up for Australia’s vibrant and exciting food scene, which reflects and reinterprets Asian, Mediterranean, and Middle Eastern influences.

The Oz-Stars

As you’ve likely surmised, though, this year I was not able to travel. Even before it was clear that any trips to the Southern Hemisphere would be confined to Zoom, I began drafting the team for a remote olive oil quest. The clutch players in Australia would be two longtime friends of the Club: Leandro Ravetti, best described as an “all-around olive oil genius,” and the incomparable Melissa Wong, whose meticulous judgment and discerning palate I trust implicitly.

Leandro predicted early that Australian growers would have a challenging year. The hot, dry weather that olive trees crave failed to materialize; summer was cooler than normal, with a lot of rain, which restrained the olives’ development. As harvest time approached, average temperatures were a full 3ºC below average, and the rainfall hit record marks. As Leandro described it, “Winter came early to Australia,” and Mother Nature closed the door on the growing season.

Highly skilled producers are no strangers to strategizing around lousy weather, and I was heartened to learn that two of my favorite award-winning Australian farms, Annie Paterson’s Nullamunjie Olive Groves and the Oasis farm of John and Marjan Symington, were seeing gorgeous fruit on their trees. Leandro’s expertly cultivated groves in Boort would be my third ace in the hole.

Going the Extra Mile

For the growers, the pressing question was how to staff the harvest safely. Australian olive farms rely heavily on seasonal workers, who range from youthful European backpackers to “grey nomads,” retired farmers in their 60s. There are also the “double-timers,” who work the harvests in both hemispheres, as well as the invaluable tech experts. With international travel at a halt, however, many of the workers this year were rookies. Usually they would lodge in a nearby town, but, understandably, this year that was not feasible. Leandro and his team came up with an ingenious solution: the creation of an “RV bubble” on the farm, so each harvest worker or couple was able to stay safely isolated in a private RV, with all the amenities.

(More Than) a Little Help from My Friends

Enter Melissa. She and I have been friends for more than 20 years, going back to my days at the Food Network in New York City. In recent seasons, she has hosted Grand Tastings for me and my Merry Band of Tasters at her beautiful home in Melbourne. She is an ultra-savvy scout and always has the scoop on up-and-comers on the olive oil scene.

Melissa served as my “palate on the ground,” shipping me a weekly batch of promising EVOO samples, which I’d evaluate to identify any Club contenders and report back. From those select few, I would curate exclusive blends. When a time-sensitive delivery from Leandro’s grove was delayed, the ever-resourceful Melissa booked an Uber to courier the sample to her home so she could send it on to me.

Intuitively, Melissa anticipated our needs far in advance—things one would ordinarily take for granted, such as thermal blankets to insulate the oils while transporting them to the States. Cargo space on planes was extremely scarce, as very few flights were going in or out of Melbourne’s Tullamarine terminal, so Melissa and I spent weeks beforehand negotiating for travel spots for your precious oils.

Scott Sanders, the globe-trotting consultant and miller who’s spent the last 3 seasons with the Oasis team, joined Melissa to oversee the blending of this quarter’s selections, matching the blends on a larger scale—perfectly—to those I’d created stateside.

When I reflect on all the extra efforts that went in to creating the trio of liquid gold you have before you, I am deeply moved. I don’t think I could say it better than Leandro Ravetti, who asked me to share his words with you:

“During these very difficult times, when people are forced to be separated from friends and family, and when things are so different from what we are accustomed to, we put more emphasis than ever on ensuring consistency for the Club members—to do everything possible to put great oil on your table.”

These extremely food-friendly, health-promoting Australian gems will brighten your menus and expand your culinary repertoire, whether you’re a home baker, backyard griller, or avid gardener with more produce than you know what to do with. Explore the mouth-watering recipes below and read on to learn more about how our Oz-Star Team made it happen.

Happy drizzling!

T. J. Robinson 
The Olive Oil Hunter®

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This Quarter’s First Selection

• Producer: Leandro Ravetti 2020, Boort, Victoria, Australia
• Olive Varieties: Picual, Coratina
• Flavor Profile: Mild

I can’t think of anyone who has done more to advance the quality and appreciation of extra virgin olive oil than my friend Leandro Ravetti, whose influence extends to every olive-producing region on the planet. His time and expertise are always in demand—I rejoice when we are in the same country at the same time, because on any given day obligations might find him in Japan, for instance, adjudicating an international olive oil competition, or in California, where he teaches a master milling course at UC Davis. (Yours truly is a proud alum.)

But this year, as with almost everything during the pandemic, was different. “I haven’t left Australia in 6 months,” Leandro reflected in disbelief when we spoke recently. A fantastic cook—as accomplished in the kitchen as he is in the olive grove—Leandro confided that during quarantine he’s become a pastry chef. “I was always a savory cook, but now, it’s tarts and cakes, most of them made with olive oil!” He also described baking a batch of traditional Argentinian croissants, scrumptiously different from the French version. “They’re crunchier, less spongy, very flaky and delicious,” he mused, while I got intensely hungry on the Zoom call.

Born in Argentina to parents of Italian heritage, Leandro’s affinity for olives evolved while he was an agricultural engineering student at the National University of Catamarca.

After postgraduate studies in olive horticulture in Italy and Spain, he returned to Argentina to help nurture its nascent olive oil industry. Then, in 2001, he was recruited by the Australian company Modern Olives to be its scientific and technical director. He relocated to Victoria, where he thought he’d be staying just a year or two, but ever since, he’s called Australia home.

Leandro and I check in regularly during the growing season (as you know, Oz is on the opposite timeline). Months in advance, he declared that he and his team would do anything and everything to ensure that my wonderful Club members were provided with the finest olive oils, no matter what. True to his word, Leandro kept the Club at the forefront of his mind.

“I felt more responsibility, as the person on site,” he said, as we reflected on the extraordinary efforts this season. “I tried to think as if you were here.”

From our years of collaboration, Leandro knows my preferences, shares my insistence on the very best, and understands how discriminating my Club members are. He is also a born problem-solver, a pragmatist as well as perfectionist after my own heart.

Leandro oversees two thriving groves in Victoria, located about 150 miles apart. In order to comply with Australia’s lockdown directives, he and his team established an RV campground at the farm (see page 2), enabling the harvest workers to be in residence in a bubble, each in private accommodations with food delivered.

Early on, Leandro intuited that his Coratina and Picual olives were destined to be the standouts of this unconventional season. (As it turns out, I was present for the planting of these very trees as saplings, so in an inter-species way I feel like their godfather.) A few years back, Leandro and his team had removed scores of Barnea olive trees—though they produce lovely fruit, Barnea trees are prone to pests and other damage—and replaced them with the hardier, more versatile and flavorful Coratina, Picual, and Hojiblanca varietals.

The young trees, Leandro explained, blossomed earlier than their counterparts, and the fruit ripened sooner, which meant that the younger trees’ fruit was at an ideal place in its maturing process when the cold temperatures hit. For some of these trees it was the second or third harvest, and for some the very first.

We created an exquisite blend of Picual and Coratina: this Picual is uniquely delicate, one example of the ways that Old World varietals express themselves differently in the Australian terroir and climate. The spirited Coratina imbues the blend with additional dimension and complexity. I am so honored to be able to share this exclusive oil with you, as it represents the fruits of the labor of people on the other side of the world, pulling together in very tough times. Leandro put it perfectly: “This was a chance to give each other a hand to do what we love—sharing excellent oils with the people who appreciate them.”

Impressions and Recommended Food Pairings

The union of a Spanish Picual and an Italian Coratina yields an oil with a lovely, complex perfume. It’s green and grassy, presenting tomato leaf, green apple, Belgian endive, parsley, basil, vanilla, and a touch of celery leaf. Leafy greens are echoed on the palate, too—Belgian endive, romaine lettuce, along with green apple skin and a hint of mint. We tasted pine nuts as well, and enjoyed the arugula-like pepperiness and the subtle bitterness of celery leaves on the finish.

Though it’s our mildest selection, this is a very flavorful oil, one that will complement a variety of foods. We suggest mild white fish, such as cod, monkfish, or sea bass; roast chicken; shellfish, such as lobster, shrimp, scallops, or octopus; composed salads with mild lettuces and fruit and/or nuts; bruschetta; pizza; eggs; fresh cheeses; and simple pastas and risottos.

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This Quarter’s Second Selection

• Producer: Nullamunjie 2020 Blend, Tongio, Victoria, Australia
• Olive Varieties: Coratina, Arbequina, Frantoio, Correggiola, Leccino, Pendolino
• Flavor Profile: Medium

For the first time in years, I spent my summer on my home turf in the stunning Blue Ridge Mountains. Though I have always marveled at the hazy, blue-gray beauty of the range (the oldest in North America), my heart drifted during this time to a different mountain range on the other side of the planet: the Australian Alps.

The rolling highlands in eastern Victoria are home to one of my favorite olive growers in the world, Nullamunjie’s Annetta “Annie” Paterson. I so look forward to my annual visits to her farm. Tethered to home this year, I felt the rift in my routine rather keenly. I lamented that there would be no star-gazing from her expansive veranda, no surveillance of kangaroos cavorting in the olive groves, no olive oil-splashed meals at Annie’s table with my mirthful Merry Band of Tasters.

Most of all, I missed my time with Annie, the irrepressible woman who founded Nullamunjie Olive Groves in 1998. Now a grandmother, Annie fell in love with olive trees in her twenties during a visit to Greece and recognized growing conditions there—hot, dry summers and mild winters—mimicked those of her native East Gippsland. Decades passed, however, before Annie acquired the family-owned land at the base of Mt. Stawell—formerly used to graze her father’s cattle—that enabled her to realize her dream.

Today, the farm hosts about 3,000 olive trees, all Tuscan varietals: Frantoio, Leccino, Today, the farm hosts about 3,000 olive trees, all Tuscan varietals: Frantoio, Leccino, Correggiola, and Pendolino. They have adapted well to the microclimates of Oz, the award-winning oils taking on distinctly Down Under flavors and characteristics that have captivated members of my Club.

Via Zoom, I was pleased to see Annie’s incandescent smile some 14 time zones and 10,000 miles away. She’d been hunkered down on the farm for months, having briefly returned once to her Melbourne home to collect her dogs and her husband, John.

“It’s beginning to feel a bit biblical,” Annie quipped, referring not only to the pandemic but to other major threats to her life and livelihood. Drought-related bush fires, driven by sustained high winds, raged for several months in East Gippsland. Alarmingly, the conflagration came within six miles of Nullamunjie, reaching the opposite side of the mountain and cutting off the farm.

Torrential rains followed, which caused flooding and landslides on the re-ravaged land, but providentially helped extinguish the flames and cleanse the smoke-choked air. The storms also engorged river basins like the Tambo, which had been nearly depleted. Annie was especially happy about that as she depends on the Tambo to irrigate her trees.

Fearing the encroachment of winter, Annie wisely harvested her olives early. As always, she relied on local grove professionals Tom Morgan and Jack Diamond. She employed locals as pickers, too, including two stranded Belgian backpackers.

Wind exposure affected trees on the higher slopes, Annie reported, depressing yields. But the quality of the farm’s oils was stellar, a fact confirmed by olive oil expert Melissa Wong (read more about her below). Fans of Nullamunjie will recognize immediately this blend’s distinctive aroma and flavor profile.

Though she misses her children and grandchildren, Annie has savored the unexpected time she’s been able to spend on the farm this year with the trees she cherishes. Inspired by a New Zealand-based olive oil expert, a speaker at a growers’ conference, she has initiated a post-harvest pruning program. The method he advocates, called vase-pruning or center-pruning, is popular in Oceania and calls for removing select scaffold branches to within a foot of the trunk. It maximizes sun exposure in the tree’s center, encourages good air circulation, and maintains the tree’s compact shape.

“I absolutely love pruning,” Annie gushed. Dressed in work clothes and a hard hat and brandishing a chainsaw, Annie had been pruning what she calls her “shop windows”—the trees that front the road and surround her mill and restaurant, The Pressing Shed Café (temporarily closed). “I pat each of them on their little trunks when I finish and say, ‘Great job! Keep up the good work!’” Amen.

Impressions and Recommended Food Pairings 

A whiff of this oil will transport you to the Tambo River Valley in southeast Victoria. It’s fragrant with sweet grass, like wheatgrass, as well as fennel, almonds, kiwi, green banana, white pepper, and wild mint. It’s a bit nutty in the mouth—again, almonds—or perhaps hazelnuts. A little green, too, evoking baby lettuces and haricot vert. Intriguingly, I noticed the freshness of bruised pine needles, the spiciness of white pepper, and the bitterness of radicchio. This is an exceptionally well-calibrated oil that you’ll enjoy on many seasonal foods.

Try it with white beans or other pulses; rice; winter squash or sweet potatoes; tomato-based dishes; pork or veal; turkey; duck; cold-weather soups; mild cheeses; salads featuring sturdy greens like kale or chicory; salmon; and even chocolate.

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This Quarter’s Third Selection

• Producer: Oasis Olives 2020, Kialla, Victoria, Australia
• Olive Varieties: Coratina, Frantoio
• Flavor Profile: Bold

I remember well the day I sampled a magnificent olive oil during a Grand Tasting some eight years ago. It came from a fledgling company, then unknown to me, in rural Victoria. That was my introduction to serial olive oil entrepreneurs John and Marjan Symington, the founders of Oasis Olives and now, dear friends.

In hindsight, the couple’s ambition to acquire an olive grove in Peru in 2007 and name it Oasis seemed a bit imprudent, even to them. They realized they actually knew very little about olives. Not wanting a “stuff up” (Aussie slang for mistake) on their records, John and Marjan decided to begin their Olea europaea education closer to their Melbourne home.

The Symingtons then purchased an olive grove in the Goulburn Strathbogie region near Kialla, 120 miles northeast of Melbourne. The area has been described as “a climatic sweet spot” for olives with warm summers, adequate average rainfall, and mild winters. John immersed himself in the technical aspects of growing and pressing premium olive oils. Meanwhile, Marjan—also a miller—refined her olive oil evaluation skills and got involved in the Goulburn Strathbogie Olive Grower’s Association (GSOGA), an active group that is a valuable resource for local producers.

The 111-acre grove was terribly run-down when the couple bought it. The trees were bushy and wild and badly needed pruning. The irrigation system was broken. But the property spoke to these adventuresome rehabbers, the Chip and Joanna Gaines of the olive oil world. (If you’ve seen the Gaineses’ shows on HGTV, you’ll understand.) Since then, the tireless couple has turned the aforementioned Peruvian grove into an award-winning farm and bought a third fixer-upper in South Australia.

Oasis pressed its first Australian extra virgin olive oils in 2010. A mere two years later, Oasis won the prestigious Marco Mugelli Award given by the Los Angeles International Extra Virgin Olive Oil Competition to recognize the “Best of the Best” from the winner’s circle.

“When we heard we had won this award, we had to find out what it meant and who Marco Mugelli was,” John said.

As it happens, I knew Dr. Mugelli personally. I once spent several privileged hours with this olive oil visionary. He was an agricultural scientist and engineer whose lab outside of Florence, Italy, was genius in a Rube Goldberg sort of way. He was obsessed with increasing levels of healthful polyphenols in olive oil. John and Marco would have had a lot in common, as John, a retired software engineer, is also fascinated with the potential of technology to improve agricultural products like olive oil.

In the early years, the Symington family manned the olive press themselves, so are accustomed to working with a small tight-knit team. They adapted easily to the new paradigm. In recent years the invaluable Scott Sanders, an international olive oil expert long affiliated with Oasis, has been on hand to help, joined this year by his father, wife, and harvest team from Scott’s home town.

“We’re too old to work with people we don’t enjoy,” commented John during one of our Zoom conversations.

Though always up for a challenge, John and Marjan struggled with the curve balls Mother Nature threw at them this season. A “complicated” spring—exceptionally dry—affected the fruitset of the trees. Conditions continued through early summer. Just before the harvest, epic rains fell. The onslaught turned the groves’ red clay to boot-sucking mud. Fortunately, a tractor/harvester equipped with tank-like treads arrived in the nick of time.

Despite all, the quality of the fruit was excellent. The oil’s heady aromas and bold flavors will pair beautifully with your fall menus. Though I couldn’t be there in person this year, I trust the mad skills of the Symingtons. When Meghan and I married in October 2017, we gave our wedding guests bottles of fresh-pressed Oasis olive oil. People are still talking about them!

Impressions and Recommended Food Pairings 

Our boldest oil has a very green, evocative nose. It leads with an almond-like sweetness with hints of baby spinach and peppery arugula. Herbs like rubbed fresh thyme and sage, and spices like cinnamon, suggest this oil could elevate a holiday meal. Pleasantly bitter in the mouth and warm with spice, this oil required a large tasting vocabulary. Among the vegetal descriptors were artichoke, baby spinach, chicory, kale, green pepper, rosemary, and wild greens. Darker, spicier flavors then emerged: dark chocolate, cinnamon, and cloves. Such a refreshing astringency on the long finish, with a perfect balance of fruitiness, bitterness, and spiciness.

Reach for this oil when serving grilled meats like beef or lamb; duck; oilier fish such as mackerel or sardines; hearty soups or stews; roasted root vegetables, including cruciferous vegetables like brussels sprouts; dark breads; and stronger cheeses. Splash it on chocolate or vanilla ice cream, or drizzle over yogurt.

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Olive Oil and Health

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Kudos from Club Members

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Recipes

• Lemony Greek-Style Potato Wedges One of my Merry Band of Tasters highly recommends these crisp potato wedges. If desired, substitute Dijon for the yellow mustard, or chopped fresh rosemary for the dried oregano. Parboiling the potatoes (especially with the added alkalinity of baking soda) contributes to their crispiness. Ingredients 2 1/4 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut lengthwise into… view recipe
• Prawns with Zingy Avocado Dip Shrimp cocktail gets a much-needed makeover! Make the dip just before serving. Ingredients 2 fresh jalapeños, stemmed and seeded1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and coarsely chopped1/4 cup sour cream1 lime, rind finely grated, juiced1/2 cup at-leaf parsley leaves1/2 cup fresh mint leaves1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed1/2 teaspoon coarse salt (kosher or… view recipe
• Roasted Butternut Squash Soup The appeal of this autumnal soup lies in its simplicity. The sweetness of the butternut squash is enhanced by roasting and by the addition of a small amount of maple syrup. Ingredients 1 large butternut squash (about 3 pounds), halved lengthwise, seeds removed3 to 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling1/2 cup… view recipe
• Asian Cabbage Salad There’s no need to follow this recipe slavishly. Feel free to add shredded purple cabbage, snow pea pods, sliced water chestnuts, and so on. You can even turn the salad into a light lunch or dinner entrée by topping it with shredded rotisserie chicken or thinly sliced grilled steak. Ingredients For the dressing 1 to… view recipe
• Roasted Barramundi with Cherry Tomatoes, Olives, and Basil Native to Australia and the Indo-Pacific, barramundi means “large-scaled silver fish” in the Aboriginal language. If it is unavailable, substitute any sustainable firm-fleshed white fish, such as halibut, sea bass, cod, or snapper. Ingredients 2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes, halved, preferably mixed colors4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided useSalt and freshly ground black… view recipe
• Grilled Lamb Chops with Charred Lemon Vinaigrette Lean and low-fat pastured lamb is a popular protein in Australia, where per capita consumption per year is about 18 pounds. Here, tender loin chops are grilled quickly over a hot fire and paired with a tangy olive oil vinaigrette that can be modified by your choice of fresh herbs. Ingredients For the lamb: 2… view recipe
• Cheese, Herb, and Olive Frittata This meatless, keto-friendly frittata can be thrown together in minutes, perfect for times when you have unexpected lunch or overnight guests. For a carnivorous version, add diced ham, cooked bacon, cooked breakfast sausage, or even slivered pepperoni. Great served with a simple green salad. Ingredients 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil1 medium onion, peeled and… view recipe
• Fred’s Steak Though this marinade was developed in the 1950s by Los Gatos, California, meat market owner Fred Schaub, Vegemite is a thoroughly Australian pantry ingredient. If you don’t have it, you can buy it online or substitute a good concentrated beef base. We also like this marinade on tri-tip or T-bone steaks. Ingredients 2 to 3… view recipe
• Chicken with Candied Cashews Per capita, Australia has the largest population of people with Chinese ancestry of any country outside Asia. Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, and even Cairns house densely populated Chinatowns, which make for a lively restaurant scene. Ingredients 1/4 cup granulated sugar3/4 cup unsalted roasted cashews5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided use, plus extra for drizzling2 garlic… view recipe
• Sheet-Pan Baked Feta with Broccolini, Tomatoes, and Lemons Greek food has taken pride of place in Australia’s vibrant dining scene, from souvlaki served from food trucks to high-end restaurants. (Most of Australia’s Greek immigrants arrived after World War II.) This sheet-pan dinner showcases some of Greece’s iconic flavors. Sturdy halloumi cheese can be substituted for feta. Ingredients 1 bunch broccoli rabe, ends trimmed,… view recipe

Your Olive Oil Hunter Prevails! Presenting Three Stunning Fresh-Pressed Extra Virgin Olive Oils from Chile

• Aromatic, intensely flavored, and bursting with healthful polyphenols, these vibrant
  extra virgin olive oils will delight you and everyone who shares your summer table.
• All were crafted exclusively for Club members from olives grown on a single awardwinning estate, and are available nowhere else in the US.
• All have been certified by an independent lab to be 100 percent extra virgin.
• Despite limited transport options, I was able to rush the oils to the US by jet straight
  from the harvest.

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Life has changed in profound ways since the last Pressing Report was published. I fervently hope you and your loved ones are weathering the Covid-19 crisis with your health and good spirits intact.

A heartfelt thanks to all who reached out to me via email or social media to wish me and my family well in these unprecedented times. Thanks, too, to the Club members who, affirming the importance of fresh-pressed olive oil in their lives, implored me to persevere. Especially since many, sheltering at home and cooking more, reported running low!

In the words of my friend and Chilean olive oil producer Juan José Alonso, “Stopping is not an option.” And that’s where this quarter’s narrative begins.

Chile is Agriculturally Gifted, But the Epic Drought Continues

Chile has long been my destination this time of year. Since 2005, I have forsaken the arrival of spring in the Blue Ridge Mountains for fall-like weather in the shadow of the snow-capped Andes. All told, I have spent about 18 months of my life there—sufficient time to forge close relationships with the country’s finest olive oil producers. My Merry Band of Tasters and I have yearly made multiple visits to their groves, met their teams, attended their harvest parties, been introduced to their families, shared many meals together, and even spent nights on their farms.

Few people know that Chile produces olive oil. (It is the second-largest producer of “liquid gold” in the Americas, an astounding 90 percent of it extra virgin.) Its rapid ascent to the world olive oil stage is due to a number of factors: the Mediterranean-like climate of central Chile; its success growing wine grapes
and other fruits for export; an absence of olive diseases and pests; an abundance of young but experienced agricultural talent;
and the willingness of Chilean olive oil pioneers to break from traditional ways of doing things, to encourage innovation and creative problem solving.

Unfortunately, an epic 10-year-long drought continues to dog the country. Rainfall in central Chile has averaged 20 to 45 percent less than normal, making it difficult for farmers to replenish their irrigation reservoirs. Runoff from snowmelt has dwindled to a trickle. According to NASA’s Earth Observatory website, the last “mega-drought”on this scale likely occurred over 1000 years ago.

Precious Relationships with Experts Pay Dividends Again

Nevertheless, my Chilean contacts were optimistic that this season’s harvest would be a good one. (Water deprivation can actually intensify an olive’s flavors and aromas, even if yields are reduced.) I was very much looking forward to my annual visit. But it was not to be.

When the seriousness of the pandemic became evident, I developed several contingency plans.

(Actually, I do this every quarter to ensure your supply of premium extra virgin olive oil is not interrupted.)

Because of the strong relationships I’ve cultivated over the years with Chile’s top olive oil producers and experts, I knew I could secure three gold-medal-caliber just-pressed oils for my Club members. The big question was, “How can I get the oils to the US as quickly as ever, preserving their flavors, aromas, and healthful polyphenols?

There were few jets servicing Chile after it closed its borders—one to two flights a week. No bueno! The freight company I’ve worked with for years was sympathetic, but couldn’t help. For the first time, I investigated shipping the oils as quickly as possible via boat in climate-controlled containers. Ultimately, United Parcel Service came to the rescue. UPS, the carrier the Club uses domestically to deliver olive oils to your door, reserved the required space on its cargo planes. They cautioned, however, that our oils could get bumped by fresh salmon, a valuable Chilean export in season now. Fortunately, that didn’t happen. You can imagine how nervous your control-obsessed Olive Oil Hunter—and now de facto Operations Manager—was until all the olive oils cleared US Customs!

Fresh Summer Produce, Meet Fresh EVOO

As for the oils themselves, I opted to collaborate exclusively this quarter with a single producer—Alonso. I have worked with this remarkable and consistent farm, called Pobeña (read more about Alonso below), for five years, and knew I could trust this estate to share its best olive oils with our Club. With over 1,100 acres of olive groves, seven varietals, multiple micro-climates, a state-of-the-art mill, and one of the strongest teams in Chile—one that understands implicitly how I work and what I expect—I knew that together, we could make our New World partnership work yet again, even under extraordinary circumstances.

We could not have done it without the help of Denise Langevin, a friend and accomplished olive oil expert from central Chile (read more about her and how we orchestrated tastings and made blends below). Denise assisted me for several weeks, becoming my “boots on the ground.”

When you taste these exquisite well-balanced blends, you’ll be amazed at how distinct each one is, even though the olives came from a single farm. As always, I’ve included recipes (see below) to complement the oils’ unique qualities. Of course, when olive oils are this fresh, you’ll want to drizzle them on everything from grilled bread to straight-from-the-garden (or farmer’s market) produce—they are absolutely mind-blowing on juicy summer tomatoes. I hope these oils give you and your loved ones a small measure of joy each time you use them, and more importantly, a satisfying sense of connection to the passionate, dedicated people who labored tirelessly to put them on your table. Stay safe.

Happy drizzling!

T. J. Robinson 
The Olive Oil Hunter®

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This Quarter’s First Selection

• Producer: Denise Langevin Exclusive Selection, Agricola Pobeña, Comuna de La Estrella, O’Higgins Region, Chile 2020
• Olive Varieties: Arbequina, Frantoio, Leccino
• Flavor Profile: Mild

I was first introduced to Denise Langevin, an olive oil educator and journalist, in 2013 while visiting the Don Rafael Estate in Chile’s Lontué Valley. At the time, she was the estate’s export director. In hindsight, the meeting was providential. Little did I know what a vital role Denise would play during the 2020 Chilean harvest.

We were in touch intermittently in the years that followed, exchanging the occasional email or phone call. In the meantime, this petite woman with the ready smile and quiet demeanor was in demand as a credentialed olive oil expert, judging competitions all over the world. Rarely was she in Chile when I was (May), as in the spring she often traveled to the US for the esteemed LA International Olive Oil Competition, to Canada for the Olive d’Or, or to China, Portugal, France, Italy, Israel, Brazil, or Germany.

Spanish is her native tongue—Denise was born in Chile—but she can also converse in French or English. However, it was her fluency in the dialect used by critics of olive oil that made her such a valuable asset to the Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club during this unprecedented quarter.

Just as sommeliers have their own evocative terms to describe the impressions wines create on the senses, so, too, do professional olive oil tasters. We approach each olive oil sample methodically, usually beginning with the oil we expect to be the mildest based on the varietal and typical flavor profile. (For the benefit of Club members, I always classify the oils as mild, medium, or bold in the producer profiles and tasting notes.)

First, we evaluate the fruitiness of the oil. In monocultivars, is the oil a good expression of the varietal? Next, we judge the bitterness, then the spiciness (aka pepperiness), and finally, we determine whether the oil is balanced and harmonious. Every olive oil has a life story to tell if you can recognize the clues revealed on the nose and on the palate.

Denise can follow the olive’s narrative; she and I, both with years of tasting experience, spoke the same olive oil “language”. She understood my perfectionist tendencies and need to control every possible variable until the oils are in the hands of my Club members. (Though I’m always diplomatic, I sometimes wonder if I’ve been dubbed the enfant-terrible of the olive oil world. (As long as the oils are the very best they can be, I’m happy to be guilty as charged!)

As our working relationship evolved over Skype and Zoom, Denise became my trusted surrogate in Chile. She drove from her home to the Pobeña farm numerous times (about an hour and a half each way) and interacted on my behalf with the harvest team. (I was unable to ship samples to my usual collaborator, Italian master miller Duccio Morozzo Della Rocca, as Rome had closed its Customs offices weeks earlier.)

Our routine for three weeks went something like this: On Mondays, the Alonso team would overnight numbered olive oil samples—mostly single varietals—to Denise, then seal the tanks with the corresponding numbers. She’d receive and taste the just-pressed oils, then share her impressions with me. On Thursdays, I’d anxiously await delivery of duplicate samples, then taste them. On Fridays, I’d re-taste the oils. Then Denise and I would compare notes and impressions. Our favorite oils—oils we deemed potential gold-medal winners if entered in international competitions—became the building blocks for the blends we created. Then Denise, as my designated “quality control manager,” oversaw the process at the mill of recreating our blends on a larger scale, and sealed those tanks. She was an absolute godsend, and I owe her a debt of gratitude for helping me deliver to you the beautiful fresh-pressed oils you now have in your hands.

As a way of acknowledging Denise’s invaluable help, I decided to name a blend after her. Her reaction? “I am so happy!” She chose the milder Arbequina, Frantoio, and Leccino olive oil to bear her name. Its warm and genial flavor profile echoes some of Denise’s own traits: I think it was an excellent choice, and I believe you’ll agree once you taste it.

Impressions and Recommended Food Pairings

My Merry Band of Tasters, who joined me for a simultaneous tasting via Zoom, identified a number of aromas after we poured the mildest oil of our samples, alluringly green in the glass. Among them were almonds, green banana, kale, spinach, Golden Delicious apple, vanilla, white pepper, and a whiff of oregano. On the palate, this beautiful, well balanced oil showed a nutty side (hazelnuts), the sweetness of apple, hints of lemon zest and ginger, along with the bitter notes of Belgian endive and the pepperiness of watercress.

Try it with summer squash, sweet potatoes, mild fin fish, grilled shrimp or lobster, pork, chicken, rice, eggs, carrots, bell peppers, sweet corn, Asian curries, simple pasta dishes (including pasta salads), yogurt, ice cream, or mild cheeses (including cottage cheese), and any salad featuring fruit.

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This Quarter’s Second Selection

• Producer: Alonso, Agricola Pobeña, Comuna de La Estrella, O’Higgins Region, Chile 2020
• Olive Varieties: Coratina, Arbequina, Frantoio, Leccino, Koroneiki
• Flavor Profile: Medium

In my work as the Olive Oil Hunter I’ve emphasized the importance of cultivating relationships, just as a grower cultivates trees. When I am on the ground, collaborating with producers in different parts of the world, I cherish the warm welcomes from the people I’ve gotten to know over the years, whose labor I witness and champion, and whose triumphs I celebrate. This network of professional respect and personal support enables me to find the finest and freshest olive oils on earth to share with you, my lucky Club members.

How much more crucial those relationships are when we’re 5,000 miles apart! Because of our established two-way trust, the Alonso team and I could speak in shorthand and move mountains (or, rather, precious volumes of fresh-pressed liquid gold)… through Zoom and Skype

The award-winning Alonso groves represent the culmination of more than a decade of work by brothers Juan José (nicknamed “Juanjo,” pronounced with a soft “j”) and Ignacio Alonso. Their father—a successful shoe manufacturer who, as a boy, fled to Chile to escape Franco’s regime in Spain—dreamt of producing ultra-premium olive oil in his retirement. In the mission to fulfill their father’s legacy, the brothers staked out 850 acres of land near Chile’s coast, perfect for olives, with rocky terroir and many microclimates. (It was not lost on anyone that the land selected was also in close proximity to primo waves, satisfying the brothers, who are avid surfers.)

The past five seasons I’ve visited their farm, always excited to taste the fruits of their harvest and enjoy the company of their talented team. They were excited to rally to help me fulfill this unprecedented remote Olive Oil Hunter’s quest—from another hemisphere. Truly, a first for the Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club!

From the start, as Juanjo reported, this season posed its challenges. Chile has been in a mega-drought (that’s the scientific term) for a decade now. “We need 300 to 400 milliliters of rain to save for the summer,” Juanjo explained, “and this year we got zero.” Resourceful producers work around Chile’s lack of water in ingenious ways—for the Alonsos, it’s with a 55-acre dam that supplies the reservoirs for their groves. But with no rainfall, they had to take stronger action, making strategic decisions to allocate the scant water supply to specific trees and reducing even further the amount of water distributed to other areas of the farm.

As veteran Club members know, though, a certain degree of water stress to the olive tree can benefit the oil that results from the fruit. “Higher in polyphenols,” observed Juanjo, “and more flavor. The difference is amazing.”

José Reyes, logistician extraordinaire, served as the quarterback and cocaptain of my all-star harvest team, calling the plays and making sure that everyone and everything was in place and ready to go. He also hired the photographer to document this quarter’s experience. (In usual times, one of my trusty Merry Band of Tasters captures the breathtaking and charismatic photos that grace the Pressing Report. But he, too, was grounded halfway across the globe.)

José—whose official title is general manager—spent hours with me on Zoom and Skype calls to discuss the olive varieties that were most promising for the ultra-flavorful, high-polyphenol oils I insist on for my Club, and he shipped samples to me like clockwork. The Coratina at Alonso has been consistently excellent for years running; this season it was superlative, and I knew I wanted to build a blend around it.

With samples in hand, I tinkered and tasted until I had created a perfectly harmonious blend—a beguiling balance of aromatics, fruitiness, bitterness, and pepperiness.

Coratina’s intensity goes a long way, so it comprises about 40 percent of this blend. To soften the edges and bring out the oil’s complexity, I added a complement of Arbequina, the fragrant dynamic duo of Frantoio and Leccino (the two varietals are planted and harvested together at Alonso), and a finishing touch of zesty Koroneiki.

I’d liken this verdant, intoxicating blend to a Rhone wine—the whole is indisputably greater than the sum of its parts. When you taste it, I hope you’ll think about the individual components—and the individual people—coming together for this one-of-a-kind collaboration.

Impressions and Recommended Food Pairings 

Grassy, herbaceous, and complex on the nose, featuring arugula, kale, rosemary, mint, and parsley with touches of artichoke and citrus peel. An intense chicory-like bitterness blooms in the mouth abetted by celery leaves, fennel, kale, artichoke, arugula, parsley, and the spiciness of fresh ginger. Expect a lingering, mouth-warming finish.

This wonderful all-purpose oil would complement chilled summer soup, country-style breads, pizza, white beans, tabbouleh, lentils, grilled meats (beef, pork, chicken), grilled vegetables (eggplant, bell peppers, asparagus, artichokes), caprese salad, oven-roasted chicken with potatoes, pasta tossed with pesto or tomato sauce, charcuterie platters, salmon (see a recipe for Salmon Tartare below), aged cheeses, and chocolate cake or mousse.

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This Quarter’s Third Selection

• Producer: “El Favorito,” Miguel Ángel Molina, Agricola Pobeña, O’Higgins Region, Chile 2020
• Olive Varieties: Picual, Koroneiki
• Flavor Profile: Bold

In Chile there is a person whose judgment I trust so implicitly, whose
palate so perfectly aligns with my own, that the Club has created a special label.
This is now the third exclusive oil to appear as “El Favorito”—The Favorite—
which is an homage to the exchange I have every year with the olive oil genius
Miguel Ángel Molina.

Here’s how the scene unfolds:
The Olive Oil Hunter: Miguel, what’s your favorite oil this season?
Miguel: (puts his finger on a sample bottle or draws me a taste from a just-pressed tank of oil)
The Olive Oil Hunter: (concurs)
{The End}

I first met Miguel, the estate manager of the Alonso farm, six years ago. Immediately I sensed the perceptiveness of his palate and admired his meticulous, steady approach to the work. A largely self-taught “olive whisperer,” Miguel is also a master miller with a background in Chile’s fruit agriculture. His early career as a fruit packer informs his expert handling of olives: he is gentle and intuitive, with the understanding that perfect fruit needs special care.

In past seasons I’d tour the expansive groves with Miguel, both of us riding dirt bikes. We’d stop periodically to test certain varietals for ripeness or to join the harvest team in the picking. As this season our visits could take place only in the virtual realm, it helped that I knew exactly what part of the farm Miguel was describing and could envision him buzzing around between the trees.

Miguel was introduced to excellence in olive oil by the incomparable Don Willy at TerraMater, Chile’s oldest olive farm, founded by a trio of Italian sisters in the 1940s. Under Don Willy’s pioneering leadership, TerraMater helped elevate Chilean olive oils to world-class status in the 2000s. From his mentor Miguel learned how to test olives for ripeness, how to mill, and how to create a harmonious blend. He developed and refined his holistic understanding of the olive’s journey from the tree to the table.

Two-and-a-half hours south of the Alonso farm is the town of Talca, where Miguel and his family live. He commutes up on Monday, stays at the mill through Thursday, then journeys back home to spend three days with his wife and children. It is an exhausting schedule, but Miguel is tirelessly and enthusiastically devoted to both his family and his craft.

When I posed the question of “el favorito” this time, on a video call rather than in the familiar surrounds of the mill or amid the silvery foliage of the olive grove, Miguel took a dramatic pause. I was expecting him to say, “Coratina,” as the varietal is always a standout at the Alonso farm. “Picual,” he intoned, with the confidence of a seasoned card player who knows he holds a winning hand. He elaborated (unusual for this man of few words): “It is very difficult to make a great Picual. But this year we have a winner.”

And, as ever, Miguel’s assessment was in exact alignment with mine. I love a very green, early-harvest Picual—the kind I call “pesto in a bottle”—but the Spanish varietal can be tricky, with my desired outcome depending on the fruit (perfect), time of harvest (early), and miller (genius). This Picual was sublime solo, yet I suggested that it could be even more divine with a tiny splash of another oil to highlight its complexity and richness, and Miguel agreed. A whiff (5 percent, tops) of Greek Koroneiki did exactly that. (I am reminded of Churchill’s quip when asked for his recipe for a very dry martini: “Just nod in the direction of France.” With the micro-addition of Koroneiki, you might say we nodded in the direction of Greece.)

When Miguel and I had perfected this third oil—remotely, no less—I was so pleased and relieved I nearly wept. The camaraderie of my Chilean colleagues moved me profoundly throughout this experience, and the fact that, together, we curated a truly spectacular trio of fresh-pressed oils during one of the most challenging periods in recent memory—well, I regard it as a testament to passion, persistence, and partnership. I hope that these emerald elixirs will bring you good health and whet your appetite, all while connecting you to the big-hearted artisans who nurtured and produced them a hemisphere away.

Impressions and Recommended Food Pairings 

Delightful on the nose, inviting comparisons to spinach, tomato leaf, celery leaves, wheatgrass, green walnuts, basil, microgreens, and kiwi. In the mouth, it’s like a big green bouquet. Mildly but refreshingly astringent, like green tea or walnuts, tempered with the bitterness of arugula. My tasters and I called out raw artichoke, wheatgrass, green apple, romaine lettuce, spinach, rosemary, thyme, and wild mint. Finishes with a flourish of white pepper.

Pair this muscular oil with gazpacho, guacamole, sourdough bread, potatoes, crudités, grilled beef or lamb, roasted duck, oysters or other shellfish, tomato-based salads or salads featuring bitter or minerally greens, ratatouille, pasta puttanesca, plain yogurt, or chocolate cake or ice cream.

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Olive Oil and Health

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Kudos from Club Members

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Recipes

• Chilean Salsa (Pebre) Lilly, the talented cook/housekeeper at the Don Rafael farm in Chile’s Lontue Valley, shared her recipe for Chile’s favorite condiment during one of our many visits to the farm. Serve it with bread, meat, or seafood. It’s best, she says, when made less than 2 hours ahead. view recipe
• Grilled Tuna with Castelvetrano Olive Relish Feel free to substitute any meaty fish steaks or fillets for the tuna, such as swordfish, red snapper, branzino, salmon, or Chilean sea bass. If you have any leftover relish, serve it with bread or potatoes. Ingredients 4 tuna or swordfish steaks, each about 6 ounces Extra virgin olive oil Salt and freshly ground black… view recipe
• Olive Oil-Fried Eggs with Chile and Sprouts This “healthyish” version of huevos rancheros takes only minutes to make and is both satisfying and colorful—perfect for breakfast or a light lunch or dinner. Ingredients 1 cup sprouts (such as sunflower, radish, or alfalfa)1 teaspoon fresh lime juice Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling2 large… view recipe
• Hangar Steak with Olive Oil and Herbs Hanger steak—sometimes called bavette—is beefy-tasting and relatively economical. If you can’t find it at your butcher counter (we all have to be flexible these days), substitute flat iron steak. Allow 2 hours for the steak to marinate. Ingredients 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce2 tablespoons soy sauce2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce2 tablespoons maple syrupOne 1-pound hanger steak,… view recipe
• Olive Oil Martini This unusual libation features a technique professional bartenders call “fat washing.” And once you strain the infused gin, you can reuse the olive oil in another recipe. Saveur quipped that it could (tongue in cheek) be called a “quarantini.” Ingredients One 750 milliliter bottle London dry gin4 ounces (1/4 cup) best quality extra virgin olive… view recipe
• Shrimp BLT Salad With more than 2,500 miles of coastline and cold, temperate waters, Chile hosts one of the most robust aquacultures in the world. Perhaps you have eaten the country’s succulent shrimp, said to be better than that from the Pacific Northwest or Canada. In any case, dinner can be on the table in 20 minutes or… view recipe
• Salmon Tartare Use the freshest salmon you can find for this recipe, which was shared with us by Chile-based olive oil expert Denise Langevin. We prefer wild-caught salmon or farm-raised Chilean Verlasso salmon, available online or at many supermarkets. Ingredients 1 pound boneless skinless salmon fillets, chilled and diced into 1/4-inch cubes1/4 cup finely diced sweet or… view recipe
• Skillet Lemon Olive Oil Cake Ken Gordon, a longtime veteran of our Member Services Team and a talented pastry chef, shared this recipe for a tasty skillet cake that is gluten-free, soy-free, and optionally dairy-free. Ingredients For the cake: Olive oil or butter for greasing the pan2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour1/2 cup blanched almond flour1 cup granulated sugar1 teaspoon baking… view recipe
• Summer Corn Chowder This is the perfect soup to make with farmstand sweet corn. If desired, garnish the soup with diced avocado or chopped cooked bacon. Ingredients 2 tablespoons butter2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling1 onion, peeled and diced 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced6 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only1/4 cup all-purpose flour6 cups… view recipe
• Olive Oil Egg Salad We like to mound this salad in the middle of an attractive plate or bowl and surround it with Belgian endive in a flower petal pattern. It makes a lovely keto-friendly appetizer. Ingredients 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more as needed6 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped 1 large white onion, peeled and… view recipe

From the Iberian Peninsula to Your Table—Presenting Three Spectacular Extra Virgin Olive Oils from Spain and Portugal!

• Bursting with healthful polyphenols, all have been rushed to you by jet at their peak of flavor and nutritive value.
• 
  All have been certified by an independent lab to be 100 percent extra virgin.
• Feature these dazzling EVOOs in regional recipes specially chosen to showcase their vibrant flavors.
• All are Club exclusives, hand-selected by the Olive Oil Hunter, including a blend of rare Portuguese varietals grown nowhere else on Earth.

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As the Olive Oil Hunter, I identify with seekers in life and in literature. And when I’m in Spain, my quest is inspired by the figure of Don Quixote: the enduring knight errant who, accompanied by his trusty sidekick, Sancho Panza, journeys through the world, encountering real and imagined adversaries as well as forces beyond his control. Do I, like Cervantes’ iconic hero, tilt at windmills, believing them to be monsters? Sure. There are certainly olive farms I could call “windmills”—those that taunt me with the promise of liquid gold yet leave me empty-handed. Through it all, my Merry Band of Tasters travel by my side, offering their plentiful wisdom, humor, excellent navigational skills, and discriminating palates.

The true object of Don Quixote’s quest is never made known to the reader. With me, however, things are not quite so mysterious: as my Club members know, I’m searching for the finest, freshest olive oils on Earth.

From Antiquity to Ubiquity

Spain is the world’s leading producer of olive oil. Carpeted with an estimated 215 million olive trees (more than a quarter of the world’s olive acreage), Spain produces about 40 percent of the olive oil consumed on the planet. The majority of that production is from Andalusia— specifically, from the province of Jaén (an area about the size of the state of Connecticut), which by itself yields more olive oil than either Italy or Greece.

Spain has been an olive oil powerhouse for thousands of years, assisted by Portugal to its west. (The two countries cleave to form the fist-shaped Iberian Peninsula.) On Caesar’s orders, the city of Rome imported most of its olive oil from Iberia. Many thousands of clay amphorae full of olive oil were transported via boats from Iberian olive mills to the ports of ancient Rome.

Over the centuries, Arabic influences in southern Spain improved production techniques and introduced new olive varieties, as well as the modern terms for olive oil: aceite (Spanish) and azeite (Portuguese) come directly from the Arabic term for “olive juice,” al-zayt.

Quality, Not Quantity

Today, olive oil courses through every aspect of Spanish culture, shaping its landscape, cuisine, and economy. Portugal, for its part, is undergoing a 21st-century transformation, as super high-density olive groves (with trees planted very close together) and advanced milling techniques have dramatically increased the olive oil output, especially in the southern region of the country. Currently ninth in the world, Portugal could rise by 2030 to be the third largest olive oil producer, even edging out Greece.

These advances in Portuguese olive oil production are exciting, especially if they result in raising the bar across the board, but my relationships are with the artisanal farmers who prize quality over quantity. In particular, I want to champion those growers working to preserve the unique, indigenous Portuguese olive varieties, which are at risk of being crowded out in favor of more prolific, popular Spanish cultivars.

Mother Nature’s Wrath

Without Mother Nature’s cooperation, though, none of this can happen. She was not kind to Iberia this harvest, hinting at a great season early on, with high yields and high quality, then dashing hopes with damaging weather patterns—a very hot autumn that gave way to rain. This combination left many producers with low yields and low quality, as the conditions were initially too hot to harvest, and then too wet. Jaén, the main producing region, was able to designate only 20 percent of its oil as extra virgin.

To find three superlative oils I knew I’d have to be strategic, drawing on the relationships I’ve cultivated over the years with savvy and conscientious producers whose crops would transcend the trials of this season. But first, some food!

Paella Pit Stop

Upon landing in Madrid, I headed for the central mercado to meet up with Arantxa Lamas, a Cordon Bleu- trained chef and internationally celebrated foodie. Mutual friends had connected us from afar, and we were excited to cook together before I set out on my quest. After selecting beautiful produce and seafood from her favorite local vendors (I also picked up the most delectable jamon ibérico, for later noshing), we repaired to her apartment to prepare traditional paella. I was happy to put my chef skills to the test, relieved that I can still prep vegetables like a pro. We shared a laugh over the recent outcry that greeted celebrity chef Jamie Oliver when he posted a photo of his paella containing chorizo: sausage is a big choriz-NO if you’re looking to be authentic.

Arantxa was thrilled to hear me describe the Club and applauded our efforts to educate Americans about the extraordinary health benefits and tantalizing flavors of fresh-pressed olive oil. If you can believe it, she was almost as excited about polyphenols as I am.

Don Quixote Strikes Gold

Fueled for the adventure ahead, my Merry Band of Tasters and I hit the trail. We started in the Guadalquivir River Valley in Jaén, at the lauded farm of Francisco “Paco” Vaño. A longtime friend of the Club and a perennial award-winning producer—Paco’s oils just received an outstanding “perfect 100” from the olive oil bible Flos Olei—he took an ingenious route around the stultifying heat: his team harvested at night in order to deliver cool fruit to the mill. (Heat degrades the fruit, destroying its aromas and flavors, if the olives are not pressed quickly after picking.)

Paco and I collaborated on a complex, robust blend to secure the bold selection for this season’s trio.

Next, I was delighted to revisit the spirited collective of producers at Aroden, in the picturesque region of Priego de Córdoba. This dedicated, talented young team has won my heart with their earnest energy and my palate with their fantastic single-varietal Hojiblanco.

The final leg of our journey took us to northeastern Portugal, to the steep and gnarled forests of the Alto Douro region. Here, the Madeira family creates exquisite oils from rare and unique Portuguese olive varieties you’ll encounter nowhere else on Earth.

Your humble knight lays these treasures at your feet.

Read on to learn more about the incredible artisans who created these beauties. You’ll also find mouth-watering recipes below that showcase this liquid gold on your dining table. I can’t wait for you to taste these spectacular oils!

Happy drizzling!

T. J. Robinson 
The Olive Oil Hunter®

P.S. Cold weather may cause cloudiness in your bottles of olive oil. Pay it no heed, as this has no effect on quality or flavor. Simply bring your oils to room temperature and most of this cloudiness should disappear. For best results, always store your oil in a cool, dark place, preferably in a cabinet away from heat and light.

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This Quarter’s First Selection

• Producer: Maria de Lourdes, Filipe de Albuquerque Madeira, Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Portugal
• Olive Varieties: Negrinha, Madural, Verdeal, Cobrançosa
• Flavor Profile: Mild

When I tell my Club members that I travel to the ends of the earth in my quest for the finest olive oils, it’s no exaggeration. Ancient Romans believed that Portugal’s southwestern-most point, at Sagres, was the end of the world, rocky cliffs that dropped down to a hissing ocean with monsters in its depths, the place where the sun sank into the sea.

About 4 hours north and 50 miles inland lies the province of Trás-os-Montes, whose name means “beyond the mountains.” Here, in the remote Alto Douro region, the Madeira family has defied expectations to become one of the finest olive oil producers in the world.

Two decades ago, Celso Madeira, an acclaimed engineer, announced to his children that in his retirement he aspired to produce premium olive oil on the family’s land in the Alto Douro countryside. At that point the ancient olive trees—some up to 900 years old—were untended, and nobody in the family knew the first thing about producing olive oil anymore. One of Celso’s sons, Filipe, put his university education on hold and returned home to immerse himself in the practices of producing premium EVOO.

A quick study and meticulous, caring manager, Filipe transformed the overgrown, mossy groves into a first-class olive farm, with technologically advanced and temperature-controlled pressing facilities. The Madeiras’ oils rose rapidly to dominate national olive oil contests, including a five-award sweep of Portugal’s OLIVOMOURA competition with their very first entry. Their trees represent rare, indigenous Portuguese olive varieties grown nowhere else on Earth.

I was thrilled when advance word from my scouts indicated that the Madeiras anticipated an excellent harvest. Over the years I have developed a warm friendship with 86-year-old Celso and Filipe, and a visit to their grove and gracious home is always on my itinerary. But Mother Nature calls the shots from year to year.

In Alto Douro the olives must be picked by hand, and the trees receive water from rainfall or not at all. The rugged, mountainous terrain is not rocky or sandy, like Mediterranean terroir; it is made of schist (xixto, in Portuguese), a flaky, metallic volcanic rock that traps water between its layers. A plant’s roots must burrow down and break through layers of schist in order to reach the moisture.

Because of these challenges, production costs in Alto Douro total about six times more than elsewhere. Thus the Madeiras focus solely on quality, not quantity. Their recent acquisition of an advanced Mori olive crusher (using knives rather than the more traditional hammer) has more than paid off—this year their oils were the best I’ve ever experienced from this grove.

Filipe and his team had to work strategically and quickly this season. Early predictions of “the best vintage ever” were defied when heavy rains in the middle of the spring disturbed the pollination process, reducing the number of blossoms (and, consequently, the volume of olives). Their production would only be about 40 percent of the expected harvest. The summer was very dry. (“We had no water,” Filipe reported, in an understatement.) Sometimes, though, as veteran Club members know, periods of water deprivation and stress to the olive trees can produce more intense flavors and aromas in the fruit, which works to your benefit.

Filipe and his team harvested early to avert the impending ripening of the fruit and ran the mill 24 hours a day for 25 days straight. The effort was worth it. Having savored the oils from this farm for several years, I can proclaim this a breakout season— one that takes their product from world-class to “out of this world.” Filipe, Celso, and their team are so excited for you to taste this oil—a beguiling and verdant blend of unique Portuguese cultivars. In honor of Filipe’s mother, we are presenting this Club exclusive with the label Maria de Lourdes, featuring the family crest.

Clearly, there shall be no resting on laurels for this family. During my visit Celso announced that he had just bought more land. “We must work for the future,” he insisted, inspiring me with his passion. “We must plant trees for the future.”

Impressions and Recommended Food Pairings

Green, grassy, and alluring on the nose, presenting green tomato, basil, thyme, fennel, celery, and mixed salad greens punctuated by sweet hints of marzipan (almond paste), peppermint, and pear. In the mouth the flavor of green almonds blooms, along with nuances of tomato, basil, celery leaves, and mâche, The finish is deliciously long, revealing the palate-teasing pepperiness of arugula.

This oil complements a variety of foods: chicken, pork, turkey, and veal; codfish, halibut, swordfish, sea bass, lobster, mussels, and scallops; chicken, duck, or goose eggs; mild cheeses; breads; white beans; salads, especially those made with citrus or other fresh fruits, such as a spinach salad with pear, goat cheese, and walnuts or almonds; rice or simple pasta dishes; asparagus, green beans, fennel, okra, mushrooms, peas, and potatoes. Use it to make quick breads or drizzle it over yogurt, vanilla ice cream, pound cake with fruit, or chocolate mousse.

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This Quarter’s Second Selection

• Producer: Cladium, Finca Aroden España, Priego de Córdoba, Andalusia, Spain
• Olive Varieties: Hojiblanca
• Flavor Profile: Medium

Restaurante Rio’s main dining room in the whitewashed Andalusian town of Priego de Córdoba didn’t open for lunch for another 30 minutes, so our party—there to celebrate my selection this quarter of Aroden’s Hojiblanco as the Club’s medium olive oil—was directed to the lower bar-like level, an atmospheric room with, I was amused to note, a gumball-style vending machine stocked with roasted marcona almonds. Within minutes, we were served small glasses of cold beer, called cañas, and appetizer portions of crisp zucchini batons fried in olive oil. We promptly ordered another round of beers to get seconds of that “you-can’t-eat-just-one” zucchini. (It’s a myth that you can’t use olive oil for frying. One of the town’s signature products is olive oil-fried potato chips. We always pick up a few bags for the road.)

While we noshed, a parade of elderly people filed in and seated themselves—men at one table, women at another. They, too, ordered the diminutive beers. It was a Tuesday, but they were dressed in their Sunday best. We surmised the convivial gathering was a well-established ritual, not a one-off special occasion. The group was still there when we reluctantly left the restaurant. I learned a new Spanish word that day: sobremesa. It has no English equivalent, but the term refers to the delightful time (minutes or hours) you spend at the table after you’ve finished eating, enjoying the afterglow of the meal and especially, the company. I love the concept.

The mood at our table, where we passed a bottle of Aroden’s aromatic just-pressed Hojiblanco, was festive, too. Not expecting to be selected for the Club for the second harvest year in a row, the small co-op’s general manager, Luis Torres, and business manager, Clara Isabel Parejas, were over the moon. The inclusion of their enticing single varietal
in this quarter’s trio of olive oils is a testament to the team’smaturing skills and consistency. To underscore the point, Cladium was recently named one of the world’s top ten olive oils by Evooleum, a highly-respected guide published in Spanish and English by Mercacei.

Aroden’s home, the Sierras Subbéticas National Park, is breathtakingly beautiful, truly screenshot worthy. It covers over 73,000 magnificent acres. Thousands of olive trees cling tenaciously to the steep slopes of the Subbéticas mountain range. Some are hundreds of years old, their trunks as fissured as the limestone escarpments that loom above them. Eagles, falcons, and Griffon vultures nest on the craggy cliffs, their six-foot wingspans casting shadows on the landscape.

The rugged topography of the region has challenged generations of Iberian farmers going back to Neolithic times. One of Aroden’s five founding families, the Gámiz clan, can trace its land ownership in Priego de Córdoba to the thirteenth century, when their Basque ancestor, Miguel Gámiz, planted his first olive trees. I can picture him crushing his olives with millstones and pressing them between woven mats of native esparto grass.

How I wish Miguel could, through some miracle of time travel, taste the fabulous oils his descendants and their partners in this small cooperative are producing today in their modern state-of-the-art mill. They built the facility— called an almazara—in 2002 to avoid dependence on the community mill. Initially, they pressed oil for their own use, selling any surplus to the bulk market. Then they realized their oil was exceptional—way too good to commingle with run-of-the-mill oils. In 2005, the co-op proudly introduced their premium bottled oil, Cladium.

This season’s harvest was trickier than the previous one, Luis said, requiring him and longtime mill supervisor Fernando Sánchez to be even more discerning than usual. Only three percent of the olives were worthy of Cladium’s stunning mosaic label. Most of olives were harvested from the foothills of Mt. Tiñosa, what Luis calls “the Magic Mountain.” At 5,740 feet, it’s the highest peak in the Sierras Subbéticas.

The mellifluous word Aroden is actually an acronym for aromas de la naturaleza, “scents of nature.” A very appropriate moniker given the enchanting olfactory profile of this extraordinary oil. (See my notes below.) CLADIVM—more precisely, Cladium mariscus—is the Latin name for a sawgrass-like plant that thrives on the site of the Aroden mill. The spelling (with a “V” replacing the “U”) pays graphic homage to the Romans, former occupiers of Córdoba. The region was, historians say, the empire’s favorite source of “liquid gold.” Perhaps it will be yours, too. Enjoy.

Impressions and Recommended Food Pairings 

The hardy cultivar Hojiblanca, able to endure harsh winters and calcareous soils, was planted to satisfy Caesar’s writ demanding more Andalusian olive oil. Wheatgrass, fennel, celery, green apple, tropical fruit, citrus peel, vanilla, and Belgian endive consort with eucalyptus and green walnuts on the intoxicating nose. On the palate my tasters and I detected baby spinach, pear, celery leaf, and walnuts, with a bold and spicy finish, featuring notes of white pepper and arugula.

Reach for this lovely oil when these foods are on the menu or you need an uncomplicated sauce: lamb (chops or leg of lamb), game birds, chicken legs or thighs, veal shanks, rabbit; salmon, tuna, or whitefish; shrimp or fried anchovies; tomato bruschetta; gazpacho; aged cheeses like Manchego; country-style or whole grain breads; artichokes, broccoli, cauliflower, yams, and romanesco; chocolate; and sweet or savory baked goods.

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This Quarter’s Third Selection

• Producer: Castillo de Canena, Selección Especial, Jaén, Andalucía, Spain
• Olive Varieties: Picual
• Flavor Profile: Bold

Francisco “Paco” Vañó recently shared some momentous news with me and my Merry Band of Tasters: the latest edition of Flos Olei, a guide to the world’s best olive oils, awarded his family-owned business, Castillo de Canena, 100 out of 100 points, one of only seven olive oil producers out of 500 worldwide to be named to the publication’s newly established Hall of Fame.

Olive oil expert and Flos Olei publisher Marco Oreggia says the perfect score—the equivalent of an Oscar in olive oil circles—is reserved for farms that have not only distinguished themselves in the various categories of the competition, but have achieved sustained growth and maintained “a stable goal of excellence.”

Castillo de Canena is very deserving of the recognition. I am so proud of Paco, my longtime friend, whom I consider to be one of the most capable, consistent, and well- respected ultra-premium olive oil producers I’ve met.

He has also proved himself to be an exemplary steward of the land that has been in the Vañó family since 1780. (The family home, an imposing fifteenth century castle overlooking the village of Canena, was named a National Monument in 1931.) Committed to biodiversity, the 3,700-acre farm hosts beehives, a large herd of sheep, and native wildlife. Five years ago, Castillo de Canena joined the Spanish Olive Groves Alive Project, and to date, has identified 114 species of birds on its property. (A color guide is in the works.) Last summer, two artificial vegetation-covered islands were floated in the farm’s large pond/water storage reservoir; they are expected to attract waterfowl and other nesting birds.

An important aside: perhaps you’ve heard that nighttime harvests were temporarily suspended in Andalusia and Portugal to protect migratory birds. The current ban applies only to groves that qualify as “super high-density.” SHD is the acronym used for olive groves laid out in compact trellis- or stake-supported rows. More common in the New World than the Old, they are harvested using special foliage-straddling equipment. Castillo de Canena is not subject to the restriction as their traditional groves are planted with several feet separating the canopies of the
trees.

We lunched, appropriately, at Taberna El Pajáro (“tavern of the bird”) in Baeza, one of Paco’s favorite local restaurants and a popular stop on Jaén’s official olive oil tour.

It was an excellent choice. My Merry Band of Tasters and I dined there on a previous visit and remembered well the kitchen’s tender pork secreto (a cut resembling skirt steak that we have encountered nowhere else), olive oil-soaked whole peeled tomato appetizer with finely diced onion and oregano, and luscious, velvety crema Catalana (brûléed custard).

Thrilled with the balanced and elegant Picual we custom-blended for Club members, I was surprised to hear Paco proclaim this season’s harvest “the toughest” of his life. My Merry Band and I exchanged knowing glances, because he almost always says that. Overall quality was very high, he affirmed, but yields were down about 10 percent. (Oils that don’t meet Paco’s unyielding standards are sold to the bulk market; he focuses his energies on ultra- premium oils.) An arid summer and unseasonably high temperatures accelerated the harvest, he said. To protect the olives’ flavors and aromas, he dispatched his skilled and experienced harvest teams between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. each day, recalling them around 1 p.m. The olives were pressed under strict temperature-controlled conditions.

Always open to innovation and new research, Castillo de Canena partnered this year with a Spanish company known for its expertise with table olives, each of which must be perfect when cured. Together, they developed a game-changing scanner that evaluates individual olives for ripeness and defects. Called EVOOlution, the prototype performed exceedingly well during tests and was used during the current harvest to vet olives used in the farm’s premium olive oils. In other planned improvements, the mill is undergoing a substantial renovation and expansion that will double its capacity. The addition of two milling lines featuring the state-of-the-art equipment will shave eight to ten days off the
harvest period, minimizing the olives’ exposure to wind, rain, or frost. Paco looks forward to pressing four varietals at the same time, a real advantage when his test plots—recently planted with Italian and Syrian cultivars—mature.

The bold and beautiful Picual I’ve procured for you represents olive juice from three different plots. With 2,600 acres of Picual at varying altitudes, we could be incredibly choosy. Only the best fruit, harvested at its peak, was used to make this rare and exclusive blend.

Impressions and Recommended Food Pairings 

Expect complex aromas when you open this assertive, vibrantly green blend of three Picuals. Rosemary, tomato leaf, parsley, wild fennel, kale, green banana, sage, cinnamon, and arugula rise from the tasting glass like a sassy culinary perfume. Unsurprisingly, it pulls no punches in the mouth, either, leading with intense flavors of green tomato and wheatgrass. Close behind, but in perfect harmonic step, are parsley, kale, arugula, green banana, and rosemary. You will notice the bitterness of Belgian endive and radicchio, along with a ginger-like spiciness.

Enjoy this oil with beef or game meats (especially grilled); oilier fish, such as mackerel or tuna; grilled octopus; tomato- or meat-sauced pasta dishes; herbed breads; paella and other savory rice dishes; fried eggs; cabbage, broccoli rabe, turnips, grilled fennel, rutabagas, Swiss chard, beets, grilled radicchio or Belgian endive; tomato salads, or salads featuring sturdy bitter greens; minestrone soup; Greek yogurt; and dark chocolate.

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Olive Oil and Health

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Kudos from Club Members

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A Cordial Invitation from T. J. Robinson to Meet, Mingle, and Have Some Fun in Our Members-Only Facebook Group!

We’re having lots of fun over at our new Members Only page on Facebook. I and my Merry Band of Tasters invite you to join us! Your privileges include direct access to me, and I’d love to correspond with you and hear your opinions on the various food topics we like to chew on. You’ll also enjoy lots of my favorite recipes I share exclusively with Club members, behind-the scenes looks into my latest Olive Oil Hunter adventures, and much more. Drop in on our movable feast any time you feel like it. Simply request to join the group. We’ll quickly approve your access, and you can join in our lively (and delicious) conversation.

Recently I invited members of our group to answer this intriguing question: “If you could use fresh-pressed olive oil in just one recipe for the rest of your life, which would it be?” Here’s a taste of their answers:

Sourdough Carrot Cake, In My Daily Yogurt, Sautéed Veggies, Dressing, As A Drizzle, Roasted Chicken, Baked Potato, On My Three-Minute Eggs on Toast, My Daily Salad, Roasted Vegetables, Marinara Sauce, Drizzled on Veggies, With Spices Added to Dip Bread In, Marinated Mozzarella Balls, Drizzle It On EVERYTHING, Hummus, Junk Pot: Kielbasa, Potatoes, Onions and Kale; On A Spoon, Mixed with Grated Home-grown Garlic, White Pizza, Steamed Veggies, Tabouli!, Broccoli Rabe, On My Eggs, Cacio e pepe, EVERYTHING!, On Bronze Cut Linguine, A Shot – Straight Up every day! Spaghetti aglio e olio…

There were scores more, inspiring us all to conclude that choosing only one way to use fresh-pressed EVOO just won’t work!

Recipes

• Milk Chocolate Cremosa with Espresso Parfait Miami chef and restaurateur Michael Schwartz (a friend of a friend) reports that this is one of his best-sellers. “(The) olive oil reinforces the richness of the cremosa,” he says. view recipe
• Six-Minute Meyer Lemon Custard Luscious with the sweet/tart notes of Meyer lemon (a cross between a lemon and a mandarin orange), this soft custard is the perfect ending to a Mediterranean meal. If you can’t find Meyer lemons, substitute the juice and zest of regular lemons, blood oranges, or mandarin oranges. view recipe
• Romesco Sauce Romesco is one of Spain’s iconic sauces, good not only with grilled onions or leeks but also asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, or brussels sprouts. You can even pair it with scrambled eggs or grilled meats, poultry, or seafood—it’s that versatile. view recipe
• Grilled Spring Onions with Romesco (Calçots) A specialty of Catalonia, these leek-like onions—traditionally grilled over olive wood fires and served with nutty, brick-red romesco—are messy but delightful! view recipe
• Big-Flavour Broccoli with Manchego Reducing food waste is an objective we’d all do well to adopt. Part of the appeal of this recipe is its utilization of broccoli stems, which are often condemned to the trash or garbage disposal system. If you’re not a fan of umami-rich anchovies or don’t have them on hand, substitute 1/2 teaspoon of Worcestershire… view recipe
• Paella Food historians say that paella (literally,“pan”) first appeared near the coastal city of Valencia in the 18th century. It’s a festive meal, one I enjoyed preparing recently at a private cooking class in Madrid taught by chef Arantxa Lamas, a Le Cordon Bleu graduate. Though traditionally grilled, you can also cook it on your stovetop. view recipe
• Rack of Lamb with Garlic and Rosemary The province of Aragon in northeastern Spain (between Barcelona and Madrid) is known for its lean and tender lamb. Lamb cooked in clay ovens is a specialty, in fact, of a Spanish restaurant chain called Asador de Aranda. In the meantime, satisfy your lamb cravings with this easy-to-prepare rack of lamb flavored with garlic, rosemary,… view recipe
• Portuguese Barbecued Chicken (Frango no Churrasco) Centuries ago, the seafaring Portuguese established trade routes throughout the world, an endeavor that brought them into contact with many exotic foods. Among them was a potent little chile called piri-piri. Today, incendiary piri-piri sauce is a popular condiment in Portugal and on the African continent. If you can’t find it in the international aisle… view recipe
• Gazpacho Here’s another great recipe I picked up from chef Arantxa Lamas during my time in Spain. It’s keto-friendly, too—a plus in my book. view recipe
• Mushrooms in Garlic Sauce Madrid native and private cooking class instructor Arantxa Lamas, a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu, graciously shared with me her recipe for this much-loved dish. If you are interested in taking a class from Chef Lamas, you can contact her through her website, www.arantxalamas.com. view recipe