Olive oil, a pillar of the Mediterranean diet, is expanding globally, but the differences between its types and quality generate doubts. Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) guarantees maximum quality, obtained from healthy olives, processed under strict standards and without additives. Other types, such as mild and intense olive oil, may be blends of refined oils, lacking healthy benefits. EVOO and Virgin Olive Oil share the same extraction process, but differ in composition and taste due to different factors.
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In all high-quality extra virgin olive oils, there is a positive attribute par excellence, the fruity: intense, medium or light aroma to green or ripe olives. This aroma of the fruit from which it comes is usually accompanied by smells such as freshly cut grass, green tomato, artichoke, or even green banana.
Along with fruity, another important attribute or virtue is pungentness and bitterness (yes, these are positive characteristics of a good EVOO) and its intensity will depend on the variety, growing area and time of harvest.
The pungent and spicy touch of extra virgin olive oil is due to a high concentration of polyphenols (natural compounds present only in foods of plant origin) and natural antioxidants. Therefore, it is a quality and stability indicator that protects it from autoxidation and provides beneficial effects for the consumer's health.
Each variety gives us different nuances: our arbequina EVOO is sweet on the palate when entering the mouth, very aromatic and slightly pungent. It is the ideal complement for a salad, a carpaccio, a vegetable cream, a mango or pastries. Our picual EVOO has a medium fruity reminiscent of freshly cut grass, with moderately balanced pungentness and bitterness. It is an ideal oil for meat dishes, grilled or gratin vegetables, cheeses, a gazpacho or salmorejo, stir-fries and, why not, pouring a good drizzle of EVOO on some orange slices?
If the preference is for an all-purpose oil, stable in terms of attributes over time, our EVOO in 3 and 5 liter formats is an excellent option. Different varieties of olives have been used in its production (picual, arbequina, pajarera and hojiblanca), in accordance with a series of criteria of our mill master in order to obtain similar aromas, flavours and organoleptic characteristics in each campaign.