Olive oil and flavours

The olive is the fruit of the most valuable tree grown in Mediterranean soil. From ancient times extra virgin olive oil is known and appreciated for its unique properties.

The latest scientific studies show that the Greek Mediterranean diet based on olive oil is beneficial to the health of the human body. It increases longevity and plays a vital role in the combat against heart disease, cancer and other ailments related to dietary habits.

The variety of olives produce a variety of olive oil flavours. The individual’s personal taste determines preference in the choice of olive oil.

The four flavors we know are: sweet, bitter, sour, salty.

Olive oil has three distinct flavours:

• sweet (fruity taste)

• sour (acidic taste)

• bitter (spicy sharp taste)

The olive oil blends with the flavours of the food and its discreet characteristics adds to the overall flavour of the food, similar to that of spices.

We present a few tasting properties and tips that will help you use olive oil in all your preparations.

Our purpose is to broaden our tasting experiences and discover new combinations of flavours and sensations.

Cooking with olive oil:

Let’s begin with a few basic principles of function and interaction of tastes. The general rule is that intense salty flavours are balanced by an intense fruity olive oil while fatty flavours (sweet feeling) are balanced by an intense bitter or spicy olive oil.

In particular, red meat (beef, lamb, goat) and game (wild boar, deer, etc.) pair and reveal their aromas and flavours when accompanied by a spicy olive oil. Poultry (chicken, turkey) and pork meat are ideally accompanied by a mildly spicy olive oil.

Fatty fish (salmon, tuna, trout) pair with a spicy olive oil while fish found in the Mediterranean Sea (sea bream, sea bass), various shellfish and seafood are best accompanied by a fruity olive oil of moderate intensity.

Vegetables with sweet taste (carrot, cauliflower, broccoli, courgette, potato) as well as dry legumes (beans, chickpeas, lentils) are ideally accompanied by a bitter or spicy olive oil.

Wild bitter leafy greens and vegetables (bitter chicory, artichoke, peppers) as well as green salads (lettuce, roquette, lola lettuce) love the delicately fruity olive oil.

The leafy greens with sweet taste (spinach) and salads with a sweet taste (iceberg, French salad) love an intensely bitter and spicy olive oil.

Tomatoes and the famous Greek salad are ideally combined with bitter olive oil.

Pasta is ideally accompanied by an intensely fruity olive oil. Dough preparations (pizza, bruschetta) with white cheese (mozzarella, feta cheese) are best accompanied by robust fruity or mildly bitter olive oil.

However, as we mentioned in our introduction, the sensation of taste, as well as preferences differ from one person to another and so the above information will be useful to you as we commence our tasting voyage together.