The Oil of the Olive

We adore olive oil. It is the only oil of culinary importance pressed from the flesh of a ripe fruit (not a seed or a nut), and we think that’s why it’s one of the most delicious and versatile food products in creation. Having access to great olive oil has been one of the most significant improvements in the quality of our cooking in recent decades. We’re not alone in our enthusiasm; more and more cooks are telling us they can’t live without it.

Today, olive oil is made anywhere olive trees grow (of course!) and that list stretches to include Spain, Italy, France, Portugal, Greece, Australia, Africa, California, New Zealand, South America, Syria, Turkey, and Israel. Olives, like wine grapes, require a warm climate and particularly sandy soil. The best come from Italy and the south of France. Like most good things, olive trees improve with age; interestingly, an olive tree must be 35 years old before it bears fruit.