Whatever type of party you are used to, there is a new one on the circuit: olive oil parties
I BET you have been invited to all sorts of parties and get-togethers but olive oil parties seem to be the latest thing. I was introduced to the idea by Petros Maliotis, the man responsible for this new trend in partying.
He arrived well prepared with folders of informative literature for each attendant. The literature is easy to understand and includes descriptions and how to read the label on olive oil bottles. Pictures describing the many methods used to produce olive oil and the difference in the resulting quality and product were attached.
Homer called olive oil liquid gold and athletes in ancient Greece liberally rubbed it all over their bodies. Olive oil has been more than a mere food condiment for many centuries. It was has been used with herbs in the preparation of ointments, infused with flowers to produce cosmetics. Another use was as scented fuel for the lamps. I bet Nancy d’Olio (as her surname suggests) uses olive oil to keep that mane of hers black and shiny.
In invited a group of ladies round to test-drive the olive oil party concept. They ranged from serious foodies to concerned mothers thinking of the welfare of their families.
For some, the presence of olive oil and bread on the table prepared by Petros was irresistible. Nibbling on bread and olive oil is the mainstay food of fasting people and I held the event shortly before Easter. Drinks on offer ranged from fresh lemonade, tea to white wine. According to Petros, the latter goes well with olive oil rich food.
Before the start of our educational class and while waiting for guests to arrive, I presented Petros with two different tumblers of oil. One contained an Italian olive oil imported by a well-known local supermarket and the other one contained an organic one recently bought from the only organic olive mill in Cyprus. Petros’ reaction to the first sample was “rancid” and to the latter “high quality”. I was rather surprised by his first verdict, as the olive oil in question is one recommended by many chefs in England. After smelling both oils myself, I agreed that the Italian one did have a peculiar, verging on offensive, smell.
The best part of the evening was the tasting. The sniffing/smelling of olive oil was quite fun. The same rules apply as with wine tastings. Two samples of olive oil were passed round the table and we had to swirl the contents in the jar and then literally dip our nose in to sniff the aroma drifting upwards. We were asked by our instructor to give an account of what the smell evoked.
The first jar that was passed round contained a greenish liquid that caused a bit of a stir. For some it evoked the smell of freshly mown grass, for others it reminded them of fresh fruit and for one it even evoked memories of being kissed under an olive tree… The second jar had a blunt, rather rancid smell evoking memories of “orthodox church baptisms” to one and to the majority it smelled of the basic olive oil most commonly used by all. Petros explained that the first sample was his Archontiko extra virgin olive oil and the second sample another local brand.
Many misconceptions concerning olive oil were aired during the meeting. “Cypriots in general prefer to use nut and seed oil rather than olive oil in cooking, thinking that olive oil deteriorates when fried. It does deteriorate at 230°C but before it reaches that point it gives the signal of smoke at 200°C and it is a warning of what will follow. The other oils, reach the deteriorating point first at 168°C and reach their smoking point at 235°C, by which time it is too late,” Petros said. I was under the impression that fresh olive oil needs to mature (for a couple of months) to lose its bitter aftertaste but the guest speaker crushed this theory. “Oils don’t mature, they are like white wine and the bitterness is a sign of freshness that consumers should look for,” he added.
As usual with these parties, my guests had some feedback to offer: “handouts of recipes using olive oil” would be useful, as would a demonstration by a chef using the products on show, more information on the two varieties of olives used to produce the olive oil, to taste and understand the difference. I would personally add that it would have been nice if there were more varieties of oil to taste so the taster can understand the different degrees of sweetness, flavours, potency and quality.
At the end of the evening, the unanimous opinion of all present was that more meetings of this type should be arranged as regardless of topic, “frivolous, girly meetings are fun”.
l Novel Agro Ltd, 5A Imvrou Street, Latsia, Nicosia. Tel: 22 572204
Olive oil with a difference
Petros Maliotis set up the Archontiko company in 2001 and started marketing his olive oil in 2002. At a conference in Sicily he realised there was room for improvement in Cyprus’ olive oil market, which had been dominated by the same company for years. He decided to select the best from the crops of a number of local growers to create a unique olive oil.
The company now markets three types of olive oil: To Archontiko, Zoe and Eleousa. All three oils go under the category of extra virgin. The Archontiko comes under two labels of Koroneiki and Cyprus. Each contains olive oil produced from a single variety of olives, giving users the opportunity to discover the characteristics of the two olive varieties grown locally. The Cyprus variety has an intense fruity aroma and is ideal for salad dressings, legume and pasta dishes. The Koroneiki has a piquant taste with the aroma of freshly picked vegetables. It is ideal to accompany fresh fish and salads. The olive oil is presented in dark glass bottles to protect the product from direct sunlight.
Zoe again comes in dark bottles but is produced from a combination of the two varieties. Eleousa is bottled in plastic bottles and is recommended for general use due to its low price. You can find them at all major supermarkets but they can also deliver anywhere in Cyprus. Or a gift packaged selection can be delivered.
To Archontiko £2.95 for 500ml
Zoe £3.15 for 750ml
Eleousa £3.00 for one litre
