Hunt, Gather & Gift

We did the heavy work now, go forth, Gather and Gift. Buy it NOW!

Oleavia Asilik I Olive Oil 

I was very honored to find out Umut Kaplan and his Father drove down from the cities to meet me. They were told I would be the go-to if they wanted to sell their lovely olive oil in Rochester. I think the recommendation came from someone with memories of ZZest, but I will do my best to get this delicious olive oil in people's hands. 

Umut and his family import the oil along with other Turkish itemS. He loves to talk about the health benefit of his oil and how he and his family have a tablespoon every night. At first, when I chose which oil I wanted to start with, I think he was nervous as I decided on the peppery one. I used to refer to these oils in coughs. Tasting peppery oil on its own can cause you to cough 1-3 times. So I gingerly tasted and fell in love with the upfront grassiness and the big pepper finish. The olives are cold-pressed within hours of picking then are sealed in stainless steel casks under a layer of nitrogen. The olive oil is good for your heart, brain, and whole body!

So I asked Umut for a little more info. 

"As a family, we work directly with the local farmers and a boutique factory in Aydin, Turkey, where we maintain and control the entire production process. 

There is a common misperception of thinking the quality of the Extra Virgin Olive Oil, EVOO, is directly related to the region or country it comes from. It can be true to a certain extent, but what makes an EVOO high quality and healthy is its polyphenol, healthy antioxidants found in an EVOO, content. The region simply influences its taste due to the different kinds of olives that are grown in these countries. 

There are two main terms many of the consumers are aware of, and those are "cold-pressed" and "Extra Virgin." Extra Virgin simply states the acidity level of the EVOO, and for it to be labeled Extra Virgin, it needs to be below 1% in acidity; if it is above, then it is labeled as Virgin Olive Oil. Cold-pressed is a very important part of the process because the higher temperatures we get to, the polyphenols are sacrificed, and a larger quantity is produced. Therefore, it is crucial to cold extract the olives.

But these two terms do not mean much alone. For example, every hemisphere has its own ideal harvest date. For the Mediterranean region, that is the months of September and October. If a producer were to harvest in December, for instance, they could produce almost 10 times more of the quantity, but as the olives grow, they start losing their polyphenol content. Those late harvest olives can still be "cold-pressed," but now the polyphenol content is significantly lower. The collection method is also imperative. If the trees are shaken, and the olives hit the ground, they get bruised and damaged.

Nevertheless, many producers follow this method as it is not too labor-intensive. Those olives can still be "cold-pressed," but now the structure of the olive is gone. Therefore, it is important to cold extract the olives, but the other parts of the process also need to be meticulous. 

For the Asilik I edition, each olive is hand-picked to avoid any damages, cold-pressed within a few hours, and stored in a stainless-steel tank to eliminate oxidation. The bottle also offers a unique cap to minimize oxidation even during consumption! An average EVOO in the US market has about 50 mg/kg of the polyphenol content. Our Asilik I edition has about 425mg/kg. That is almost 9x the average!! In terms of its taste has a smooth, fruity aroma with a vivid hint of pepper that you will feel at the back of your throat. We consume two tablespoons for its medicinal benefits and use it to elevate the flavor of our dishes. " 

I asked Umut what was traditional in Turkey to use with the olive oil, and he said date syrup, or maybe it was molasses. So I am hunting for that now. I bet it is beautiful. I used to carry pomegranate molasses and am also looking for that. I think it too would be lovely. 

So why buy a little bottle of olive oil as a gift? Because it isn't something someone would buy for themselves. That is until they taste it. I don't think I would be consuming it nightly, but I would definitely use this oil as my dipping and drizzling oil. On crusty French bread, it's going to be a knockout. Drizzled on a salad of warm halloumi, oranges, shaved fennel, and olives. 

If gifting just one item is hard for you...reconsider. This olive oil is exceptional.  But, you could always add a lovely chocolate bar; how about Mast Dark Chocolate and Olive Oil?! Or we have an outstanding olivewood-aged balsamic vinegar. Gather up these choice pantry items and gift them away.  

Photo sent by Umut, doesn’t that look fabulous?!