4 Chefs Put 10 Olive Oils To The Test
by Rachel Lim
@ 20 May 2016
Olive oil is a chef’s best friend in the kitchen. “Olive oil producers put in a lot of love to squeeze the olives and the outcome is like gold.” Chef Lorenz-Maria Griesser explains to us how much labour goes into making olive oils. The varietal, soil and climate play a huge part in the colour, smell and taste of the oilve. The right olive oil can bring out the right flavours in the dish, while the wrong olive oil creates a disaster.
With a plethora of olive oils in the market, how do we know which to choose? Which pairs brilliantly with seafood and meats? To give you a hand, we got four different chefs – Chef Sebastien Lepinoy from Le Amis Restaurant, Chef Nicolas Joanny from Nicolas Le Restaurant, Chef Mathew Leighton from Salt Grill & Sky Bar by Luke Mangan and Chef Griesser from Zott’s True Alps - to do a blind tasting with 10 different extra virgin olive oils (EVOO). They have rated these olive oils, gave us their thoughts and advised how to use them.
Il Cavallino EVOO
Rating: 3/5
Special Edition (Huber's)
www.hubers.com.sg
The smell of wet grass and fruit is release from the light green golden oil. The light tasting oil is recommended for sweet salad by Chef Joanny.
Masia El Altet High Quality
Rating 3/5
EVOO (Angliss)
www.angliss.com.sg
The golden green colour olive oil is sweet on the olfactory scale and has a slight bitter taste at the end notes. Our panel of chefs recommends using it for salads or cold marinated dishes.
Les Partides EVOO (Indoguna)
Rating:3.5/5
www.indoguna.com
The olives are pressed immediately to ensure a delicious flavour with all the healthy properties expected from a quality olive oil. Bluish green in colour, this olive oil has a light natural smell and flavour.
Terre Bormane Riviera Ligure EVOO (Secret Fine Food)
Rating:3/5
www.secretsfinefood.com.sg
Created by Casa Olearia Taggiasca - Taggiasca Oil Mill - with Chef Alain Ducasse as their master taster, this light flavoured olive oil embodies the values and ancient traditions of the Liguria region in Italy.
San Massimo EVOO Gold Wrapped (Huber's)
Rating: 3.5/5
Peel back the gold foil to present a dark gold hue. This fruity olive oil is produced in the world famous villageof Protofino, Liguria. Our panel of chefs notes pleasant acidity laced with bitter ending notes.
Pago Baldios San Carlos - Arbequina (Elite Fine Food)
Rating: 3.5/5
www.elitefood.sg
Intense golden colour, the olive oil is fruity in flavour. Light in your mouth and comes with a touch of spiciness that was noted distinctively by all of our chefs. “Drizzle a few drops of olive oil over steamed fish and add a splash of lemon or ponzu to balance the flavours,” Chef Joanny comments.
Capezzana Conte Contini Bonacossi EVOO (Giorgio Ferrari)
Rating: 3.5/5
www.giorgio-ferrari.com
This exquisite greenish blue oil has a dry herb, black olive and grassy smell along with light spice and bitter tones, it also has a short after taste. Chef Joanny praises this olive oil, “Powerful but well balanced, goes well over a grilled fish.”
Gattopardo EVOO
Rating: 3/5
www.gattopardo.com.sg
A bayleaf smells emits from this liquid gold. While all chefs agree that there is a bitter taste, Chef Leighton remarks, “it has a good
flavour; slightly green with a bitter finish.”
De Cecco EVOO (Angliss)
Rating: 3/5
Yellow toward green in colour this olive oil has a fruity and rosemary smell. Chef Joanny feels that this olive oil is simple, while Chef Leighton
detects some spicy notes and Chef Griesser remarks, “reminds me of Alto Adige.”
Casas de Hualdos Reserva de
Rating: 3/5
Familia EVOO (Hubers)
This green olive oil is made from four varieties of olives: Arbequina, Picual, Manzanilla and Cornicabra. Nuts and grassy aroma wafts the nose and it is spicy on the palate with a bitter finish.
This article is adapted from Cuisine & Wine Asia March/April2016 issue.
