We had a terrific conversation this week with Gregg Kelley, CEO of California Olive Ranch, all about the qualities and merits of extra virgin olive oil. California Olive Ranch grows olive varietals with poetic names such as arbequina, arbosana, and koroneiki that produce oils to rival the best in Europe. Their revolutionary mechanical harvesting method combined with super-high density planting allows olives to go from tree to oil in about 90 minutes—creating an incredibly fresh, cold-pressed virgin oil for dipping, cooking, or any other purpose you may have.
Gregg educated us on the main flavor characteristics of fine olive oil, including both the positive and the, ahem, flaws. We also talked about the state of olive oil labeling in the US: right now, there are no regulations at this time, so much oil labeled as Extra Virgin is far from world wide standards. But that situation is about to change.
Here are a few of Gregg Kelley’s personal tips for using evoo:
- Keep evoo in a sealed bottle in the dark and away from heat.
- Once the bottle is opened, use the oil in 30-45 days.
- Try using evoo in chocolate or baked goods. (He makes delicious brownies with blood orange olive oil!)
- When substituting in a recipe, a general rule of thumb to follow is 1 tablespoon butter = ¾ tablespoon olive oil
Listen to our interview in the archives to learn more about Gregg Kelley, California Olive Ranch, and how to identify a great extra-virgin olive oil–and what to do with it once you find it!




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OMG – I want that recipe for blood orange olive oil brownies!!!!!