We recently invited friends to an intimate evening exploring the art of olive oil and sourdough pairings. Hosted in our Southwark bakery in partnership with Citizens of Soil, the evening celebrated our shared approach to craft, working with the seasons and championing biodiversity by working directly with small growers and farmers.
As we learnt, our modern food system treats olive oil as a commodity, driving down prices. This puts farmers in the position of having to use methods that harm both the quality the oil and the land where the olives are grown.
Citizens of Soil want to change that by paying farmers above market rates, so that they can focus on the quality of the product and regenerative farming practices that tend to the soil. Through our guided extra virgin olive oil tasting and feast of dishes showcasing different oils, the evening showed just how rich, deep and nuanced in flavour extra virgin olive oil can be when producers are able to work in harmony with nature.
Sat around a long table, against a backdrop of green from our bakery’s potted plants, guests noticed elegant, rounded black glasses among their table settings. “These are your olive oil tasting glasses,” said Citizens of Soil Founder Sarah Vachon, as guests tore at chunks of our Bruern Farms Sourdough and sipped oil-infused Botivo bergamot spritzes. “They’re shaped like this because you're meant to put it in the palm of your hands, so you can slightly warm it up. This helps to release a lot of flavour”.
The table itself was decorated in a spectrum of greens, with bunches of lemons, olive branches and whole artichokes – a gentle nod to the fresh ingredients that would feature in our menu. But first, Sarah explained how to taste extra virgin olive oil properly, so that each variety’s array of flavours could be appreciated in all their complexity. Here are her tips:
HOW TO TASTE EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
-
Place your glass in the palm of your hand and cup your other hand over the top. Gently twist the glass in your hand, allowing the glass to absorb a bit of body heat.
-
Release your top hand and smell the oil. “When it comes to speciality extra virgin olive oil, the number one thing you are looking for is any type of smell of life, of plants, of something that is living,” said Sarah. “If you don't smell it and instead it smells just like a sunflower oil, a pantry fat, or wax crayons, that’s not extra virgin olive oil. Or maybe it was, but it’s lost all its qualities.”
-
Now take a sip, about a teaspoon’s worth, and put your tongue to the roof of your mouth. “You then need to open up your mouth, and make this ridiculous sound, which gets the oil aerated and splashing across your palette,” says Sarah, before demonstrating: a short, sharp sucking-in of air.
-
There are three categories of tasting notes to examine when tasting extra virgin olive oil: fruity, bitter and peppery. The fruity qualities refer to the ‘alive’ scent Sarah described, and may conjure grassy notes, apples or even tomatoes. Meanwhile, the bitterness of the oil is what can make the flavour feel more or less intense. Finally, the peppery quality can lead to a tingly sensation that might make you cough during a tasting (it certainly caught many of our guests off-guard). But it is still a positive attribute, often associated with very fresh oil or olives that were harvested very early.
Rate these qualities for each oil you try from one to 10, making note of any particular flavours that come to mind (our guests noticed nutty, chicory and even green bean notes across different oils).
With the tasting over, it was time to eat. Our guests handed generous platters of olive oil-based dishes up and down the table, adding to the convivial atmosphere and sense of a shared adventure in flavour. From creamy whipped sheep’s ricotta, to sweet British heirloom tomatoes in a rainbow of shades, to a luxuriously velvety chocolate mousse, the dishes highlighted the incredible versatility of this very special ingredient.
MENU
GAIL’s Bruern Farms Sourdough (v)
GAIL’s Rosemary & Sea Salt Focaccia (v)
British heirloom tomatoes with Spanish extra virgin olive oil
Whipped sheep’s ricotta, lemon and candied walnuts with Greek extra virgin olive oil
Raw artichoke, lemon and pecorino with Tuscan extra virgin olive oil
Pink fur potatoes and confit garlic with Tuscan extra virgin olive oil
Braised cocco bianco and chicory catalogna with Spanish extra virgin olive oil (v)
Chocolate mousse with sea salt and Greek extra virgin olive oil
