• Types of Olive Oil
• Olive Oil Tasting
• Tasting Notes
• Olive Varieties

The Village Press

Olive Varieties

There are no hard and fast rules about how the different varieties of olive oil should be used. it is all a matter of personal taste. However, passion for the product has driven us to recommend the following application for each of the varieties we produce:

Manzanillo

Manzanillo is such a well balanced smooth tasting oil that it lends itself perfectly to a match with quality balsamic vinegar (12 years old or more) and used to dress baby cos, rocket (arugula) or fresh salad and herb greens such as coriander (cilantro) at the table "cruet style". The onyl accompaniment needed is Maldon sea salt, some freshly shaved Parmigiano-Regiano and oven hot crusty bread to mop up the juices once the salad has been demolished. Buy Manzanillo oil online

Barnea

Barnea (An Israeli variety of olive) has a soft buttery front palate followed (about 15 seconds later) with a peppery hit which is more pronounced just after pressing than after some months in the bottle. The "pepperiness" is a good olive oil descriptor and that's why Barnea is perfectly suited to dress thick slices of bruschetta and compete with strong flavour of vine ripened tomatoes, rubbed garlic and fresh torn basil leaves perched atop char-grilled bread slices (preferably dense semolina/durum wheat based baguette style breads made in the traditional way and toasted over the coals of an open fire) Buy Barnea oil online

Picual

Picual (a Spanish variety) has a spicey and fresh green grassy quality to it which makes it ideal for dressing poached chicken or fish just after cooking (and before serving) with a simple adornment of herb greens from the garden. Buy Picual oil online

Frantoio

Frantoio (an Italian variety) is outstanding when used to make basil or coriander pesto. It carries the strong flavour to a different level and provides the perfect mouthfeel accompaniment for these richly satisfying condiments. Alternatively, Frantoio can be used to excellent effect as a dipping oil (again with fresh dense crusty bread) and dukkah (particularly if you are a fan of the latter). Buy Frantoio  oil online

Leccino

Leccino (an italian variety) is sensational when making garlic olive mash or infusing your own oil at home with blood oranges, grapefruit, lemon or garden herbs such as tarragon. This variety can only be purchased under the Peta Mathias label.