Australian Olive Oil

Recently at the major book publishing company I work for, some gourmet gifts were raffled off in conjunction with the launch of a new cookbook. I won one of them: a "limited release" bottle of Extra Virgin, unfiltered Australian olive oil called "Yellingbo Gold." I was informed that the Australian variety are the latest trend in olive oils, and are particularly suitable to buy when the Italian ones are "off season."

I didn't know that olive oils had a season, but they do--the closer the sale date to the time they're harvested and picked and pressed, the fresher and better they are. Makes sense. (I admit, I tend to just grab what's on sale at the supermarket.) Since the pressing season for most Italian olive oils are from October to late January, this means that if you're buying in late winter, spring, and summer, you're not getting the optimal product. Who knew? Enter Australian olive oils; their season runs counter to Italy's.

If you're heading to Australia and are wondering where to get the best ones, they're mainly produced in South Australia, and the southwestern corner of Western Australia (the Moore River region, Victoria, South Eastern Queensland, to name a few). The varietals grown in Australia are basically the same as those made anywhere else in the world (such as in Tuscany, Spain, and Israel). Look for the freshest bottles--those made within the last 12 months (the labels should indicate this). And according to the Australian Olive Oil association, beware of claims such as "this has been judged as one of the top 10" in Australia. That claim can only be made if every Australian olive oil was exhibited at the show in question.

You may hear the term "colonial" or "feral" used to describe certain Australian olive oils. These oils are harvested from leftover trees from very old groves abandoned in the 19th century after subsidized European imports hit the market and sunk the Australian one. These colonials, which are said to to be the most robust oils, are found in Southern Australia and often are blended with grove oils to lighten their pungency.

As for my bottle, the label says it smells of sweet apples and sun-ripened tomatoes, leading to a rich and creamy palate, redolent of nuts and caramel and a subtle, lingering peppery finish. I haven't tried it yet, but given that description, it sounds like something I'd pop open this summer and drizzle over sliced ripe Jersey tomatoes, or with fresh peaches and a nutty Spanish cheese. (If I can't wait that long, my local farmer's market is still selling a wide variety of very tasty apples.)

Since Australian wines are passe these days (we all know how good they can be), here's the latest secret from down under in which to indulge your gourmet snob appeal and your taste buds. Even if you're not planning a trip to Australia, expect to see more of these oils on specialty food store shelves here in the states.