Nostrana Teaches Us About the Italian Fresh Olive Oil Tradition
Friday, December 19th, 2008
Katie and I hopped on a bus from downtown to Nostrana (very easy BTW, love the no. 15!) on Tuesday for a staff training at Nostrana about the 2008 fall harvest’s fresh olive oil. Jeff Bergman from Seattle Bergman Culinary Concepts had arranged for 3 very special oils (Tenuta di Capezzana Olio Nuova, Frantoio Bechhina Olio Verde Olio Novello, and Frescobaldi Laudemio New Harvest) to be on the menu and for retail sale at the restaurant from Dec 16 - Dec 23rd.
Butter? Cough effect? Soft fruit? This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to learning about how to taste olive oils. Here are some of the sound bites we think are worth passing along:
Italians have long celebrated the harvest of the oils but it is only in the past few years that Americans have had access to these because importers are now willing to spend the money to airfreight the oils.
The oil must be 45 days or younger to be considered Novello (southern Italy) or Nuovo (northern Italy). The phenolics in new oil have not yet settled so they are vibrant and the oil has more health benefits.
Twenty or so years ago a consortium of producers in Tuscany introduced new technology that has become industry standard for harvesting the fruit in a way that provides more purity of flavor. Until this technology was introduced, a lot of the fruit that was turned into oil came from bruised olives that had been harvested by trucks which would pull up to trees, bang the trunks, and let the fruit fall to the ground. Truly gravity flow technology.
But the number one thing we learned is WHY cooks or diners should be interested in these oils.
It’s because they are basically “liquid salt.” All assertive flavors in the oil (the artichoke, banana leaf, tea, straw, fresh cut grass, butter) disappear when combined with food. We found the oils did an amazing job of brightening the flavors of the vegetables, fish and other ingredients in the dishes prepared by Cathy.
We found the beets in the salad tasted more “beety.” Everything was brightened and special, and sort of came to life in 3-D.
So, even though the oils we tasted retail for about $ 40 a bottle, they are completely worth it. And, if you don’t want to commit to a bottle, trying these incredible dishes is a great way to start to appreciate the intensity of these wonderful new oils. To enjoy the oils in Nostrana’s special menu of three dishes, visit the restaurant from today through December 23rd. The oils will also be available for retail at Nostrana while supply lasts.
