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Extra virgin olive oil – a Yotam Ottolenghi taste test Extra virgin olive oil – a Yotam Ottolenghi taste test
(35 minutes later)
Britain is still in love with extra virgin olive oil it seems, but not at any cost. A report this week from market analysts Kantar Worldpanel shows shoppers bought almost 5% more over the year, but sales for brands like Napolina, Don Mario, and Filippo Berio slid, thanks to the premiums' average price rise of 16%. People are turning to own label versions, and, while some of those lack flavour, others are fine. Britain is still in love with extra virgin olive oil it seems, but not at any cost. A report this week from market analysts Kantar Worldpanel shows shoppers bought almost 5% more over the year, but sales for brands like Napolina, Don Mario, and Filippo Berio slid, thanks to the premiums' average price rise of 16%. People are turning to own label versions, and, while some of those lack flavour, others are fine.Cost-wise, it makes sense to have two or three oils on the go at once – a cheaper variety for basic dressings and frying and a more expensive one for that final drizzle. The oil I want to dip my bread in, or use to finish off a dish, is highly aromatic but with the freshness of newly cut grass. The oil I drizzle over a simply cooked bit of fish is, similarly, smooth, velvety, fresh and balanced. The oil I use for everyday dressings, on the other hand, is less grassy and aromatic, and more one-note: punchy flavours can be brought in from garlic, honey, mustard, and salt. Perk up cheaper oils by infusing them – gently heat some oil with a long, shaved strip of lemon or orange rind, and let it sit for a few hours before drizzling over a salad or sweet dish. Chilli flakes, sprigs of rosemary, and sage leaves also work very well. The better performing supermarket oils in my blind taste test will work well for this.
Cost-wise, it makes sense to have two or three oils on the go at once – a cheaper variety for basic dressings and frying and a more expensive one for that final drizzle. The oil I want to dip my bread in, or use to finish off a dish, is highly aromatic but with the freshness of newly cut grass. The oil I drizzle over a simply cooked bit of fish is, similarly, smooth, velvety, fresh and balanced. The oil I use for everyday dressings, on the other hand, is less grassy and aromatic, and more one-note: punchy flavours can be brought in from garlic, honey, mustard, and salt. Perk up cheaper oils by infusing them – gently heat some oil with a long, shaved strip of lemon or orange rind, and let it sit for a few hours before drizzling over a salad or sweet dish. Chilli flakes, sprigs of rosemary, and sage leaves also work very well. The better performing supermarket oils in my blind taste test will work well for this. The premium brand Filippo Berrio500ml, £2.75Lots of body, good round flavour, heading towards grassy: a nice sweetness 4/5
Supermarket own brand olive oils Supermarket own brands
The premium brand: Filippo Berrio500ml, £2.75, filippoberio.co.ukLots of body, good round flavour, heading towards grassy: a nice sweetness 4/5 Sainsburys500ml, £2.10Quite pleasant, nice freshness, no grassy notes 3.5/5
Sainsburys500ml, £2.10, sainsburys.co.ukQuite pleasant, nice freshness, no grassy notes 3.5/5 Tesco500ml, £2.25A bit of unpleasant bitterness, rather one-note 3/5
Tesco500ml, £2.25, tesco.comA bit of unpleasant bitterness, rather one-note 3/5 Waitrose500ml, £2.50Nice olivey flavour, lacking acidity, medium-body 3/5
Waitrose500ml, £2.50, waitrose.comNice olivey flavour, lacking acidity, medium-body 3/5 Co-operative500ml, £2.29Nice and smooth, with a fresh taste3/5
Co-operative500ml, £2.29, co-operativefood.co.ukNice and smooth, with a fresh taste3/5 Don Mario, Iceland750ml, £3Completely inoffensive but with little flavour, not at all grassy 2/5
Don Mario, Iceland750ml, £3, iceland.co.ukCompletely inoffensive but with little flavour, not at all grassy 2/5 Primadonna, Lidl750ml, £1.99Inoffensive but one-note, a bit too light2/5
Primadonna, Lidl750ml, £1.99, lidl.co.ukInoffensive but one-note, a bit too light2/5 Marks & Spencer Mediterranean500ml, £5This one, at almost twice the price of the premium brand above, is totally lacking in character2/5
Marks & Spencer Mediterranean500ml, £5, marksandspencer.comThis one, at almost twice the price of the premium brand above, is totally lacking in character2/5