A premier purveyor of award-winning Extra
Virgin Olive Oil and home to the only estate olioteca in the Pacific
Northwest, Oregon Olive Mill is also the first certified modern milling
operation in Oregon. The Extra Virgin Olive Oils are sourced from the family’s
grove that owner, Paul Durant, personally oversees. From what we hear, Durant’s
dedication is rooted in ensuring the quality they’re known for at every stage
of the olive milling process.
I can contest to that. I’ve tried and used
every type of extra virgin olive oil from low, bottom-of-the-totem-pole quality
for sautéing in college—when money was scarce—to the prime-time oils that are
cultivated with care. A delightful and fragrant oil, the Frantoio Extra Virgin
Olive Oil was my first endeavor into the Oregon Olive Mill’s line of products.
The single Italian olive varietal is smooth and buttery with hints of
artichoke, hazelnut and a peppery finish perfect for the light vegetables I was
working with. Oregon Olive Mill grows many distinctive varieties: Arbequina,
Leccino, Mission,Pendolino, Koroneiki, and Picual, as well as several others. What’s
more, they supplement their estate fruit with olives sourced from prime groves
in Northern California, which allows for the blending to build more distinctive
flavor profiles and mitigates cool climate risk.
Oregon Olive Mill is located
on Red Ridge Farms, a destination for the senses as it’s called. Quick Tip:
they also encompass a variety of visual and culinary delights in the heart of
the Willamette Valley, including the Durant Vineyards Tasting Room, a gourmet
retail shop, nursery, as well as on-site accommodations.
A second top choice of the editors here at
Fancy Food is the Arbequina Extra Virgin Olive Oil, a Spanish version with a
sweet and fruity aroma. The floral undertones of the oil are accented with notes
of almond and feature a mild and buttery flavor that’s delicious in any
culinary setting. For more information on Oregon Olive Mill, check out their website.
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