I spent quality time with my mother last weekend. Excellent quality. Instead of playing scrabble or shopping or something like that we caught a ferry to Waiheke Island, in the middle of Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf.
Once there we jumped on a wee bus, then toured around the island enjoying a day of tasting at three beautiful vineyards (Stonyridge, WOW and Mudbrick) and an olive grove. It was a perfect winter warmer for the soul.
Aside from the many glasses of red wine, my favourite part was visiting Rangihoua Estate for an education on the olive oil industry and tastings. Three interesting things I learned about choosing olive oil:
- Light. Olive oil deteriorates when exposed to light, so opt for a brand that has been packaged in dark green glass or a tin. 75% of olive oil on supermarket shelves is not offered this way – so sometimes you might have to buy a clear glass container, if so don’t sit it on the bench top – put it in the cupboard.
- Expiry. Olive oil only has a life span of two years, so look for bottling dates.
- Quality. Extra-virgin olive oil comes from virgin oil production only, contains no more than 0.8% acidity, and is judged to have a superior taste. The less acidity the better, as free oleic acid will oxidise the product. Good brands should tell you on the label what their % is.
Follow those three guidelines and you’ll be getting the good oil. Go to Waiheke and you’ll have an amazing day out.
