A few weeks ago I was invited to spend an evening at the new Dirty Apron Cooking School tasting Australia’s best-selling Cobram Estate olive oil. I do not automatically associate Australia with olive oil, but if you think of its wine exports and climate, it makes a lot of sense. And some research has shown that in recent decades Australia has emerged as a major producer of olive oil, with many growers boasting more than a million trees and modern production methods creating very high quality olive oil.

The tasting was hosted by the cheerful Australian cook book author and food host Sally James, who led us through a tasting of 3 olive oils and then demonstrated cooking 4 dishes heavily featuring said olive oil.

Along the way we discussed the characteristics of olive oil, such as the basics.  Olive oil ages badly and should not be exposed to air or light more than necessary. The best oil is made from young olives, and the French concept of terrior, describing the interaction between the plant and its environment, is just as relevant as with wine.

We also learned that olive oil is jokingly rated according to how many times it makes you cough, such as, “this is a cough-2 oil.” Definitely some oils will make you cough and there were some in our group that found this a bit overwhelming.

Tasting olive oil is best done without bread. Warming the olive oil cup in your hand,  put a bit on your tongue and let it roll down your throat, taking air in through clenched teeth and out through your nose. It is best to let the olive oil sit on your tongue for up to 20 seconds.

Like wine, there are a number of common words you can use to describe the characteristics of olive oil, such as grassy, fruity, apple, green leaves.  And like wine, I have trouble remembering or caring about these. But what I did  find amazing is how complex the flavors can be, especially when you taste them correctly.

The experience – and the lovely gift bag with 4 bottles of oil – has led me to start hosting mini-tastings at home with friends and family. And it has motivated me to splurge on growing my collection of olive oils from different countries.

The Cobram estate olive oil is rich and flavorful with very low acidity. I am not a fan of flavored oils (save truffle) and the lemon infused oil was far too strong for me. My favorite was the rich and robust oil, which is a spicey (cough-2) oil and great for drizzling. But the light and delicate has been the one to run out most quickly because I find it perfect for marinating red meats. And the fresh and fruity has become by go-to for sauteing vegetables, such as shitake mushrooms.

The bigger question is where Australian olive oil sits relative to the oil you already know and love. The well-known flavors of Italy, Greece and Spain are the ones I typically crave and I do not see that changing. However, the Australian oil brings a new and bold flavor to the table and I think it deserves a place in any olive oil collection.

The night also featured a group of white and red wines from the Yarra Valley, which were delightful as you would expect.

Lemon Tapenade with Pasta and Ricotta

Olive Oil Poached Kingfish with Pumpkin Puree, Lemon-Dressed Fennel and Rocket Chiffonade

Olive Oil Marinated Australian Lamb Loin with Salsa Verde

This olive oil and sticky wine cake with galzed pears blew me away. I do not typically like cake, and I still think about this one weeks later.  Email me if you want the recipe, I plan to make it and post the recipe at a later date.

Cobram Estate Australian Extra Virgin Olive Oil

www.cobramestate.com.au

hollyhansenpr.com

Dirty Apron Cooking School

The Crane Building

540 Beatty Street

Vancouver