From ancient beginnings to its health benefits, discover why olive oil is a kitchen staple and a Mediterranean treasure. 

Olives have a rich history. Originating in the warm sub-tropical region of modern-day Syria and Turkey, they have been around for over 6 000 years. With time, they spread to other surrounding areas with similar terrain such as Greece, Spain, Italy, Tunisia, Morocco and Egypt.  

Over the span of their history, olive trees became more than just a fruit-bearing plant. Olive oil was first used in Greece for fuel, medicine and spiritual practices, but around 2 500 BC, Crete (an island in Greece) was the first to process olive fruit for trade.  

Olive trees can grow to be hundreds of years old, bearing fruit from just six years old. Their hardy nature means they can withstand drought and can thrive in sandy, rocky terrain, continuing to produce fruit despite the odds.  

From the root  

Good olive oil starts with the trees. They need a perfectly mild to hot climate that promises warm summers and chilled winters. The warm summers produce gorgeous flowers which then bear fruit. The olives are then harvested from autumn and into winter, when the cooler weather brings much-needed rest for the tree to create energy and develop more buds for the next cycle.  

Olives are removed from their stems using trunk shakers or comically shaped electric combs to dislodge them. Once dislodged, they fall onto a cushioned net to prevent bruising, and the leaves that fall with them are removed by hand. y

 The olives are then packed into large sacks and taken to be washed before the milling process begins. They are crushed into a thick olive paste, made up of the seed, pulp and oil.  

To separate the pulp from the liquid, the mixture is processed in a machine using centrifugal force. This liquid is then put through a second centrifugal process to separate the water naturally found in the oil.  

The pure oil is funnelled into stainless steel storage vats, where it waits to be packaged. Olives need to be processed into olive oil on the day of harvesting to ensure the quality of the oil is kept at its highest, as well as to prevent fermentation or oxidisation.  

Good as gold 

Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is classified as the purest and healthiest on the market. It has to tick specific requirements to be classified as such. Here are a few examples:  

• The oil has only been processed using mechanical (not chemical) means. 
• ‘Virgin’ in the label indicates that only oil produced from the first extraction has been used.  
• The oil was cold pressed (under 30°C) within 24 hours of harvest. 

There are three styles of EVOO:  

• Delicate — Made using the ripest (purple/black) olives. Subtle in flavour and perfect as a butter substitute in baking or adding to salads.  
• Medium — A slight bite with a fruity tone. Salad dressings and pasta sing with this oil.
• Intense — Made using unripe (green) olives. Bitter in taste, strong and intense. Pairs perfectly as a roasting oil and used as a marinade for meat. 

Other olive oils labelled ‘virgin/ pure/ light olive oil’, do not contain 100% extra virgin olive oil. They are either made using a second or third extraction, chemicals have been used to refine the oil, lower quality olives have been used, or they are a blend of mostly other seed oils with a small percentage of extra virgin olive oil. These will naturally be cheaper and last longer. True EVOO will be expensive and is best used within 6 months of opening.  

The local bounty  

The Western Cape climate has proved to be ideal for the cultivation of olive trees, hosting the soil for 95% of production in the country. Commercial olive growing in the region only started in the early 1900s, when Ferdinando Costa began large-scale cultivation of Italian varietals. Now, there are just shy of 200 different olive oil producers around the province. Larger companies such as De Rustica and Willow Creek boast 80 000 and 120 000 trees. Smaller producers such as Kleinbergskloof and River Bend focus on their few thousand. Regardless of the tree count, the variety in region and attention from each producer means there is unique differentiation in the products on the market. Weather conditions, soil type, watering and harvest process all lead to the final product.  

South African olive oils win a multitude of annual awards both internationally and locally. The recent SA Olive Awards saw brands such as Mardouw, De Rustica, Tokara, Rio Largo, Oudewerfskloof and Morgenster amongst many others win for their quality.  

Olive essentials  

Here are a few lesser known facts about these little gems:  

• Different olive cultivars (varieties) are grown specifically for table olives and olive oil. 
• Table olives are stored in a brine that improves the taste of the olive through curing/ fermentation. Their natural bitterness is removed, and their firm texture is maintained too.  
• Olive oil is usually sold in dark bottles or metal tins to prevent any interference from the sun, which could speed up oxidation and the degrading of the oil.  
• South Africa is the 5th largest olive oil producer in Africa, behind Egypt, Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia, which contribute the largest amount of olive oil. 

Watch how some of the finest olive oil is made in Greece:

Words: Sjaan Van Der Ploeg
Photography: Getty Images

Also read: Olive oil & sea salt parfait