At Beach store, bottled-to-order oils deliver big, complex taste

The row crops hog the summer spotlight, but olive oil season also is upon us.

At my place, we whirl olive oil into salad dressings, drizzle it over the catch of the day, pack it into pestos, toss it with summer squashes and drag crusty bread across herb-flecked pools.

Last week, while I was standing in an urn-studded store in Virginia Beach, an olive-oil revelation hit me like lightning.

You can do so much with it.

"I'm one of those people who puts it on toast," said Bonnie M. Lawrence, who recently opened Savor the Olive, an oh-so-European store in the Hilltop section of Virginia Beach.

"I'm terrible," she added, almost apologetically. "I put it on BLTs."

Terrible? Hardly. To me, this seems like genius. But then again, Lawrence has an unlimited supply of fresh, extra-virgin olive oil to experiment with.

Lawrence's place opened nine weeks back with the help of her husband, Frank D. Lawrence. The decor is minimalist Tuscan, with oversized wine jugs outfitted with lights suspended from the ceiling and a quartet of olive trees in pots out front.

It's the perfect place to get an introduction to olive oils beyond the basics.

Years ago, after consulting a couple of local chefs, I began buying imported olive oil from the food aisle of local discount department stores. The chefs admitted they did the same. The price is right, they said, but with the ever-changing selection it's hard to know exactly what you are getting. I haven't had a bad bottle yet, though some are just ho-hum.

With plans for making pesto and an empty bottle, it was time to try the newest EVOO source in town.

At Savor the Olive, each of the 27 varieties of extra-virgin olive oil - and 21 imported balsamic vinegars - are stored in squat, stainless steel urns with spouts. Customers drip oil into tiny, pleated paper cups and savor the flavors before the oil is bottled and capped to order.

Placards above each urn detail the unique characteristics of each olive oil: levels of oleic acid, which helps resist oxidation; free fatty acid content, which indicates the condition of the fruit at crush time; peroxide value, which speaks to potential for spoilage; and the count for polyphenols, antioxidants that impart pepper, bitterness and other flavors considered desirable in high-quality olive oils.

Tasting notes also provide a starting point for a full olive oil experience. Who knew that olive oils develop flavors based on the soil, climate and conditions where olives are grown and offer flavors such as eucalyptus, artichoke, pepper, grass, herbs and even green banana?

Bonnie Lawrence offered a paper cup containing a few deep green drops of Frantoio-Verde Robusto, a California olive oil with a reputation for boldness. It's her husband's favorite.

"It's like tasting wines," she advised. "There are different notes and finishes. Take your time; wait for it."

The urn's card had me searching my palate for herbs, perhaps an asparagus flavor in the center, and awaiting the promised peppery finish.

The oil was smooth and complex, and I could taste the herbs, but after a moment or two, I didn't get pepper at all. Frank held up a finger and encouraged me to wait. Then there it was, the signature hint of heat at the back of the throat - imparted by a high level of polyphenols - that is this oil's trademark.

I moved on, tasting oils from Portugal, Australia, Spain and Chile and oils infused with wild mushroom and sage, chipotle, garlic and basil. Other oils are "fused" with lemon, Persian lime and blood orange for more flavor.

In the end, I left with a 375-milliliter bottle of the Frantoio-Verde, which at $14.99 is more expensive than grocery- or department-store oils but exquisite on a BLT.

Chef Don Averso, Tidewater Community College's culinary arts coordinator, says a high-quality, extra-virgin olive oil should never be squandered as cooking oil.

"Use it in its raw form for marinades, salad dressings, dips, pestos," he said, "because heat will change the chemical makeup and flavor of the oil."

When you find an olive oil you like, follow Bonnie Lawrence's lead and try it on just about anything: scrambled eggs, cantaloupe - and don't forget the BLT.

Recipes

Basic Vinaigrette
Makes: 1 cup
-3 to 4 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar
-2 teaspoons finely minced shallots or 1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
-½ teaspoon dry mustard
-Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
-¾ cup olive oil

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the vinegar, shallots, mustard, salt and pepper. Continue to whisk vigorously as you slowly add the oil in a thin stream. This will form an emulsion, and the sauce will thicken. Alternatively, you can put all the ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake vigorously. The emulsion won’t be quite as thick or as stable, but it’s another way to combine the ingredients.

Vinaigrettes are best served within a couple of hours or so of making them and at room temperature for maximum flavor. Whisk or shake again if the mixture has stood for more than a few minutes.

Variation For a balsamic vinaigrette, use extra-virgin olive oil and replace the wine vinegar with balsamic vinegar. The deep, sweet flavor of the balsamic goes great with roasted or grilled mushrooms and meats.

Source: “Cooking One on One,” by John Ash, 2004, Clarkson Potter/Publishers

Aioli
Makes: 400 milliliters or about 14 fluid ounces
-2 egg yolks
-2 to 4 garlic cloves, crushed
-½ teaspoon sea salt
-1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
-Pepper
-300 milliliters or ½ pint olive oil

Combine all the ingredients except the oil in a blender or food processor. Season with pepper.

With the blade running, gradually pour in the oil until the mixture is thick, glossy and pale. You may need to add a little boiling water to the mixture if it becomes too thick.

Transfer to a bowl, taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until required. This will keep for up to three days.

Source: “Tapas,” by Louise Pickford, 1997, Hamlyn

Fish on the Grill
-Lemon slices
-Fresh herbs
-Whole fish, scaled
-Coarse salt
-Freshly ground pepper
-Olive oil

Place flavorings such as lemon slices and herb sprigs in and around a scaled fish – 2 pounds serves two people.

Add coarse salt and ground pepper, drizzle with olive oil and enclose in a parchment-lined foil packet.

Grill over direct heat, about 20 to 25 minutes, turning once.

Source: Everyday Food – A Martha Stewart Magazine

Lorraine Eaton, (757) 446-2697, lorraine.eaton@pilotonline.com