Here is the promised Part 2, and the connection is revealed: it’s Amy!
Yes, Amy Riolo’s prescription for a healthy Mediterranean diet includes copious amounts of olive oil. At “Drops of Heath: Olive Oil in the United States,” a sponsored event last March, she presided over a table laden with dishes incorporating this versatile ingredient.
But before her chef demo and a sampling of her delicious cuisine, a program was presented to educate the eager audience about domestic production and importation of the “green gold.” On behalf of the Olive Oil World Congress and the North American Olive Oil Association, major retailers, growers, and a medical doctor spoke on aspects of production and consumption, with a little politicking thrown in (because, Washington).
From the olive ranchers, we learned that olive trees are easy to grow in the right climate. They would seem to be a natural crop for California, not least because they can tolerate smoke from wildfires. They produce a crop by the third growing season, and sequester carbon. Lately, however, too much rain has been a problem.
From the distributer’s perspective, issues include finding the right balance between high-quality organic oil and value. U.S. producers are pushing for a National Standard of Identity, similar to those in Europe. Educating the consumer, introducing new technology to improve processing, and developing new frost-tolerant varieties, are all areas of interest. Chefs also have a part to play.
The buffet featured mashed potatoes whipped with olive oil, and an array of toppings including braised beef tips, poached salmon, and assorted garnishes. For dessert, cakes baked from very fancy boxed mixes were on offer. Each incorporated olive oil and were variously flavored with almonds, vanilla, and ginger.
This occasion was part of a series of events in advance of the Olive Oil World Congress, to be held in Lisbon in July. I wish I could somehow justify (and afford) attending it!