Who can do without olive oil?

Whether we wanted to come for an evening olive oil tasting at Restaurant Christiaan Smit in Amsterdam? Of course! WINELIFE sat down there with one of the most talented olive oil producers from Italian Puglia; Campo Lisio. We met Dom Faccini there, who has had his own organic olive grove in Lecce, Puglia (Italy) since 2006. We asked him about the relationship between wine and olive oil, two essentials in the kitchen and at the table.
Text: Château-Petri

'Dom Faccini: 'There are very many similarities between the vine and the olive tree. First, they are both ancient symbols of life, peace and fertility. You often see them in religious, mythological and art-historical expressions. They also grow together in the most beautiful places on earth, preferably in warm, dry climates on poor soils. You find those In the Mediterranean vineyards of southern France, Italy, Spain and Greece. There, the olive trees are just short of standing among the vines. In places like this, daily consumption of wine and olive oil is as natural as breathing. Also, both olive trees and vines can grow very old. The trees often live for hundreds of years, some even more than a century. Vines can also remain productive for a hundred years. The older, the more concentrated the fruit and therefore the better the oil or wine is.

In WINELIFE, we regularly write about the effect of the changing climate on vines. Do olive trees suffer from this too?

'Yes, despite the fact that, like the vine, they root deeply and are therefore resistant to heat and drought. But that can also become too much. That is why, as in viticulture, hybrid varieties are increasingly being used. These are more resistant to global warming. They also have higher resistance to diseases, give a higher yield and are easier to harvest by machine. We don't do that and stick to the traditional way. That takes a lot of time and attention but you can taste that back in the oil.

How do you work yourself? 

'At Campo Lisio, we work with authentic varieties cared for according to agroecological methods. We pick by hand and the olives are processed without any artificial additives. We have several oils, for example the 'Delicato', which we actually reserved for friends and family. That one is very delicate in taste, accessible with a fine bitterness thanks to slow preparation. That one is so delicious that we sell it anyway. Or another favourite, the Primofiore, where the olives are pressed within a few hours of harvesting. Then the oil and water are separated manually with large sieves. Something completely different is the Peperoncino, an olive oil infused with organically grown chilli peppers from our own garden, which gives a spicy kick to the oil'.

Despite having just experienced the proof during the amazing meal made by chef Simon van Lith, still this last question: why should you always use olive oil with food?

'Because it makes everything just that little bit tastier! The aroma and flavour of dishes become richer and deeper, the taste experience is smoother and rounded. In short, you can say that this is ideal olive oil for gastronomy. Moreover, it is healthy for you, what more could you want?'

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