Olive Oil & Olives

Olive oil: harvest, variety, acidity

The Greek olive harvest runs from November to January, and oil from the early crop is greener, more peppery and richer in polyphenols — the catch at the back of the throat is a marker, not a fault. Koroneiki dominates in Messinia, Laconia and Crete. Check the label for harvest year and acidity: extra virgin must be under 0.8%, and good Greek oils usually sit between 0.2% and 0.5%. Keep it in dark glass or a tin, away from light and the cooker, and use it within the year of harvest while it still holds its aroma. Among table olives, the two best-known Greek PDO names are Elia Kalamatas and Prasines Elies Chalkidikis.