Il has been used for thousands of years — by
ancient Mediterranean civilisations such as the Greeks, Phoenicians and Romans.
But it was in Ancient Greece that the practice of growing olive trees and
extracting the oil from their fruit began.
Throughout the centuries, olive oil became a
staple of the classic Greek diet. It’s used in almost all the famous Greek
dishes we know and love today. In fact, extra virgin olive oil is widely
considered a sacred food in Greece. But it must be pure and not altered by additives
in any way.
Today, Greece is the world’s biggest producer
of extra virgin olive oil. The country also consumes more “liquid gold” than
any other nation on Earth. The fact that Greece has one of the highest life
expectancies in the world is a testament to the health benefits of extra virgin
olive oil.
We’re proud to be in a position to deliver
this most precious of food assets to the people of the UK. We stock only the
purest Greek extra virgin olive oil, and that’s why our customers keep coming
back for more.
What makes our Greek olive oil a premium
product? Firstly, a good extra virgin olive oil has low acidity levels. The
second thing to look for is the colour. A high-quality product is golden green in
appearance. But the exact shade differs depending on the variety of olive used,
where it comes from and the time of year it was harvested.
But beware — not all olive oil on the market
is Greek extra virgin olive oil. Around 20% is an inferior version of this
quintessentially Greek product. The good news is that 80% of all the olive oil
produced in Greece is the extra virgin variety!
Not all olive oils are high quality.
Fortunately, there are a few things you can look for. For example, Greek olive
oil with a Protected Designation of Origin label (PDO) proves the product is
authentic. That’s because this certification is only awarded to products that
come from specific regions, using a particular variety of olive that’s produced
using recognised methods.
At The Hellenic Deli, we are committed to
supplying only the finest extra virgin olive oil. Our PDO-certified products
come from the Messara region of Crete and is from single estate. This olive-producing region of Greece is
widely considered to be one of the best in the world. This is because the
mountainous landscapes are known to produce fruit of the highest quality.
Premium quality with 0.3% Acidity. Single Estate
Premium quality with less than 0.3% Acidity Single Estate
Oleum Organic Early Harvest is a high quality olive oil that is produced from early harvested olives, with very high polyphenols and strong flavor and taste
Natural Kalamata olives, prepared traditionally by artisan producer