Clarifying Butter

Olive Oil

Olives and olive oil, indigenous to the Levant, have been part of social, economic, and culinary history for five thousand years. First cultivated in the ancient lands of Egypt and Mesopotamia around 7000 BCE, and later Greece, and Rome, today olives and their oil are consumed around the world for their flavor and health-providing properties. These versatile ingredients have impacted various civilizations, enhancing cuisine, religious practices, and economies throughout different regions and periods.

Tracing the Roots of a Timeless Culinary Legacy

The impact of olives and olive oil has been felt in culinary history since their first recorded mention around 3,000 BCE. Cultivated initially in the eastern Mediterranean region, their cultivation and use spread to Egypt, Mesopotamia, Greece, and Rome. Indeed, scholars define the “Mediterranean” as “where the olive tree grows.”

During the expansive Roman Empire, the trade of olive oil expanded across the entire Mediterranean, with Mount Testaccio in Rome literally becoming a mountain made from smashed olive oil amphorae. These amphorae were labeled according to their origins, indicating the significance of regional differences in olive oil production and a connoisseurship by diners. Olive oil consumption was also a dividing line between Roman culture and the northern Germanic tribes who were butter eaters. Olive oil shops have been found in the ruins of Pompeii and olive oil features prominently in De re culinaria, a collection of 2^nd c. Roman recipes. It continues

Olive Oil in the New World

Olive oil gained additional prominence when the Roman Emperor, Constantine, converted to Christianity in 323 CE and it became the official religion of the empire. Not only for culinary practices, but it was also necessary for religious anointing. Therefore, when the Spanish first colonized the Americas, one of the most important foods to carry across the Atlantic was the olive tree, which, upon arrival in Peru in 1560, was guarded 24 hours a day. Thomas Jefferson even wrote a treatise that promoted olive cultivation as a way to make the colonies self-sufficient. By the 1800s, the olive tree was brought to southern California by missionaries, where the climate was hospitable to grow into a local industry.

Olive Oil in the Modern Age: Technological Advancements, Health Paradigms

In our contemporary world, the popularity remains, with industrialized production and global market expansion shaping culinary landscapes and health paradigms, but not without controversy. Technological advancements, from high-speed centrifuges to cold extraction techniques that preserve the oil's delicate flavors and nutrients, have revolutionized olive oil production. The Mediterranean diet, popular since the 1960s, emphasizes olive oil's heart-healthy properties and has gained global recognition. Yet, recently, there have been challenges, which include highly publicized cases of adulteration (not 100% EVOO) as well as climate change.