A striking oil
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It should no longer be news to anyone that California olive oils have made tremendous gains in quality over the last several years, though too many of them still sometimes seem to be plagued by harsh flavors and high prices. One of the nicer California oils I’ve tasted in some time is the Sierra Organic that comes from the highly praised company Apollo. One of Apollo’s earlier oils was named one of the 10 best oils in the world at an international tasting in Milan. And this year their oils got two gold medals and a best in show at the Los Angeles County Fair’s olive oil competition.
The two gold medal-winning oils are the rich and pungent Barouni, from a Tunisian olive variety, and the more buttery Mistral. But though it won only a silver, to my taste the Sierra is the best of all, with a complex, sweet olive flavor and just a touch of pepperiness in the finish. It comes from century-old Mission olive trees in the Sierra foothills.
Apollo Olive Oils, $19.95 for a 375-ml bottle from their website.
— Russ Parsons
