Qualifying Your Olive Oil
We’ve spoken already about not treating Olive Oil like Wine in terms of “saving it for that special day”. Olive Oil does not get better with age.
When it comes to our taste buds though, we can definitely treat Olive Oil like wine and it makes for a really interesting tasting session. You can distinguish a good Olive Oil by it’s palate and nose, however the colour of an oil has nothing to do with the quality of the oil.
In fact, at Wilson’s Foods, we taste every single batch that comes in so that we can decide how we will be using the oil. If an oil shows any kind of defectiveness, we won’t sell it. This very simple step has helped us to achieve consistent year-on-year quality.
There are 3 main points we look out for:
Straightforward notes (ie not complex; ripeness of input olives should not vary too much)
Freshness (should smell like a newly-cut lawn)
Robustness
You can tell a lot from just tasting olive oil, such as whether or not there was mould on the olives (fermented), if the olives were cleaned properly (earthy), if the olives were dried out or frozen (hay/woody), musty/damp/stuffy (the olives were left too long after harvesting)
The things you want to taste are Fruity (grassy, herbaceous, floral, buttery), Bitter (acrid taste on your tongue) and Pungent (peppery/spicy aftertaste).
Interested in doing your own Olive Oil Tasting? Follow our easy step guide!
Slow Roast Rack of Lamb
Rack of lamb is one of those cuts that rewards slow cooking and bold spicing. This recipe roasts it in the oven until the fat renders down and crisps up, then serves it over a tomato fondue that’s somewhere between a sauce and a jam.
Three Flavour Focaccia
This three flavour focaccia gives you options: balsamic onion, tomato and basil, and three cheese with rosemary. Golden, dimpled, and soaked with olive oil, this Italian bread is forgiving to make and perfect for sharing — or keeping all to yourself.
4 Brilliant Jacket Potato Fillings
Elevate your jacket potato with four delicious fillings — from tuna mayo twist to caramelised red onion & bacon — each made even better with Wilson’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Biltong and Caprese Salad with Olive Oil Balsamic Dressing
A proudly South African take on a classic Italian salad — this Biltong and Caprese Salad with Olive Oil Balsamic Dressing is simple, fresh, and full of flavour.
Homemade Roosterkoek – The Perfect Braai Side with Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Nothing completes a South African braai quite like freshly made Roosterkoek—crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and packed with that signature smoky flavour. The secret? A splash of Extra Virgin Olive Oil in the dough for extra softness and a rich, golden crust. Fire up the coals—it’s time to bake the ultimate braai side!
Truffle Mushroom Risotto with Nutty Spinach Salad
Ingredients For the Risotto 1 onion 2 sticks of celery 1 tbsp Wilson’s Truffle Flavoured Oil 1 bunch of fresh thyme (30g) 20g dried porcini