Discover what’s so good about Yellingbo Olive Oil, the product of choice for Martha Stewart and Oprah.
Created on the Meltzer family farm in the Yarra Valley, Victoria, Yellingbo Olive Oil has earned the respects of Martha Stewart and Oprah Winfrey’s personal chef Art Smith, as well as a whole host of top restaurants, both in the Australia and the United States.
MiNDFOOD chatted with one of the faces behind the product, Jeremy Meltzer, about what makes Yellingbo Olive Oil so special and how the brand is helping children orphaned by the 2004 Southeast Asian Boxing Day tsunami.
Describe the taste of Yellingbo Olive Oil.
Carefully, we blend the five varietals of olives we grow, to create a very smooth, balanced oil with buttery hints of nuts, caramel and sweet apples with a mild, pepper finish.
How does it compare to other varieties on the market?
We’ve had many chefs remark that Yellingbo is the most rounded and elegantly balanced Australian extra virgin olive oil they’ve tried. There are a lot of great olive oils in Australia though. I think the magic happens in careful blending, to create a complex, intriguing pallet of flavours.
What do you do differently make it taste this way?
Besides the blending, harvesting with utmost care is key. Because we are a small grove, pressing as quickly as possible after the oilves are harvested is very important. All our olives are pressed within three hours of being hand picked.
What dishes does it suit best?
Yellingbo is delicious over pastas, salads, baked fish and vegetables.
What is your favourite homemade dish that uses the oil?
I love Yellingbo poured over grilled Haloumi cheese, with olives, preserved lemons, fresh rosemary and pepper.
Tell us about the Jasmine Foundation.
We created the Jasmine Foundation after almost losing my two sisters to The Boxing Day Tsunami in 2004. From Yellingbo’s sales, we donate 5 per cent profits to the Foundation, which goes to assist orphaned children in desperate need.
What are some of the sustainable practices the business employs?
We use only organic practices on our grove and recycle as much as possible, packaging materials etcetera. The new Yellingbo Gold Cask not only keeps the oil fresh till the last drop, as it doesn’t allow any air or light to enter, it is also 100 per cent recyclable, reducing environmental impact – compared to a tin – by 95 per cent.
Yellingbo Gold is available in Australia and the United States, exclusively online at: www.yellingbo.com.
Click here for your chance to win a bottle of Yellingbo Gold Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
