Plant Chat: Maia Hirschbein, Oleologist, California Olive Ranch
I’m so thrilled to have Maia Hirschbein from California Olive Ranch on my blog today! Maia holds a Master’s in Food Culture and Communications from the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Piedmont, Italy. While in Italy, Maia worked the harvests with award-winning olive oil producers in Tuscany, Liguria, and Sicily, which inspired her passion for the growing olive oil industry back at home in California. As part of her Master’s research, Maia completed a comprehensive study of the state of California olive oil industry, in which she met with dozens of producers throughout the state. At California Olive Ranch, Maia leads their olive oil education program, conducts tasting events such as the one featured recently on Dr. Oz, and engages with chefs and restaurants on special projects.
Keep reading to learn more about Maia and her tips on all things olive oil.
What is your role at California Olive Ranch?
I work as an Oleologist for California Olive Ranch, primarily developing educational content for the website, conducting tastings with restaurants, and spreading the word about extra virgin olive oil made in California. I’m very passionate about supporting local agriculture and enjoying fresh food, and access to fresh extra virgin olive oil is critical to enjoying clean healthy food.
How did you learn so much about olive oil?
My passion for olive oil was born while pursuing my Master’s in Food Culture and Communications at the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Piedmont, Italy. I fell in love with the bright grassy and bitter olive oils in Italy that I didn’t remember tasting back at home in California. After my time in the classroom in Piedmont I worked with several Italian olive oil producers throughout Tuscany, Liguria, and Sicily, developing a deeper understanding of pruning, harvest, and production of olive oil. And upon returning to my home state of California, I focused my master’s thesis on California olive oil production and composed a report that included interviews with dozens of producers. I used that research to help launch me into the olive oil world, and pursued tasting certifications to enable me to better educate the public about local California olive oil.
Do you think consumers are confused about how to cook with olive oil?
Yes. Both home cooks and chefs are bombarded with contradictory information referencing the best way to use extra virgin olive oil. The rule of thumb is: the fresher and higher quality the olive oil, the higher the smoke point will be and the more versatile it will be in the kitchen. Fresh oils actually have a high smoke point, and can be used for cooking. California Olive Ranch had our oils tested by a third party and found that our oils actually don’t start smoking until the 400s, which is well above frying temperature. I recommend having two oils in your kitchen; one mild, inexpensive oil for cooking with every day, and one more robust oil for finishing and raw preparation.
Does the nutritional value of EVOO diminish when you cook with it?
Olive oil is a raw fruit juice, boasting high levels of antioxidants, also referred to as polyphenols. These antioxidants will decrease over time, and are sensitive to heat. The most important thing for us to remember is that we should consume olive oil when it is fresh so we start with oil with higher polyphenols. Although some might cook off when we’re preparing our food, they are still present and still provide significant health benefits.
How can you choose the best olive oil?
Here are some of my quick tips for finding the best olive oil:
• The first thing you should look for is a dark glass container or tin, considering EVOO is perishable. Studies show dark glass and tin containers are effective at preserving EVOO from elements such as light and heat.
• Check the bottle for harvest date. Harvest season for olive oil happens once a year in October and November. It’s best to be consuming oil from within the last year- the fresher the better!
• Look for single place of origin- or better yet, California!
What about fitting EVOO into a budget-friendly menu?
Your food is only as good as your olive oil. California Olive Ranch plants olives and harvests the fruit in a fashion aimed at reducing cost, making it more accessible for everyday use. You can also choose a milder, less expensive EVOO for cooking and even baking daily, such as our Everyday Blend, and then save your high-end olive oils for finishing, such as our Miller’s Blend which offers a bold and peppery finish.
How long should you keep EVOO?
Once bottled, our olive oil has a two-year shelf life. At California Olive Ranch we store our olive oil in stainless steel tanks that are nitrogen capped to prevent exposure to any oxygen, which is harmful to the oil. Once you open the bottle at home try and use it up within a couple of months, use it liberally and quickly! I also recommend storing it in a dark, cool part of your kitchen away from your stove or sunlight, and never in the refrigerator.
How is California’s olive oil industry doing?
Our oils produced in California have started winning international oil competitions, and we’ve shown that we make excellent extra virgin olive oil right here in the United States. As a country we still import 95% of our olive oil, but all of us in California are working hard to make more olive oil to satisfy the growing demand!
What is your favorite thing about olive oil?
Extra virgin olive oil epitomizes life to me. It’s simply a raw, beautiful juice. It gives life to the food that we eat. There are amazing people in this industry creating a truly great product. And it comes from my own backyard in California.
What is your favorite way to use olive oil?
I use olive oil for everything from scrambling my eggs in the morning to baking cookies after dinner. One of my favorite everyday dishes that I put on everything is a simple salsa verde using whatever fresh herbs I have, blended together with California Olive Ranch extra virgin olive oil. When I have a jar in my refrigerator I end up putting it on everything and all of my meals are beautifully herby. Here’s a recipe.
Here are some of Maia’s favorite olive oil resources:
• Cooking with extra virgin olive oil
• How to taste extra virgin olive oil
• Quality of extra virgin olive oil