Pairing Guide

Pairing Explanation: In this case, the olive oil is the main attraction, so I always pick something that’s stronger in flavour and bitterness. This is when I want to taste something peppery or unusual that will stand out and keep me coming back for more. The only exception is when you want your bread toppings to stand out more, in which case choose something milder.

Pairing Explanation: I’ve selected each of these for a certain clean, grassy, peppery quality that comes through in each. They have enough character that they’ll hold their own on a charcuterie board but at the same time none of them is so dominant that they’ll overpower the nice fattiness of food like cured meats.

Pairing Explanation: Particularly with strong vegetable flavours like char or bitter greens, it’s less about balance than choosing an olive oil that can match its boldness. These have strong peppery finishes and intense flavours that will accentuate the flavours of your vegetables rather than getting lost in them.

Pairing Explanation: Soups tend to have deeper flavours but can also be a bit flat as all of the ingredients cook down. For these types of dishes, adding a drizzle of fresh, peppery olive oil before serving can make it completely come to life and draw out some of the different flavours each ingredient brings.

Pairing Explanation: Light fish and simple seafood dishes tend to be more delicate in terms of flavour. Balance is key so I always make a point of choosing a milder olive oil that won’t overpower the dish. While these oils are fine to cook with, I’d recommend adding a finishing drizzle before serving to brighten everything up.

Pairing Explanation: If your fish is more, well, fishy, or has that strong briny taste you find with anchovies, your olive oil pairing needs to be stronger, with that bitter/peppery taste you get from high-polyphenol oils. Like with fatty meats, the oil sharpens the dish and cuts through the strong fishy flavours.

Pairing Explanation: Red sauces, especially ones with meat, tend to benefit from an olive oil that accentuates its flavours and makes them taste more layered. It might be tempting to choose a stronger olive oil but I actually prefer one more on the medium side, that doesn’t dominate as much.

Pairing Explanation: White meats benefit from olive oils that are milder and don’t overpower them. Freshness with fruity notes and a gentle peppery finish are perfect and work well with quick sauces, pan juices or just to drizzle on top at the end, as I love doing.

Pairing Explanation: Whenever I’m eating a red meat-heavy meal where there is a lot of fat present and deep, richer flavours, I always gravitate towards olive oils that have big, bitter and spicy flavours. The intensity of the oil cuts right through the meat’s heaviness and makes it taste cleaner, balancing out the meal more.

Pairing Explanation: All of these olive oils have a certain herby quality to their flavour notes that makes them well suited to fresh tomatoes, while still having just a little bitterness to cut through milky cheeses like burrata. I love drizzling these oils liberally over my tomatoes right before serving, for maximum flavour.