Tony DeMarco shares the best olive oils from Spain and Portugal on this week’s episode of The Main Course. Patrick Martins welcomes Tony DeMarco of Amphora Products (who provides olive oils for Fairway Market) to talk about the history of olive oil throughout Europe. Learn why the 2012 olive harvest was of particular high quality, and hear how global warming has been affecting olive trees and the growth of the olive fruit. Tony and Patrick talk about Fairway Markets’ Steve Jenkins, and his passion for the world’s best olive oils. Learn how olives are harvested, and the role of production in olive oil quality. What is the shelf-life of good olive oil, and what is the proper way to store it? Tune in to hear Patrick and Tony taste some premium olive oils on air! This program has been brought to you by Tabard Inn.

“The olive tree is really made to grow wild. It is basically a weed that farmers have learned to cultivate over the years.” [7:30]

“If you go to Costco or Walmart and get a three-liter jug of olive oil, you don’t know where it comes from, and you don’t know if it’s produced with hexane- a cancer causing chemical.” [13:30]

“Olive varieties are not as important as grapes in wine, but what’s more important is the production.” [27:00]

— Tony DeMarco on The Main Course