This green-gold extra virgin olive oil is made from cold-pressed Souri olives harvested in an ancient grove. (How ancient? 2,000-year-old olive trees still thrive here.) Khalafs single-estate oil is buttery-smooth, rich and bright thanks to the optimal climate, sunshine and stony ground topography of the Rameh Valley, a region dubbed the Queen of Palestinian Olive Oil. The bold flavor and peppery afternote make it the perfect finishing oil; you can drizzle it over grains and pastas, salads, flatbreads, dips and more.
The Khalaf family, who have tended to the groves for over 160 years, follow meticulous harvesting methods. The trees are never wateredeven the ancient onesor treated with fertilizers and chemicals. In November and early December, each Souri olive is picked at peak ripeness (it looks mottled with shades of green and purple) when they are plump with oil, ideal for easy extraction. The olives are then crushed and cold pressed the same day to ensure the freshest and smoothest tastes, coupled with the soft grassy notes and peppery finish that are distinctive of the region. We have a very limited inventory of this hard-to-find oil; once we’re sold out, we can’t get more until next year’s harvest.
Net Weight/Volume: 16 ouncesIngredients: Souri Variety Extra Virgin Olive Oil Place of Origin: Rameh Valley
How to Use: Use as a finishing oil to best enjoy the bold, nuanced flavor. We like to drizzle it over focaccia and flatbreads, like our Lebanese Flatbreads with Tomatoes, Zaatar and Sumac. Its great as a dip for bread and cheese, too. Mix into a simple salad dressing or drizzle over grain or pasta dishes, soups and dips like hummus, mutabal and baba ghanoush. Try the oil with our Bulgur Pilaf with Tomatoes and Eggplant (Shulbato), Harissa-Honey Lentil Salad with Almonds and Roasted Eggplant Salad with Tomatoes and Pine Nuts. You can cook with Khalafs oil, but be mindful of the temperature to preserve flavor; stick to medium to lowtemperature sauting.
The Queen of Palestinian Olive Oil.Ar-Rameh, or the Rameh Valley, was once the worlds most important olive oil region, with production dating to 5,000 BCEand thus dubbed the Queen of Palestinian Olive Oil. Some of the trees on the Khalaf familys single-estate grove are around 2,000 years oldthe same age as the Colosseum in Rome. The optimal climate and topographyincluding the rich soil, ample sunshine, autumn rainfall and consistent temperatureshelps create a plump olive packed with bold and buttery-smooth flavor.
