Milk Street Digital Class: All About Olive Oil from Orchard to Bottle

What’s on the Menu:
All About Olive Oil from Orchard to Bottle
Oven-Roasted Cherry Tomatoes Sott’Olio
Gemelli with Artichokes, Olives & Olive Oil
Bonus Recipe: Olive Oil & Lemon Ice Cream

“Cold-pressed.” “Polyphenols.” “First extraction.” Reading the label on a bottle of olive oil can feel like taking a vocabulary quiz that you didn’t know you needed to study for. Though it’s an item most of us use on a daily basis, olive oil is one thing we never cease to hear questions—and confusion—about from Milk Street students. That’s why we’ve invited two pros to settle some things once and for all. At this pre-recordied livestream workshop, guest teachers and brothers Umut and Cosku Kaplan, co-founders of Coccinella, will turn you into a resident expert on olive oil. You’ll learn about different types of olives, where they grow and how the varietal affects flavor, aroma and antioxidant levels. We’ll look at photos of olive groves and discuss ideal harvest times and methods. Umut and Cosku get into the nitty gritty of olive processing, from the real definition of cold pressing to the unexpected role that nitrogen plays in top-quality olive oils. You’ll get a final answer on the best packaging to look for when purchasing olive oil and will get comfortable discussing—and pronouncing—polyphenols and acidity levels. Of course, it’s not a Milk Street workshop without cooking, so Milk Street’s April Dodd joins Umut and Cosku to demonstrate three ways to use olive oil that prove its versatility in the kitchen.

About your teachers: Umut and Cosku Kaplan are brothers and co-founders of Coccinella, whose award-winning Oleavia olive oils are 100% sourced from Türkiye and produced under meticulously high standards. April Dodd is Milk Street’s Associate Director of Education and resident olive oil fanatic.