A Day at Rich Glen's Early Harvest Olive Oil Launch!
Join Millie for a day in the groves to celebrate Rich Glen’s Early Harvest EVOO 2024 Launch!
"In Early April, I was honoured to be invited to the Rich Glen Olive Groves in Yarrawonga for an exclusive luncheon to celebrate the launch of their 2024 Early Harvest Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Firstly, a huge thank you to the team at Rich Glen for putting on this incredible event and for extending the invitation to have me speak about why extra virgin olive will always get the dietitian-tick of approval and what makes Early Harvest EVOO so unique from a nutrition and flavour stand-point!
Also, you best believe I brought my Mum and Dad along to the event -after all, they are the reason I grew up *basically* drinking olive oil like most kids do cordial. A quick shout to Mum for snapping all the BTS content for me to use, you’re the best!
To provide you with some context, early harvest EVOO is pressed from olives that are harvested earliest in the season [usually around April/May] when the olives are slightly unripe and bright green in colour. Early Harvest varieties of EVOO can appear greener and cloudier due to harvesting the fruit before fully ripening. This means that there are high levels of Chlorophyll [a type of pigment] present in the skin and flesh which give the oil that unique, almost gold-looking appearance.
This doesn’t make the oil any less natural than EVOO harvested at other times throughout the year. In fact, Early Harvest Oil is the most sought-after due to its high polyphenol content [more on that soon], fresh grassy aromas and unique tropical flavours.
There is a reason why Early Harvest EVOO is touted as liquid gold.
What makes early harvest olive oil so nutritious is the incredibly high content of antioxidants and polyphenols. EVOO has more of these nutritious compounds than any other oil on the market. Antioxidants should form an integral part of our diet because they promote anti-inflammatory benefits and help to keep unwanted pathogens within our body at bay. They are also great for our skin health, immune system, gut health and brain health too! They really are a superfood compound within their own right!
Early Harvest EVOO is incredibly versatile, however it is best used as a finishing oil to elevate the flavour profile of your favourite dishes. Whilst it can of course be used in cooking too, its robust flavour and nutritional make-up make it shine when paired with premium ingredients.
On the day of the event, we all shared our favourite ways to enjoy EVOO, what a way to bond! Tim Robards mentioned that he loved adding a drizzle over his eggs in the morning, where as Daen from Daens Kitchen enjoys it served with a high quality vanilla ice-cream. For me, I can’t get enough of Rich Glen’s Early Harvest EVOO, period! I’m not even shy about admitting that I’ve already gone through two whole bottles since harvesting. I like to add a generous glug on my favourite pastas, over the top of a fresh crispy salad or simply on its own to be dipped with fresh sourdough. I’m not fussy, really!
Thank you so much again to the team for putting on such a beautiful event, that one will go down in history! "
Millie Padula | Dietitian Edition
Early Harvest Extra Virgin Olive Oil is still available via the Rich Glen website.
