Page 11 - Sphere No.17 (Sep 2006)

SPHERE 9
Newtrends
PHOTO TOP: OTHK/STOCKFOOD; BOTTOM: DEBBY HUNG
The good oil
A GREAT way to stay healthy
OLIVE OIL has been a symbol of health and prosperity
ever since the people of the Mediterranean started
to understand its extraordinary properties more than
7,000 years ago. Fast forward to the diet-conscious 21st cen-
tury and it has lost none of its allure. Olive oil has a high con-
tent of both monounsaturated fatty acids and antioxidants,
and studies have shown that it offers protection against heart
disease by controlling cholesterol levels.
Now that dietary message is being spread in Hong Kong’s
leading food hall, GREAT, a member of the A.S. Watson Group
that has been tantalising the palates of Hong Kong gourmets
for more than five years. Thanks to European supplier Crescen-
do, shoppers can sample a wide range of different olive oils
straight from the barrel and then return to have their bottle,
no matter big or small, refilled.
“It’s the first time something like this has been tried in Hong
Kong,” said GREAT’s Executive Chef, Timothy Broderick. “In
Spain and Italy, it is part of everyday life. People bring their
bottle to the local shop to have it refilled and have a chat.
Olive oil is part of almost every meal in those countries. People
cook with it, use it for salads or dips and put it on bread or
toast instead of butter.”
“Hong Kong people are always interested in food, so there is a
natural curiosity when they see what we have on offer. It is really
only in the last two or three years that people here have started
to introduce olive oil into their diet,” he adds. The message ap-
pears to be getting through. Supermarket sales of olive oil in
Hong Kong rose 13.7 per cent in the 12 months to June 2006.
The attractive barrel display and the tasting counter draws
shoppers who want to sample different types of olive oils,
everything from standard fare that can be used in cooking
through to flavoured oils and high-end extra virgin for use in
salads. Spanish and Italian brands are the best sellers.
Olive oil is produced principally in Spain, Italy and Greece. Just
like wine, the flavour depends on the variety of olive, soil condi-
tions and the weather. The oil is pressed from ripe olives after
they are harvested. Oil from the first pressing is classified as vir-
gin. Extra virgin, oil from the first pressing that is particularly
low in acid - less than one per cent - is considered the finest.
The customers at GREAT are an eclectic mix - Hong Kong
Chinese, Asian and European expatriates, tourists and visitors
from Mainland China. “We show people how to make salad
dressings and explain which types of oils best complement
specific foods,” said Mr Broderick.
As heprepared somedelicious samples,
the Spanish Consul General appeared
and dabbed a piece of bread into one of
the sample bowls of olive oil. “Mmmm.
Delicious,” the Consul General said. “It’s
the perfect way to start the day.”
Customers of
Great can always
get the freshest
olive oil in a wide
range of flavours.