Georgia Trend Magazine. October 2023.

When you shop for good quality olive oil, don’t restrict yourself to Italian and Spanish producers. Look a little closer to home.

In South Georgia, near Tallahassee, Fla., Fresh Press Farms is the first of its kind to create a unique vertically integrated farm (meaning the farm grows, harvests, cold presses, bottles and distributes its oils). From 2015-2020 the farm planted over 2 million olive trees, which it started harvesting only recently. The farm uses the lowest water per acre in USA, micronutrients instead of chemical fertilizers, and upcycles cardboard and olive pits. With 1,000 acres of high oleic sunflower and a 70,000-square-foot oil mill, Fresh Press harvests, cold presses, bottles and distributes its oils so they go from the grove to pantry in less than three months. Fresh olive oil means your dishes will deliver richer flavor and higher nutrition.

Besides olive oil, Fresh Press is also producing sunflower oils, as well as soon-to-come peanut and pecan oils, and Georgia-inspired peach cider vinegar. Each of the artisanal and cooking oils comes in a refillable and recyclable aluminum bottle that is designed to protect the oils from oxygenation and harmful UV light, which results in fresher tasting oil for longer. Whether you are looking to top salads, dip breads or drizzle on pastas, there are a few things every home chef should know about oil.

I spoke to Frederic Lebourg, the CEO of Redlands Farm Holding, Inc. and a native of Paris who has worked in food manufacturing for over 35 years. Lebourg shared essential tips about buying and cooking oil:

• When selecting “good” oil on the supermarket shelf, look for dark glass and metal packaging to reduce oxidation. Avoid clear and plastic bottles.
• Expeller pressing is not the same as cold pressing. Cold-pressed oils are better than industrial extracted (90% of supermarket brands) that often deliver a tasteless fat molecule stripped of any health benefits.
• Products stating “light olive oil” or “refined olive oil” result from a second extraction and, in Lebourg’s opinion, should be avoided.
• Likewise, he says the “single cultivar” label is a marketing gimmick mimicking single varietal wines. EVOO actually benefits from assembling multiple varietals to balance taste.
• Read the nutritional contents and get one with as little saturated fat as possible. For example, regular sunflower oil is 13-14% saturated fat, a good EVOO is 7-8%, while Fresh Press Farms sunflower oil has 8%.
• Olive oil is not the king of all oils! Fresh Press’ sunflower oil has more monosaturated fat than olive oil, which helps lower LDL (bad) cholesterol level and reduce the risk for heart disease.
• Don’t cook with just any oil. For frying, you need an oil that has a high smoke point, such as avocado oil or high oleic sunflower oil. High-quality EVOO has a strong peppery flavor when drizzled on salads and bread, whereas virgin olive oil can be used for cooking.
• If you feel you are getting high quality EVOO from Europe, understand that logistics and shipment date most bottles at 12-24 months by the time they hit the supermarket shelves. With age, the oil loses flavor and phenolic (polyphenols) content. Make sure to buy your oil withing 2-6 months of bottling and use within 24 months.

Fresh Press oils are available in over 4,000 stores across the country as well as online through the website.

~ Written for and published by Georgia Trend. All rights reserves.