From Greece to Larchmont: the Olive Oil Diaries

When Demetra Kontoulis Bouras' grandfather was young, he bought land in Massinia, Greece, and planting olive trees became his life's work. But the young girl's ties to that land were partly severed when she migrated to America; her family rented the plot after her grandfather passed away. Fortunately, the Kontoulis continued to receive olive oil abroad as part of the lease.

Many years later, Kontoulis and her family, now living in Larchmont, bring extra virgin olive oil from that same land to farmers' markets in Larchmont, Rye, Katonah, other Westchester towns and even nearby states.

Two years ago, the land passed to Kontoulis with the stipulation that she continue supplying olive oil to family and friends in the United States.  Accepting their disposition for quality olive oil, Kontoulis said, "When you have it and get used to it, there's no way to go back to commercial products."

As a result, Kontoulis got an extra month off from her job as an administrative coordinator at Columbia University and went back to Greece to harvest and learn the trade with her husband.  "It was very hard," she said, but the positive feedback encouraged her to turn this into a business.

Producing extra virgin oil starts with getting the olives to the sledge as quickly as possible, which means that the longer one delays to crush olives into paste, the higher the acidity. Working with a crew, in addition to the caretaker who maintains the groove year round, the best results occur in a 24 to 48 hour window, Kontoulis said.

Initially, the harvested olives are freed of twigs, leaves and dirt with oxidation machinery.  Once the paste is made, it's slowly stirred so that the oil droplets stick together.  In turn, a high tech centrifuge allows the olive oil to emerge, with only a cool, dark place needed to preserve.

The acidity level yields the label "extra virgin" if it comes in under 0.8 percent.  "Ours is between 0.2 and 0.3 percent," Kontoulis said, cautioning customers against being seduced solely by a label. 

Commercial endeavors may average its product out by mixing virgin olive oil from one field with extra virgin from another field.  

"Different fields have different tastes so you get a blend, and yes, it's going to be extra virgin, but it's not going to be as unique," Kontoulis explained.

That probably didn't happen 3,000 years ago, but the process has mostly remained the same - save the donkeys that turned the stone grinds.  The extraction of olive oil through hand squeezing is first documented in the Bible in the exodus from Egypt in 1300 B.C, but the actual history dates back 5000 years.

Olive oil presses were common throughout the Mediterranean, and the Greeks, Romans and Egyptians all engaged in widespread trade. It's no wonder that Homer described it as "liquid gold."

Kontoulis' trade is of a transatlantic nature because the going rate in Greece is not enough to sustain the business.  Regardless, she said, "people appreciate it and they are willing to pay extra."

A 250-milliliter bottle of extra virgin olive oil sells for $15; one liter costs $35.

Kontoulis has also captured approval in Greece, where she was initially greeted with doubt. In the beginning, she said, "they called me the crazy American," but now she's endeared by them as Panagiotis' granddaughter. 

The Kontoulis Family has come home, grandpa.

For more information on the Kontoulis Family Grove, visit kontoulisfamily.com.