The excellence of Enzo’s early harvest olive oil is now on hand
One of my favorite times of the annual culinary calendar has officially arrived in Ann Arbor—the first new harvest olive oil of the 2024 season has hit the Deli’s shelves! This year it’s the super tasty oil from the Ricchiuti family—the fourth generation to work the family’s farms. Their oil, packaged under the label Enzo, is named for the great-grandfather of Vincent Ricchiuti, the creative successor to this inspiring family legacy.
The story of the Enzo Olive Company begins back in 1914, when Vincenzo Ricchiuti made the voyage from Puglia in Italy to the U.S., ending up in the Central Valley of California. Vincenzo was very adept at growing vegetables in his garden. As many of us have done, Ricchiuti figured out how to turn his passion into his profession—he started growing high-quality produce for a living. Four generations later, the family began its olive oil business in 2008. We’ve been carrying the family’s “regular” oil for a few years now at the Deli. Made from Koroneiki olives, it’s so good that a few years ago it made Food & Wine’s “Five Favorite New California Olive Oils” list.
As with all new harvest oils, the 2024 Enzo release is extra peppery because of the abundance of polyphenols that are present in high ratios right after the oils are pressed. Big, bold, beautiful with a significant bit of grassy greenness that gives it a considerable “Wow!” factor. If you like attention-grabbing green oils like I do, do not miss this one.
The new harvest oil is fantastic on anything you like to drizzle olive oil on—bruschetta, pasta, vegetables, fish, steak! Use it to take your popcorn to a whole new level. Try it on toasted Paesano—the bread Vincenzo would likely have grown up on back in his home region of Puglia. Pour it onto a nice slice of good feta or a bowl of fresh ricotta (I love the Bellwether Farms Basket Ricotta we have at the Creamery). If you want a great breakfast, toast a thick slice of bread, pour on a bit of olive oil, and spread with one of the wonderful jams or honeys we have on hand.
