Tuesday, 14 September 2010

turkish olive oil

20. Best place to buy: Olive oil
Turkish embassy electrical supplies, London

Mehmet Murat in his electrical shop Mehmet Murat in his electrical shop. Photograph: Andy Hall

The most unlikely olive oil vendor in the world? At his electrical supply shop in London's Clerkenwell, Mehmet Murat sells wonderful, intensely fruity oil from his family's olive groves in Cyprus and south-west Turkey. Now he imports more than a 1,000 litres per year. His lemon-flavoured oil is good enough to drink on its own.

76 Compton Street, London EC1, 020 7251 4721, www.planet mem.com

turkish extra virgin olive oil

Three of the best extra virgin olive oils

Good-quality olive oil is essential for mediterranean cooking, but which is the finest on the market?

Chateau Carman Turkish Stone-Pressed
£6 for 500ml, planetmem.com, 020-7251 4721

Three of the best extra virgin olive oils Chateau Carman Turkish Stone-Pressed


Produced to organic standards in south-western Turkey, this spicy, herbaceous oil has such a distinctive flavour that it's a salad dressing all on its own, but would also make a superb mayonnaise.

Oliflix Organic
£9.99 for 750ml, elolivo-olive-oil.com, 0843 289 21 91

Three of the best extra virgin olive oils Oliflix Organic


Fruity, rich and almost buttery in flavour, this full-bodied oil would be the perfect finishing touch to a mayonnaise to go with seafood or new potatoes, and would also be delicious in gazpacho.

Oliveology 17C
£17.50 for 350ml, oliveology.co.uk, 0203 091 9044

Three of the best extra virgin olive oils Oliveology 17C


This early-harvest oil is made from unripe fruit, crushed with lemons, orange and thyme, and is exquisitely aromatic – like walking through the Greek hills on a hot day. Try with a salad or over grilled vegetables.