Kata Rocks Executive Chef Laia Pons knows her olive oil, and she is passionate about it.
According to the executive chef: “At Kata Rocks all our dishes are cooked with Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Jaen, Spain. For intensive dressings we use a very exclusive cold press Extra Virgin Olive Oil form Priorat, Spain.”
Obviously she is very loyal to her Spanish roots that are the foundation of Kata Rocks’ modern Mediterranean cuisine.
She favours Extra Virgin Grand Coupage olive oil, a selection of best Arbequina olive oils. Extra virgin Grand Coupage is made by producing separately and in an independent way, batches of three varieties in order to obtain the best of each of them. After that, producers adjusts the extraction process to achieve the highest quality and desired characteristics. Brand wise Chef Laia chooses PRIORDEI from Priorat, around 150 kilometres from Barcelona.
“The Priorat region has excellent soil to grow olives and grapes. In my opinion it probably produces the best olive oil and best wines in the world,” claims Chef Laia.
Many things influence the flavor profile of an individual olive oil: olive variety, soil composition, terrain, weather, collection and milling process. PRIORDEI olive oil, which is produced in an integrated process and harvested manually, has a very low acidity of less than 0.2%.
The harvest period lasts from early November to late December when the olives change color and reach maturity. The sensory characteristics of PRIORDEI virgin oil: the fragrance, sweetness, nuttiness, fruitiness, freshness, apple flavor, all reveal a complex balance of aromas and flavors. She is also very careful about olive oil adulteration that comes from mixing extra virgin olive oils with cheaper ones. Several recent high profile cases in Australia has again brought this issue to the culinary forefront. Since quality must not be compromised and vigilance is always the best defense.
Chef Laia said: “This depends on each country rules and regulations. Always I buy Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Spain, from small companies, if possible I source organic if it is within a reasonable cost range. In Spain and the European Union there are consumer protection organizations to monitor quality and very quality. Also we can verify olive oil brands online as well.”
By only using the best Extra Virgin Olive Oil available ensure every dish is always off to the right start. At Kata Rocks Chef Laia makes sure you taste it in every bite.