Links

Olive oil is growing in popularity around the world. There are far too many interesting sites to list them all here, so if your favorite isn't listed please don't be offended. (Instead, us and we'll try to incorporate it in our next release!)

That having been said, here are a few that you might find interesting..

	California Olive Oil Council	The California Olive Oil Council is a tremendous resource for the industry, consumers, retailers, and chefs. The site is filled with information and countless links to interesting information. The COOC is the organization that administers the "Certified Extra Virgin" program, through which olive oils produced in California are tested and verified. Only oils that meet the strict requirements of the program (which are among the most stringent in the world) are able to carry the seal.
	Chester Aaron - Garlic Expert	Chester Aaron is perhaps single-handedly responsible for the fact that we aren't limited to one variety of garlic in this country. A fascinating man who is also an accomplished author of both non-fiction and fiction, Chester lives in the western part of Sonoma County where he spends half of his time writing and half of his time growing 90 varieties of garlic from 30 countries. His books on garlic are benchmarks, and his garlic posters are both instructive and gorgeous. His website is truly beautiful, and well worth a meander.
		Food411is a great resource for reviews of top-quality ingredients, recipes, and more. Check 'em out!
	Frantoio Restaurant	Frantoio is the creation of Roberto Zecca, a former banker turned restaurateur. Frantoio (the Italian word for both a prime oil olive varital and for the facility where olives are pressed) has absolute state-of-the-art equipment for artisan olive oil production. It also is a fantastic restaurant featuring (surprise!) Northern Italian cuisine.
	Babbo Ristorante e Enoteca	Okay, if you happen to be offered the choice of a last meal in New York, have whatever you want, but have it here. It just doesn't get any better. Simple food, simply prepared, with stunning results. This boy Mario may have a future! This is the flagship in Mario Batali's empire, and for us it is a must-visit whenever we get to New York. But if you have extra slots on your meal ticket, try Esca, Lupa, Otto, Del Posto, and Casa Mono, too. Each one is very different, and all of them are truly excellent.
	The Olive Oil Source	The Olive Oil Source has grown to become the premier source of olive oil information on the Web. Under the thoughtful guidance of John Dean and his editorial staff, The Olive Oil Source has accumulated an array of information about olives, olive oil, and related material that is simply unparalleled anywhere else - on the Web or not. Definitely worth a detour!
	Sciabica Olive Oil	The Sciabica family have been making oil in California for over 50 years! They were incredibly helpful as the California olive oil industry began coming back to life. Great quality, and great people.
	An Ode to Olives	Naomi Smith is passionate about olives and olive oil, and she has put together a wonderful collection of links to some of the most interesting sites on the Web.
	Olives Australia	Olives are not the sole province of the Mediterranean. In addition to California, they are commercially grown in most temperate climates around the world. This site in Australia has some of the best information anywhere. Very readable.
	International Olive Oil Council	The IOOC is the UN-chartered body that regulates olive oil throughout most of the world (unfortunately not including the United States). This is mostly legalese, but interesting if you really want to understand the industry.

Last updated 23 Jun, 2007