Mediterrano now offering its own brand of Greek olive oil

Posted on Wed, May 19, 2010 : 5:30 p.m.

Mediterrano now offering its own brand of Greek olive oil

By David Bardallis

Photo courtesy of Mediterrano

To Food Network mainstay Rachael Ray, it’s EVOO. To John Roumanis, owner of Ann Arbor’s Mediterrano Restaurant, it’s a taste of home.

Yes, we’re talking extra virgin olive oil. For 15 years, Roumanis has been bringing limited quantities of the stuff back from his native Greece to use in his restaurant and share with customers. The oil, he says, comes from a region renowned for its top-quality product.

“It is produced in my village, near Sparta, in an area that accounts for as much as 6 percent of the world’s best olive oil,” Roumanis said. “The region has earned a lot of recognition from the EU for its production.”

Now Roumanis is making this olive oil more widely available in local stores such as the Produce Station, Plum Market, and soon Hiller’s Market under the Mediterrano label.

“In the past I’ve brought small quantities to use or sell, but now I’m doing this in a more organized fashion,” he said. “I stopped using an import company, for example, and by bypassing all the middle men and bringing the oil in directly, I can offer a product that is the best at a fraction of the cost.”

What’s special about this olive oil? This is where Roumanis’ passion and long experience come out.

“This oil is produced from Koroneiki olives, which give it a dark green color, with a peppery taste and long finish,” he said. “But most importantly, it has a low acidity. On the label it says less than 0.8 percent acidity, which it has to be to be considered extra virgin, but it’s more like less than 0.5 percent acidity. There are other elements for determining quality, but that is the most important. Most olive oil labels don’t even mention the acidity.”

“What many people don’t know is that olive oil is a commodity that is easily adulterated,” he added. “There aren’t many measures and protections to guarantee quality, and international guidelines aren’t very stringent. But it’s important to me, because my name is on the bottle, it represents my restaurant, that the quality is high.”

The oil is exceptionally well-suited for use in salads and cooking, Roumanis said. “In my household, we even cook French fries with it,” he said.

“I compare it to a great red wine: full bodied, spicy, and an excellent part of the dinner table.”

David Bardallis is a freelance writer and editor, blogger, bon vivant, and man about town. Visit his Web site, DavidBardallis.com, to engage his services or read his latest. Email him at annarborbeer@gmail.com or follow @dbardallis on Twitter.