Oil be there

Alicia Robinson

While drinking a glass of olive oil isn’t an appetizing idea, the oil

has more in common with wine than you might expect.

Oils from different regions of the world can range in taste from

fruity to peppery, depending on where the olives are grown and how

they’re processed. A new store at Fashion Island caters to those who

select oils with as much care as they would a Beaujolais or a

Riesling.

Oliviers & Co. specializes in olive oils from small growers in

Spain, Greece and Turkey, to name a few. The store also sells

vinegars, some pasta and sauces and several kinds of tapenade, an

olive-paste spread.

“Each [of the oils] has their own special characters depending on

the regions and the varieties [of olives] being used,” store manager

Melissa Graves said. “It’s kind of like walking into a winery, in a

way.”

The store’s design also hints at the south of France, Graves said.

Tins and bottles of oils are neatly stacked on aged-looking wooden

shelves and cabinets, and display tables are topped with red-clay

tiles.

“We try to give a little bit of ambience of Provence,” Graves

said. “That’s why walking into our store is like walking into a

market in Provence.”

The effect worked on at least one customer.

“I think it’s beautiful,” said Angela Gossen of Corona del Mar,

who was shopping in the store recently. “I was drawn to it right

away.”

She’s traveled to Italy and is a bit of a connoisseur of olive

oil, which she uses for just about everything except baking, she

said.

“That is something that I do ... buy the best olive oil,” Gossen

said. “It makes a big difference.”

For those less learned about oils, Olivier’s has tiny spoons, and

store employees will be glad to pour you a taste of the Lebanese

Moulin de Kfifane or La Cenolyste from Nice.

The French-based company has about 50 European shops and 11 U.S.

locations including the Fashion Island store, which opened in August.

The company has specific standards of production for its growers,

but it also works with them, in one case helping restore an olive

grove, Graves said. She’s a fountain of knowledge about the 25

varieties of olive oil the store carries, and she readily shares

information with her customers.

“It’s an educational experience more than anything,” Graves said.

“What we’re trying to do is bring up products you might not find

elsewhere.”

This fall, the store will expand its selection, adding more

pastas, truffle oil and aged balsamic vinegars. Olivier’s & Co. is at

Fashion Island, 401 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach.