"Down Under" the Accent

November 25, 2008 9:56 pm

$Behind the Burner: \$

I have a soft spot for accents (especially Australian) as most American women do; so when Divya asked me to accompany her to a Yellingbo Olive Oil tasting hosted by Australian Jeremy Meltzer, I did not hesitate for a moment. We headed to Rockwood Music Hall on the Lower East Side, expecting a typical olive oil tasting, but we were definitely in for a surprise.

Starved when I arrived, I jumped right into the carpaccio and asparagus appetizers, which were less than thrilling. Surprisingly, my favorite one was the wild smoked salmon, capers, and sea salt with the Yellingbo Gold Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Thank goodness I didn't look at the sign denoting the ingredients before I tried it, because I can't stand the taste of salmon. How our minds can trick our taste buds! However, in the end, my Italian learned philosophy of simplicity where food is concerned proved true, as I most enjoyed simply dipping the bread in the olive oil itself.

I must say that I was a bit skeptical about the quality of an Australian made olive oil, but the wine industry seemed to do a nice job, an idea verified by the glass of Stonehaven Shiraz I drank. I was also quite shocked with the packaging of the oil as it was in a cardboard cask with a spout, rather than in a traditional bottle or tin. My initial thought was "Is this oil going to be the equivalent to Franzia in the wine world?" However, the oil proved to be light, peppery, and absolutely delicious. The packaging actually keeps the oil fresher due to the lack of exposure to air. Also being an eco-friendly person, I loved the fact that the cask is completely recyclable.

After the appetizers and some wine, Jeremy gave a presentation about the creation of the first Australian olive oil on the market. I was further taken by more than just the Australian accent, as he spoke about how his father planted olives trees while the rest of the family was on vacation; then how he himself traipsed through the snow with a small suitcase in tow to sell the first bottles of Yellingbo to gourmet stores in Manhattan with frostbitten hands. He came close to losing family in the tsunami in India, which resulted in Yellingbo donating a percentage of their profits on each bottle to the Jasmine Foundation for orphaned children.

As if philanthropy and great olive oil weren't enough to impress me and make me a true believer in the capabilities of Australian production in the world market, Meltzer astounded me once more when after his speech he began to sing romance songs in Spanish on the tiny red-lit stage. Is there anything else in the bag of surprises? One dollar from each of his CDs, entitled Moments, is donated to the United Nations Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women.

Jeremy said during the course of the evening that, "Handpicking olives is romantic for about 30 minutes," then you bribe your workers with food. Much like handpicking olives, the allure of an accent can fade once we find out about the person behind it. However, in Jeremy Meltzer's case the soft spot only grew softer with such a unique and generous vision to olive oil, music, and life. No bribe needed. I'm sold.

Christina Licata