A few years ago, Cossie’s Mom and her husband Barry bought some land near the Kaipara Harbour and decided to plant 1200 olive trees.
In January 2008, I received a bottle of their Koroneiki Olive Oil – that was served at Cossie and Maresa’s wedding.
And I hid that oil. The Koroneiki was the first oil that Verity and Barry produced – I was the only person that was allowed to have any. As a result of being so stingey, I still have an absolute smidgen of that oil remaining.
Chapel Grove Koroneiki Olive Oil was the Bronze Winner at the New Zealand Gourmet Oil Competition in 2009.
I received another bottle of that oil late last year and I am as stingey with that as I was with the original bottle.
The Koroneiki oil has a lovely pepper after taste.
It has medium fruit that lasts and therefore sweetens that pepper just a bit.
I like my oil drizzled over fresh Cos Lettuce leaves with a sprinkle of goats milk feta and a lovely piece of lamb rump that has had sprigs of rosemary pushed into it whilst it is slow roasted.
There are only a few bottles of the Koroneiki left – so if you want some, you had better get in quick. There is lots more information on the oil and the two other varieties that Verity and Barry grow, on their website >> New Zealand Olive Oil | Chapel Grove Limited plus they have an online store where you can purchase and then hide your own olive products.
I really like the shape of the new bottles and the pourer that has been incorporated into the lip of the bottle.
The stopper keeps the oil fresh and if I did not have to hide it from my friends, then I would probably have it on display in my kitchen. As it is delicious with plain bread – if I don’t hide it, I will miss out!
At the beginning of 2010, Chapel Grove featured in the Air New Zealand in-flight magazine :
and as they mention, once my next bottle of Koroneiki is safely in my pantry, I want to try the Olive Leaf tea with lemongrass and ginger. Yumm!!
Thank you Verity and Barry.
I look forward to many more seasons of your olives. And I will even pick this April if it keeps me in the good books 