About a year ago, Elizabeth and I were in San Diego for a wedding. We flew out on Friday for a Saturday ceremony, and we gave ourselves the luxury of two additional days. On one of those days, we drove about an hour north of San Diego to the Temecula Valley, a wine-producing region that is coming into its own in terms of quality, reputation and approach. We spent a beautiful day tasting our way along a stretch of road that boasts more than a dozen wineries in close proximity to one another.
At some point in the course of our tastings, we saw an ad for something called the Temecula Olive Oil Company. Intrigued by the prospect of artisanally produced olive oil, we resolved to check it out at the end of our tasting tour. So we drove back along Rancho California Road and crossed Route 15 (our way back to San Diego), at which point we found ourselves on a picturesque street in Old Town Temecula. There, among shops like The Country Porch, Olde Town Mercantile and the House of Jerky, we arrived at the Temecula Olive Oil Company.
What we found there – and why we’re writing about it on a DC-based food blog – after the jump.
Stepping inside the shop in the late afternoon, we were worried that we would be met by a staff that was eager to close (their advertisement indicated that they were open “til 5ish”). Instead, we found ourselves welcomed with a big smile by a woman who invited us to take a look around. We wandered through the front room of the shop and into the rear, where we were greeted with foodie overload: Spice blends, mustards and spreads stood open, encouraging us to try them. A variety of salts stood on the shelves in a rainbow of colors, including an alderwood-smoked salt called Salish that has become one of our favorite go-to flavors since we brought it back with us. And then we turned around to find what looked like another wine tasting bar.
Turns out these folks take their olive oil seriously, and if you’re so inclined they’ll walk you through a tasting of all the different varieties, infusions, and pressings they sell. It really is like a wine tasting bar, with an attentive and knowledgable staffer behind the counter who poured small tastes of nine different oils for us, making sure to point out what made the Caprice di Nature different from the Rotture di Oro and assuring us that the basil, lime, and pepper that were infused into other offerings were locally grown and worked in by hand.
Frankly, I was stunned. We started buying olive oils from Trader Joe’s a few years ago, recognizing the deeper, richer flavor that it offered than most of the stuff that was on the shelves at Harris Teeter and Safeway. But these oils blew all of them away. They were round and lush and green, with flavors that made it very clear they came from an actual fruit. Clearly this was olive oil the way it was meant to be.
We were sold – the combination of the great taste and the attentive service won us over and we decided to ship some oil home so we could enjoy it later. And that was when they really got smart. After hooking us with the free samples, they told us about their Temecula Olive Oil Club (TOOC). Club members receive four shipments of oil a year, one per quarter, and each shipment contains two bottles of oil and one added bonus – sometimes it’s an oil varietal that they don’t put out for general sale, other times it’s a food item like onion-stuffed olives that are just begging to be drowned in martinis. They ask you to commit to receiving two shipments and, if they’ve run their tasting right, you respond as though they’re asking you to take their money. Needless to say, we signed up.
After three shipments, we can say that this was definitely a good purchase. In addition to the amazing oils we’ve received (including a white truffle-infused oil, a first-pressing that was beautifully sweet and light, and more of that wonderful basil oil that goes so well over caprese), we get 10% off any additional purchases we make. And we’re putting the oil to good use, making sure to use it in recipes and situations where we know the quality and flavor will show through.
If you’re ever in the San Diego area, you should do yourself a favor and seek out a tasting – they’ve even opened a new tasting room in the Old Town section of San Diego itself, which means you don’t even have to venture into wine country to find them (but we still recommend you do). But don’t blame us if you wind up hooked – the first taste is always free!
August 6, 2008 at 4:36 pm
Sounds great. Thanks for this.
August 6, 2008 at 4:51 pm
Our pleasure, Melissa! Thanks for reading and for responding.
And congratulations on your shout-out in
Metrocurean’s interview with Washingtonian…I really enjoy reading Counter Intelligence and the compliment was well-deserved.
August 7, 2008 at 1:28 pm
Kerrie sent me the link to your blog. I love this! People a million miles away telling other people about our great little town and how much they enjoyed it and how gret our olive oil is. It’s all true! Living here….it’s just as good as you might imagine 😉 If you come back out again, we have to hook up.
And p.s. my co-blogger, and definite foodie and proponent of eating the local fare, is currently drafting a post about the olive oil, too. She’ll be thrilled to see this!
August 7, 2008 at 3:44 pm
HI! I’m the co-blogger Dwija mentioned. I’m hoooked on the TOO Co.–and I love the Salish. If you haven’t already tried the blood-orange infused oil, put it on the list. The flavor is intense enough to shine almost like an extract; I use it in my crepe batter (where you would think it would be wasted) but it comes across beautifully. It’s also amazing drizzled on salmon, and paired with balsamic on a greens-and-strawberries kind of salad… Have you tried their balsamics?
Last time I was in, they were overrun with a tour group. Turns out they were students from the CIA (Culinary Institute of America) which actually plans an annual outing there.
August 26, 2008 at 8:14 am
[…] smoky chipotle pepper Tabasco sauce and a sprinkling of Salish (the smoked salt we get from the Temecula Olive Oil Company). The two combine to give the soup a richer, less watery flavor and they represent the only […]
August 31, 2008 at 2:42 pm
How fantastic to see my favorite grower being talked about by people across the country! These are the nicest hard working people who are so passionate about what they grow. They educate everyone who walks in their tasting room about the olive and why their oil is so good. We were so bummed out to learn that the term “extra virgin” is just a marketing term in the U.S. and most of what is sold here could not be called that anywhere else. Being a bit of a skeptic I did some research on my own and they were right! Not only that but the import stuff may not even be all olive oil but a blend on canola or safflower oil. that was enough for me. I am a TOO Co. follower from now on! Thanks for the great forum, I am also now a Capital Spice fan!
August 31, 2008 at 3:30 pm
Thanks for the kind words. The TOO has some amazing loyalty among its customers. We’re eagerly anticipating our latest shipment.
September 13, 2008 at 6:58 pm
I ❤ Temecula Olive Oil! But I have to correct you on one teeny point; None of the oils are infused. Infusion means heating to add an additional flavor. All TOOC’s oils are cold-pressed.
Infusion leads to deterioration of nutrients, quality, and taste.
All flavored oils have the second ingredient, the flavor, in its whole, natural state pressed with the olive mash creating amazing flavors with superb quality!
January 7, 2009 at 1:35 pm
My husband and I have been sending their wonderful gift box of olive oils to friends around the country. The response has been unanimous: terrific!
February 23, 2009 at 8:01 am
[…] drizzled with high-quality Spanish olive oil. Our version used Italian prosciutto di Parma and Temecula Olive Oil Company…olive […]
April 7, 2009 at 8:04 am
[…] This is a tart in quiche clothing – it has all the appearance of being a paler version of its egg-based cousin but the ricotta and beurre blanc add creaminess and depth to the flavors and the herbs jumped out as springtime itself. If I came up with this recipe on my own, I don’t think I would have thought of a cornmeal crust but it was ideal. The earthy crust with tiny flecks of corn texture kept the baked cheese grounded – a light traditional pastry crust would have resulted in too much lightness and air. This keeps the dish down to earth. This is an ideal dish to make for or bring to a brunch – the flavors intensify as the tart cools and the crunchy crust is an unexpected ally to the whipped, silky filling. It is a rich dish. I recommend balancing it with a light salad and maybe some citrus. We served it along side a salad of Loudon lettuce (also from the DuPont Market), daikon radishes, apples and a vanilla-fig olive oil from the Temecula Olive Oil Company. […]
June 25, 2009 at 11:32 am
[…] there was definitely some last minute improvisation. The recipe we ate was fava beans sauteed in the good olive oil with garlic scapes, salt, and pepper. It was divine. Yes, I cheated based on what we had in the […]