This festive season, olive oil is the new bottle of wine. If booze or a scented candle used to be a fail-safe gift option for a party, retailers and food experts are reporting a surge of interest in the kitchen cupboard staple.
The trend is being driven by several factors including a decline in drinking and a shift from dining out to dinners at home. It is premium extra virgin olive oil – or evoo to the experts – that is dominating.