Homeros referred to olive oil as “liquid gold,” a description that highlights its significance not only as a food product but also as a cultural heritage that has graced tables throughout history. While olive oil finds its place in kitchens year-round, its consumption habits vary with the seasons. In winter, it deepens the flavors of warm dishes, while in summer, it becomes the essential ingredient in light and fresh recipes. So, how does the use of olive oil change with the seasons?

 

Olive Oil in Winter: The Essential Ingredient for Warm Meals

Winter is the season for hot meals, hearty recipes, and long, comforting dinners. Olive oil, used in warming dishes during cold days, not only enhances the flavor but also enriches the texture of the food. Here are the most delicious ways to use olive oil in the winter months:

 

1. Olive Oil Winter Dishes: A Dance of Flavor and Aroma

Cold weather is one of the times when traditional olive oil-based dishes are most preferred. Vegetable dishes such as olive oil-braised celery, leeks, artichokes, and broad beans are commonly found on winter tables. Although served cold, the olive oil in these dishes deepens their aroma and helps them stay fresh for longer periods.

 

2. Breakfast Rituals: The Energy Boost of Winter Mornings

In the winter months, breakfasts are longer and more enjoyable. Hot flatbreads, sourdough breads, and pancakes drizzled with extra virgin olive oil add a special flavor to these meals. Additionally, olive oil blended with spices and topped with nigella seeds enriches the breakfast, making it even more satisfying.

 

3. The Touch of Olive Oil in Soups

When thinking of winter, one of the first things that comes to mind is soup. Lentil, Turkish yogurt-based (tarhana), Turkish red lentil (ezogelin), and vegetable soups become lighter and more flavorful with the addition of olive oil. Especially when a few drops of cold-pressed olive oil are added during cooking or at the time of serving, it enhances the aromatic effect of the soup.

 

4. Roasted Meals and Winter Salads

Winter roasted vegetable meals, meat stews, or salads made with legumes are some of the best recipes that carry the rich and distinctive flavor of olive oil. Boiled kidney beans, chickpeas, and lentil salads, when combined with plenty of lemon and extra virgin olive oil, become some of the most nutritious plates on winter tables.

 

Olive Oil in Summer: Lightness and Freshness

During the summer months, our food preferences tend to be lighter, fresher, and more refreshing. In this season, olive oil is used not only directly but also across a wide range of dishes, from salads to grilled foods. Here are the most enjoyable ways to use olive oil in the summer:

 

1. Summer Salads: The Essence of Freshness

In the summer heat, heavy meals are avoided, and colorful, vegetable-packed salads take center stage. Mediterranean salads made with tomatoes, cucumbers, greens, fresh herbs, and cheese, when combined with high-quality extra virgin olive oil, create a true feast of flavors.

 

2. Cold Appetizers and Antipastos

One of the areas where olive oil truly shines is in appetizers and antipasto platters. Roasted eggplant, peppers, zucchini, artichokes, and various types of olives with olive oil are among the most loved appetizers on summer tables. With their lightness and flavor, they make their way to the table on warm summer evenings.

 

3. Perfect Pairing with Seafood

Olive oil creates a perfect harmony with seafood. Grilled bass, sea bream, shrimp, and octopus, commonly enjoyed in the summer, become even more delicious when a few spoonfuls of olive oil are drizzled on top after cooking. These flavors, enhanced with lemon and fresh herbs, become some of the most enjoyable dishes of summer evenings.

 

4. Grilled Vegetables and Light Appetizers

In the summer, barbecue and grill gatherings are common. Vegetables like zucchini, eggplant, bell peppers, and mushrooms become more flavorful and remain tender and juicy when marinated in olive oil. Similarly, bruschetta and olive oil-infused cheese platters accompany summer gatherings as light yet satisfying appetizers.

Olive oil takes on a different identity in every season, finding its place in kitchens. While it adds depth and richness to winter dishes, it meets refreshing, light, and fresh flavors in the summer. Each dish prepared with high-quality extra virgin olive oil leaves an unforgettable taste on the palate, perfectly suited to the season.