A L’Olivier Lavender Olive Oil

An olive oil with a distinctive lavender accent from A L’Olivier in France. Use a light drizzle to bring floral, herbal notes to goat cheese, roasted vegetables or citrus dressings; a small amount goes a long way.

About A L’Olivier

A L’Olivier is one of the oldest oil houses in France, founded in Paris in 1822, and now bottling in the south. Its infused oils are made by steeping the flavoring in extra virgin olive oil rather than adding an essence, which is why this one tastes of lavender the plant — herbal, a little peppery — rather than lavender the soap. It comes in the house’s slim 150 ml bottle, a size that suits an oil you use by the teaspoon.

How to enjoy

• Drizzle lightly over lamb, goat cheese or roasted vegetables
• Use in citrus-forward dressings or with stone fruit
• Experiment in restrained sweet-savory applications

Details

• Bottle volume: 150 ml
• Origin: France
• Store in a cool, dark place

Ingredients

Culinary preparation made from olive oil (99%) and lavender extract: extra virgin olive oil, lavender-infused olive oil (extra virgin olive oil, lavender 4%).

Questions

Does it taste like perfume? No. Lavender the plant is a relative of rosemary and thyme, and the oil tastes that way: herbal first, floral second.

What is it best on? Lamb, above all; then chèvre, roasted carrots, apricots and peaches, and a vinaigrette for bitter leaves. Try our pan-seared lamb chops.

How much? A teaspoon at a time, added at the end. Heat kills the aroma.

Pairs with

Perronneau lavender honey for the sweet side of the same flower; The Butcher Salt on the lamb. More infused olive oils and vinegars.

Lello’s Point of View

Why we chose it. Lavender is unexpected in the pantry, which is exactly why this oil earns attention. Used with restraint, it gives familiar food an elegant herbal-floral finish that ordinary olive oil simply cannot.

What it makes better. It gives you a finishing move. Goat cheese, lamb, roasted carrots, stone fruit and bitter greens can go from straightforward to memorable with a teaspoon rather than another complicated recipe.

How we would use it. Never drown the plate. Drizzle it at the very end over warm lamb or chèvre, or whisk a little into a citrus vinaigrette. The point is fragrance and contrast.

Who will love it. Curious cooks, Francophiles and hosts who already own good olive oil and want something their guests are unlikely to have tasted at every other table.

Why it earns its place. A L’Olivier’s French heritage, 150 ml format and lavender-infused olive oil make this a small bottle with a very specific purpose: turning the finishing touch into the part people remember.