The Nationalism of the Olive Oil Aisle

Though it's difficult to remember a time before, Americans — broadly speaking — didn’t fall in love with olive oil until the 1990s. Canola oil, margarine, and butter were the home cook’s fats of choice until a remarkably successful multimillion-dollar campaign to introduce Americans to the “Mediterranean diet,” a sparkly-eyed cultural obsession with all things Italian, and an emerging public understanding of “healthy fats” pushed the new pantry staple to the forefront. And, if you’re a product of 2000s Food Network like I am, one would be remiss to not acknowledge the impact of Rachael Ray’s abbreviation, “EVOO,” on the lexicon. 

Today, the olive oil aisle is likely one of the most bloated aisles of the supermarket. There are almost too many considerations when it comes to labeling and packaging: Extra-virgin? Organic? Glass bottle? Filtered? Plastic squeeze container or tin can? And if all of that wasn’t enough to choose from, now vying for Americans’ attention and purchasing power is “country of origin.”