A Camberwell-based writer has revived her Greek father’s olive oil business — which he started with his childhood best friend 40 years ago, writes Maxine Riike Brigue.
Georgia Spanos, a 34-year-old food writer and author, launched her Cretan extra virgin olive oil business, Korontini, in October of this year.
Copyright Georgia Spanos
Having grown up in Australia before moving to the UK seven years ago, Georgia chose to ‘refresh’ her father’s business for a London audience. “I wanted to create something that was close to my heart, close to home, close to the earth.”
Georgia’s father began selling olive oil after the family migrated to Australia, sourcing it from a Cretan family friend whose relatives have pressed high quality olive oil for five generations.
“About two years ago, I decided that I really wanted to make a brand out of it. I wanted to rebrand and refresh it and do it in a new way in the UK,” she told us.
Copyright Georgia Spanos
Georgia’s extra virgin olive oil comes from what she describes as an ‘anciently respected’ part of Crete, within walking distance from the Olive Tree of Vouves; one of the oldest olive trees in the world. She described it as “very fruity, fresh tasting and it finishes on a peppery lingering taste at the end.”
Korontini is stocked across the borough in delis like Gladwells and Lumberjack in Camberwell and in the Peckham fishmongers, Life of Fish.
“A lot of delis say that they already have Greek olive oil, but Greek olive oil is so varied,” Georgia continued. “There’s so many different islands in Greece and there are different parts of every island where the olive oil tastes different. This particular part of Crete is really, really sunny.
Copyright Georgia Spanos
“It’s the southern part of Crete so the koroneiki olives we use are a bit stressed, which creates an intense flavour. They’re small but they’re powerfully rich in antioxidants and strong tasting.
“The olives are picked from late November all the way to February. A lot of people think it’s similar to wine for some reason but it’s completely different. As soon as you pick the olive, it has to get to the mill as quickly as possible to retain all its nutrients.”
To keep their flavour, the olives go from tree to mill within just 45 minutes. Georgia, who has both Greek and Italian heritage, credits her love for food and her career in culinary writing to her Mediterranean family. “I was raised by my Italian grandparents and everything was about food.
“When I got home from school they would cook three-course meals. Everything was fresh. They made their own salami, their own bread, their own cheese. Everything was homemade. And I would help them make all the food. I was just very connected to food in that way.”
Copyright Georgia Spanos
She first had the idea to bring the product to the UK after visiting the olive farm during harvest time, a period when the “whole island comes to life”.
“I have always had so many ideas and I get really restless,” she continued. If I was working in a job, I would get really bored with doing that one job. So, I like to do projects on the side or collaborate with people.”
Korontini has two extra virgin olive oil sizes – a 500ml tin that is £15 and one litre tin that costs £25. Georgia advises pairing with fresh tomato salad or inside a focaccia.
korontini.com