The Oil Boom

New Zealand's olive-oil industry is barely 20 years old, but since the first olive trees were experimentally planted in the country in 1985, the number of olive growers there has soared to more than 500. The reason? Olives are very easy to cultivate in New Zealand's temperate climate, particularly in the Marlborough region, where the same weather that is favorable for wine production also results in beautifully rich, fruity olive oils. New Zealand growers have planted olive varieties from all over the world, including Israeli barnea (the most common), French picholine, Greek koroneiki, and Italian frantoio, leccino, pendolino and moraiolo olives....