Many of the edible oils we know today claim to be gourmet oils. In recent years we have seen a wave of TV programs about food and about gourmet dishes in particular. The word gourmet has a French flavor and therefore many people don’t hesitate to attach the label ‘gourmet’ to every dish in order to elevate it and thereby to add to its price. In recent years we have seen the addition of a new oil to Israeli cuisine – argan oil. Argan oil, which originates in the Atlas mountains in Morocco, has been used by the local people for hundreds of years in cooking, cosmetics and health care. Argan oil adds the desired aroma to gourmet dishes. A few drops of argan oil on your dish of couscous are sufficient in order to give the couscous a genuine gourmet taste.
People who came from Morocco have certainly tasted a gourmet edible oil such as argan oil in the past; however, to us Israelis this oil is new in its taste and its quality. By the way, argan oil is regarded as a gourmet edible oil and many chefs throughout the world use its flavor in order to enhance their dishes and add the final touch before serving them to customers. Argan oil can claim to be a gourmet edible oil as it has earned its status due to its quality and taste.
In Israel argan oil is marketed as a gourmet edible oil by the Oren farm, which enables us to enjoy the oil’s wonderful quality and taste. There is no doubt that whoever tastes a gourmet edible oil such as argan oil can detect the special aroma which is similar to the taste of hazelnuts that we know well. In fact, the argan fruit from which this gourmet edible oil is extracted, is similar in its appearance to an olive, only bigger. Many companies take advantage of the reputation of argan oil as a gourmet edible oil and they dilute it in order to reduce the costs of its production. Gourmet edible oil such as argan oil is pure oil and it is very important to keep it as such.
The Oren farm markets edible argan oil in Israel, and ensures that the brand of argan oil will not be brought into contempt as a gourmet edible oil. Great care is therefore taken when extracting the oil to maintain its taste and quality, knowing that consumers of the oil deserve to enjoy the quality of this gourmet edible oil, exactly as the Berbers in the Atlas mountains have enjoyed it for hundreds of years.