I added EVOO to my Coffee

Starbucks Oleato™ Olive Oil Coffee in the News

Tuesday evening Starbucks (SBUX) announced a range of new coffee drinks called Oleato™ which feature the addition of a tablespoon of EVOO. As a food professional and trained olive oil taster I could not easily imagine enjoying our favorite local artisan-roast coffee with good EVOO, however, on a deeper level I was curious.

Olive Oil Coffee Exploration & Result

Olive oil easily and deliciously emulsifies with the fat in dairy. Good EVOO poured over ice cream has converted many a skeptic, and although I was uncertain as to the outcome, it was incumbent upon me to try olive oil coffee to form my own opinion.

This morning I blended 4 tablespoons of whole milk and 2 tablespoons of Arbequina EVOO into a smooth emulsion to serve two. It takes only seconds. The light and fruity mix was poured into a hot cup of black coffee (a Moka Java blend), and I found the result surprisingly pleasant and satisfying! I note that some of my colleagues have blended coffee, dairy, and EVOO at once versus just the oil and dairy, so that works, too.

The mouth feel is indeed rich and velvety, as Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz enthuses. From the standpoint of pleasure, this velvety texture is the highlight. The EVOO flavor was subtle, and I wonder if many could or would discern the presence of it were it not announced. Oleato™, as it will be trademarked, or olive oil coffee for us non-Starbuckians, is a beverage I can imagine serving or enjoying on occasion. 

Why is Olive Oil Coffee Tasty?

The amazing velvety texture in olive oil coffee is the result of olive oil being 100% fat weighing in at 2.55x the grams of fat per tablespoon versus heavy cream. To achieve this same unctuous texture with heavy cream, one would consume ALL of one's daily recommended cholesterol allowance AND part ot tomorrow's too! As you well know, there is no cholesterol in olive oil. By my calculation, to achieve this texture with heavy cream would be subjecting yourself to 347 gms of cholesterol versus zero for EVOO.

Hear Hear for Healthy Fat 

If folks need an additional way to make sure they’re getting 2 to 4 tablespoons of olive oil in their diet, as health professionals advise we do, then I very much support the notion of olive oil coffee as a delivery system. I have never liked the idea of downing a tablespoon of EVOO as if it were cod liver oil–-there is no pleasure in that.

Extra virgin olive oil, thoughtfully emulsified with a dairy product for coffee and enjoyed for health and pleasure--now, that's something I can support.

A few hours ago I scrolled through the first 50 comments on the Washington Post story about this launch (at the time of this writing showing more than 1,000 comments), and every comment I read--without exception--was riddled with skepticism, scorn, and derision rather than curiosity. I love good coffee, and admit that I, too, was skeptical, however, tonight admire Howard Shultz's vision and bravery in the face of public opinion.

I say, if it tastes good to you, enjoy it!  Bravo, Mr. Shultz, bravo. What do you think? Will you try olive oil coffee? Let me know in the comments! - Liz