The EVOO, the Andalusian food 'Taste of the South' and their impact on social networks, the protagonists of the WOOE Conference Junta de Andalucía

Under the slogan ‘Sin AOVE no hay manera. Redes y gastronomía saludable’, the WOOE Conference Junta de Andalucía was held recently, during which Andalusian foodstuffs with the 'Gusto del Sur' quality mark and their repercussions on the networks were analysed by gastronomic influencers. Held virtually via Zoom, the event managed to bring together more than 200 people from the olive oil sector and lovers of the EVOO. 

"Different points of view on olive oil in gastronomy" was the title of the round table moderated by Pedro Carreño with the participation of Conxy, author of the blog Gastro Andalusí; Rose Michelle Bensadon, creator of the blog “À la bonne franquette with Michelle”, and Carlos Ríos, creator of the Realfooding movement. They all agreed on how healthy the use of extra virgin olive oil is in our gastronomy and the importance of spreading its benefits through social networks.

For Carlos Ríos, in addition to health, "EVOO is gastronomy and culture and it is time to put passion into communicating this product. We must not only talk about its healthy potential, but also take into account its social, economic and cultural value of our land". In this sense, Conxy, author of the Gastro Andalusí blog, commented: "There is a lack of promotion in the media and, by means of the social networks, we must educate children and young people in the culture of the EVOO". For Rose-Michelle Bensadon, creator of the blog À la bonne franquette with Michelle "the great chefs have been the best ambassadors for this product and now it is up to us to demystify the fact that the EVOO is expensive and fattening". "As well as the fact that oil helps to make our land sustainable and that we must promote local products, we must also communicate that the EVOO is of great value in the prevention of coronary diseases and some types of cancer", commented Carlos Ríos. 

In comparison with other countries, Rose-Michelle stated that "the Italian oil sector, even the Greek one, is ahead of us at the marketing level, but Spain is going like a shot right now", to which Conxy added: " Producers are making a lot of effort to export the EVOO and little by little this is being noticed". "One of our greatest achievements is exporting the term Mediterranean diet, in which the EVOO has a lot to do", concluded Carlos Rios. 

Paloma Colás, a graduate in cooking and pastry-making from Le Cordon Bleu Paris and creator of the blog "Sos nada en la nevera" ("Sos. nothing in the fridge"), and Irene Pérez, author of the blog "Come, vive, viaja" ("Eat, live, travel") were responsible for closing the EVOO Conference Junta de Andalucía with a showcooking in which they both prepared two different perspectives of Escabeche. In both creations the EVOO and Andalusian foodstuffs with the quality 'Taste of the South' were the great protagonists.  

Paloma Colás opted for a Vegetable and Mackerel Marinade and Irene Pérez made a Sweet Potato and Mushroom Marinade. "In the past, this technique was associated with conservation, but today we have managed to balance the quantities of oil and vinegar so that the marinade enhances the flavour of the ingredients", commented Irene. "It is like a wine that, in evolution, the more days that pass since it was made, the better it is", added Paloma Colás. To conclude, Irene wanted to thank the EVOO and the Junta de Andalucía "for promoting this valuable product that we have, which is Extra Virgin Olive Oil". "And for promoting Andalusian products, which are undoubtedly of impressive quality", concluded Paloma.   

Chary Serrano, author of the blog "Mi cocina y otras cosas", will be responsible for closing the WOOE Conference Junta de Andalucía on 27 October, when she will prepare two versions of the same dish, the recipe for which will be disseminated through the WOOE's social networks.

"With these WOOE Conferences, Junta de Andalucía has sought to continue promoting the various uses of the EVOO in gastronomy and thanks to them Spain continues to occupy first place in the list of the healthiest countries in the world", comments Otilia Romero de Condés, CEO of the WOOE.  

Organised by Pomona Keepers, the company that founded the World Olive Oil Exhibition (WOOE), and IFEMA, these conferences were held at the request of the Junta de Andalucía. With this virtual event, both the WOOE and IFEMA continue their efforts to support more and more the Spanish agro-food sector and to promote olive oil, a product in which Spain is the largest producer worldwide and one of the most important on an economic level.