The Lot Eight Cardamon and Vanilla chocolate pays homage to our oil maker’s ancestors. Cardamon is a spice that is found in most Indian sweets, especially the iconic Barfi which is made with milk. When we received a request from the mother of the groom to make a white chocolate to gift to wedding guests at an Indian wedding, the moment where the oil maker could finally indulge in her own childhood treat was born. This was a pivotal moment in our short chocolate history, confirming that we could be trusted to deliver something as important as a gift that would convey the appreciation of the parents of the groom on one of the most important days in their lives. We were trusted with the delivery of the taste and texture of the proud parents own memories and according to the client, we achieved exactly what they had imagined. The Cardamon and Vanilla milk chocolate was born and we take great pleasure in sharing it with chocolate lovers who have an interest in the marriage of white chocolate and cardamom. The vanilla provides the alchemy that keeps the two ingredient together as one. 

 A little about our journey into chocolates…

As foodies we are constantly seeking our next olive oil adventure, and the idea of combining cacao with premium olive oils was born after a tasting of chocolates containing oils, just not olive oil and especially, not premium olive oil. With the desire to taste chocolate made with our own oils, and to experience the sensation of the velvety texture that oils help create, we set forth in 2024 to find local chocolatiers keen to explore and deliver this delicious chocolate. The result is a perfect marriage of flavour and texture. The brains and the taste buds at Lot Eight and the iconic, multi award-winning Baron Hasselhoff’s chocolate emporium have come together to create this delicious treat for chocolate lovers.

Meet our first born… the first chocolate made with our Reserve Extra Virgin Olive Oil. It took 2 years to create and perfect this chocolate to reflect our oil maker’s taste palate. The result is a chocolaty silky texture loved by chocolate lovers, with a hint of dark chocolate  bitterness. We had not ventured into making chocolates with extra virgin olive oil, especially our own oils, our key concern was whether in the process of making the chocolate, the extra virgin olive oil would turn rancid. As is commonly known, olive oil is a perishable ingredient, and at Lot Eight, we take great care to ensure the integrity of our oils are not compromised. During the making of the chocolate, the oil melds into the chocolate until the two become one. It’s like a passionate Tango of chocolate leading the oil to the point of becoming one.

A little about our journey into chocolates…

As foodies we are constantly seeking our next olive oil adventure, and the idea of combining cacao with premium olive oils was born after a tasting of chocolates containing oils, just not olive oil and especially, not premium olive oil. With the desire to taste chocolate made with our own oils, and to experience the sensation of the velvety texture that oils help create, we set forth in 2024 to find local chocolatiers keen to explore and deliver this delicious chocolate. The result is a perfect marriage of flavour and texture. The brains and the taste buds at Lot Eight and the iconic, multi award-winning Baron Hasselhoff’s chocolate emporium have come together to create this delicious treat for chocolate lovers. 

The combination of Lot Eight Yuzu olive oil and sea salt to make this dark chocolate was the result of our oil maker dreaming of what the taste and texture of dark chocolate might be when combined with Yuzu. Would the chocolate absorb the taste of the yuzu in an attempt to assert its dominance, or would the Yuzu strike its Samurai sword to cut the chocolate to its knees before that happened. To our surprise, and delight, something very different happened, a citrussy embracing of chocolate as the dark chocolate did the gentlemanly thing and allowed the Yuzu to present itself to the palate before stepping forward with its velvety texture. The sea salt is the conduit between the yuzu and the dark chocolate. You’d know if it was missing. Fortunately for anyone about to bite into this chocolate, we have taken care of the sea salt requirements so you have no worries encountering a chocolate of two halves.

A little about our journey into chocolates…

As foodies we are constantly seeking our next olive oil adventure, and the idea of combining cacao with premium olive oils was born after a tasting of chocolates containing oils, just not olive oil and especially, not premium olive oil. With the desire to taste chocolate made with our own oils, and to experience the sensation of the velvety texture that oils help create. we set forth in 2024 to find local chocolatiers keen to explore and deliver this delicious chocolate. The result is a perfect marriage of flavour and texture. The brains and the taste buds at Lot Eight and the iconic, multi award-winning Baron Hasselhoff’s chocolate emporium have come together to create this delicious treat for chocolate lovers. 

The award-winning ‘Oil Maker’s Blend’ is our prized traditional blend first released in 2002 and it is the one olive oil that Lot Eight has built its reputation on.

Depending on the flavour profiles of the season, we blend a selection of olive varieties to achieve a blend that exhibits a fine balance of fruitiness and herbaceousness. Each year the result is a blend that is suited to a range of palates and its suitability for so many creative dishes.

It may be used as a dipping oil or as a finishing touch to a cold or a warm dish. When asked if we could choose one extra virgin olive oil for their pantry, our response is always the Oil Makers Blend. Its consistency of flavour and aromatic character brings the best of life to your table. You will feel inspired to dine in the olive groves or outside at your home, to savour the flavour and enjoy your food.

How to Use

Bring your creativity to your kitchen by using the Oilmakers Blend in some of these dishes:

You can drizzle over salads to highlight the freshness and flavour of your produce

It can be a tasty garnish to your entrée or main course dishes, with a liberal drizzle

Toss over warm vegetables before serving or drizzle over your pasta

It is delicious with a steak or poultry and especially nice with vegetarian dishes, pasta and risotto.

Spring and summer dishes benefit with the addition of olive oil to bring out the best in flavour of your herbs, garden produce and fresh fish.

In winter, your casseroles, tagines, stews and heartier dishes will be even nicer when you use olive oil to start the cooking process by caramelizing the onions and vegetables or meat.

The Oilmakers Blend is the best of all olive oils and should be enjoyed anytime you are enjoying good food with family and friends.

Certification:

FFA: 0.1 | Peroxide: 4 | Defects: none | Pungent: 5.0 | Fruity: 5.5 | Bitter: 3 | Total Polyphenols: 320 (Intense)

The award-winning Lot Eight ‘Reserve’ is a release that aims to show a blend of two cultivars, Koroneiki and Frantoio, personal favourites of the oil maker, Nalini Baruch. Each year we bring together the right selection of the two varieties of olives to ensure that the resulting oil exhibits refined notes of herbs and tropical fruits.

This robust blend started with several awards including Best in Class in New Zealand to Gold Medal at the prestigious New York judging and remains true to its origin. It is perfect as a dipping oil and it also provides a perfect aroma filled finishing touch to a warm dish.

When only the best will do, this Reserve Extra Virgin Olive Oil is the one to use.

How to Use

This blend is best used raw, either as a finishing touch to a warm or cold dish, or as a dip with warm bread and a sprinkle of sea salt.

Earthy dishes like Hummus; lentil and bean-based dips - whether fresh or canned beans, are great partners of the Reserve.

You can drizzle over salads to highlight the freshness and flavour of your produce.

It can be a tasty garnish to your entrée or main course dishes, with a liberal drizzle.

For an uncomplicated, comforting meal, drizzle the Reserve over piping hot Margarita pizza dotted with anchovies. This is our oil maker’s husband’s choice, and we all agree that this combination is a real winner.

Certification:

FFA: 0.1 Peroxide: 4 Defects: none Pungent: 3.5 Fruity: 5.0 Bitter: 3.5 | Total Polyphenols: 277 (Medium)

A first in New Zealand, the cold press ‘Lot Eight Citrus olive oil’ is a blend created by our oil maker for chefs looking for real fruit flavours to finish seafood dishes. This golden blend bursting with real citrus notes is created by milling fresh New Zealand citrus with this season’s Barnea olives.

Often described as ‘lemon meringue pie’ this oil is superb in sweet or savoury baking and also perfect as a finishing oil in salads and warm vegetables. Chef creations include sweet dishes like ice cream, gelato, cakes and toppings plus savoury dishes like warm seafood, sashimi and soups.

How to Use

Our oil maker has given you some hints, but you have so many opportunities to add a dash of finesse to finish your dishes, with a sprinkle, a drizzle or add some more for impact!

Why not try a Peruvian specialty such as ceviche, or as in other countries, it might be called crudo, or kokoda, which are all marinated fish dishes. A splash of Citrus Olive Oil over the coconut milk will be the highlight of this dish.

The savoury notes are highlighted when you roast a chicken or stuff a shoulder of lamb and use the Citrus Olive Oil

Bake an orange and olive oil cake to serve for afternoon tea with lemon icing

Use over freshly baked bread, served with smoked salmon, capers and dill mayo

Citrus tarts, lemon meringue muffins or maybe a jar of Moroccan preserved lemons

Perfect in a white chocolate and lemon curd ice cream for intensity

A first in the world, the award winning cold-pressed ‘Yuzu Olive Oil’ is a highly fragrant blend created for people with a taste for Japanese food flavours. This unique olive oil is made using New Zealand grown olives and the much prized, Yuzu citrus, also New Zealand grown.

Yuzu is regarded as a tree of eternal youth and longevity, given that it takes almost two decades to fruit and continues to bear fruit for more than 300 years. It is revered for its highly fragrant skin, which is used in a wide variety of Japanese cooking from savoury custards, over raw fish and in the exquisite Ponzu dipping sauce. This fruit is revered in Japan, with chefs creating their best dishes integrating the flavour of the citrus with the delicacy of the food.

How to Use

A favourite at Lot Eight is to make a mignonette dressing to toss over a green salad or served with raw fish, oysters and with steamed prawns. Bring your creativity to your kitchen at home and using the Yuzu Olive Oil in some of these dishes:

Salad dressings and sauces

Perfect when drizzled over a paella with seafood

Citrus tarts go to another level with the addition of Yuzu Cold Pressed Olive Oil

As a highlight note to your vegetable or fish-based soups when serving

For a decadent filling inside handmade chocolates OR with an olive oil chocolate mousse

Drizzle a few drops over ceviche (a delicate fish dish served raw or lightly marinated)

A Yuzu sorbet or ice cream is the perfect finish to a meal, with its refreshing citrus notes

The intensity of the Yuzu fruit is captured in the bottle, becoming the perfect highlight to any dish!

In 2017, our oil maker was gifted Kawakawa and Horopito from a very special garden to make a herb oil. No promises were made that these herbs milled with olives would retain their amazing flavours. The oil we produced delighted everyone and the subsequent 2019 oil confirmed the success of this blend and for our oil maker, has remained a way of acknowledging the privilege of calling New Zealand home. Her home since 1980.

Kawakawa and Horopito are revered by Maori as therapeutic plants and for good reason. These herbs have stood the test of time, with their unique flavour attributes. The orange fruits from the female plant are sweet and the seeds are peppery. We love the earthy flavours they impart combining the umami of the Kawakawa and the hot peppery notes of the Horopito. This season we included dried Kawakawa berries to prolong the peppery taste.

How to Use

Use this cold-pressed oil to dress raw or steamed seafood, soups, roasts and casseroles. A simple dish of fresh raw white fish, sea salt and finished with a drizzle of Flavours of Aotearoa is a firm favourite here.

Create an indigenous dish with a combination of whole potatoes and whole cauliflower with Horopito, cooked slowly or baked in the hangi. Serve on its own or with roasted meats and add a dash of Aotearoa Olive Oil.

Baked brie is a special dish and this one is baked in pastry. Use puff or shortcrust around the brie and add a few dollops of this oil over the brie before wrapping and baking. The unique flavours will come through after cooking for 10 minutes in a hot oven. Serve with freshly baked sourdough or on sliced baguettes.

Make a Kawakawa pesto using almonds, garlic and the stalks of the kawakawa together with Aotearoa Olive Oil and use to spread on the inside of a boned lamb shoulder before rolling up and securing together. Baste with Aotearoa Oil during the cooking process and cook slowly.

Our oil maker a self-confessed chilli addict. There are very few meals that she will consume without either a side of pickled or fresh chilies, but while a fan of chillies, she also believes that the heat of the chilli should not overpower other flavours of the food. This blend was born with this in mind.

Milled with dried chilies and Sichuan peppers; the Sichuan introduced to create a tingling of the tongue and to help fool the senses into believing the oil is hotter than it is, but also so this oil can be used as a dipping oil for dumplings and dim sums.

How to Use

The Oil maker has discovered that unshelled prawns coated in the Chilli (Orient) and cooked on a hot skillet or wok with ground white pepper and salt is a perfect use of this blend. Feel free to add minced garlic to the mix.

Roasting whole heads of garlic slowly for three hours will develop a beautiful sweetness and combined with the Chilli Oil drizzled on top, takes on the amazing eastern flavours and spice. Serve with roasted meats, poultry, or pork.

An Asian speciality is fish heads cooked in a stock with coriander, greens, and garlic and when you add a little of the Chilli oil, the Sichuan pepper flavour completes this dish.

Back to traditional favourites, a great stir fry will love the addition of the Chilli oil, so remember to taste and season during the cooking process for your perfect taste sensation.

Sunday roast is elevated with rubbing the leg or shoulder of lamb with the Chilli oil and serve with a refreshing celery and cucumber salad and Asian greens scattered with mint or Vietnamese mint to tingle your tastebuds.

We all love a decadent dessert but be sure to have the umami come through. In old Aztec times, chilli and chocolate was a popular combination. The balance of sweet and savoury is powerful when you add 2 tablespoons of the Chilli oil to a chocolate mousse and add during the mixing process with the chocolate, it will bring sugar and spice.

Why not try hand made chocolates with the Orient oil added. Using slivers of almonds, lightly roast in oven and once removed, add into melted chocolate and 1-2 tsp of Chilli Olive Oil, and combine well. Place small teaspoons of the mixture onto a tray lined with foil. If you are game, sprinkle a pinch of chilli flakes on top.

The ‘Flavours of the East’ has resulted from our oil maker’s love for crispy Asian salads.

This season, the olives were milled with Vietnamese mint, lemongrass, coriander roots and kaffir limes. With a delicate intensity of flavour, this cold-pressed oil combined with fresh lime juice, brown sugar, fish sauce, salt and pepper would make an ideal dressing for Asian salads or mixed with white wine vinegar and drizzled over sashimi and oysters. Simply garnish the salad with mint or coriander leaves for a perfect taste sensation.

How to Use

This oil is perfect to use as a dipping sauce with a little soy and rice wine vinegar for your dumplings and dim sum.

Use over steamed Asian greens with some finely sliced ginger and garlic with crushed peanuts to add some texture.

Japanese sashimi is a perfect item for the Flavours of the East Olive Oil to be used as a finishing touch with a drizzle, combined with a teaspoon of miso paste and a little hint of wasabi.

Thai salads are abundant with colour, spice and complexity of flavour and texture. A salad dressing combining the Flavours of the East Olive Oil, together with some coriander leaves, some additional lemongrass or shredded lemon peel, will add a vibrant finish.

Grill meat skewers basted with Flavours of the East Olive Oil and roll in the finely chopped onion and peppers then place on BBQ to grill on all sides and then place on a bed of Asian greens.

The cold press ‘Lot Eight Harissa olive oil’ is for anyone with a taste for spicy food. The Harissa  Olive Oil is made by milling fresh olives with chillies, smoked paprika, coriander, caraway and other aromatic spices. 

Traditionally created to accompany meats, fish, stews, couscous, pasta and vegetable dishes, at Lot Eight we use it with most recipes asking for a touch of spiciness.

Take your tastebuds on a magic carpet ride to the Middle East, where you dine in the souk (market) and the air is spiced with the smell of Harissa.

How to Use

Such a wonderful and aromatic spiced oil, it blends beautifully with hearty vegetable casseroles or the lightest of salads with shredded kale, spinach, roasted carrots and beetroot, the addition of this oil will bring a flavoursome treat to you.

Add it to mince for tasty meatballs, create spicy scrambled eggs, potatoes or drizzle over hummus before serving with warm flatbreads.

Make falafel and add the oil as a drizzle with tahini and blend well, before serving dollops of this inside a pita pocket for maximum flavour.

Add to burgers for a zing or schmear over roasted vegetables, add to salad dressings or combine with yoghurt to serve with a curry.

Lift the skin on a roast chicken and rub the oil onto the breast and legs before roasting. At the end of cooking, pour the leftover juices and Harissa Oil over the chicken and the roasted vegetables for maximum flavour.

If you are gluten-free, making seed bread will take on the additional flavour and the Harissa Olive Oil is fabulous when adding diced and sauteed peppers plus tahina to the mixture.

A spice inherently familiar to the oil maker as it is used as a digestive by Indians. It is often seen at the counter in Indian Restaurants for this same purpose.

Mixed in with yoghurt, freshly ground cumin seeds and grated cucumber is how we love using this blend. It can be paired with sausages, pork, chicken and added to mince to make kofta, alternatively, drizzled over a salad of finely sliced fresh fennel and oranges. 

How to Use

Oven-roasted vegetables with fennel included are a family favourite and in the French style, they love a light cheese sauce which comes to life with the Fennel Oil.

Brush Fennel Oil over pork cutlets or loins and baste again during cooking. Serve on a bed of finely chopped spinach and kale with a sauce of pureed sundried tomatoes, capers, anchovies and olives to serve on top and a drizzle of the Fennel oil.

A minute steak cooked to perfection and served with roasted kumara and fennel slices with Fennel Oil and flaked salt sprinkle is sublime. Add some seasonal cherry tomatoes lightly roasted on the stem as a side dish.

Steamed green vegetables of the season, with wedges of fennel, beans, broccoli with bread and parmesan crumble on top and Fennel Oil is a tasty combination.

Using a firm white fish or salmon, create the magic by wrapping in parcels using phyllo pastry with a few slices of cooked potato on base with sauteed leeks with Fennel Oil and then place the fish on before wrapping and baking in the oven. Brush top of pasty with Fennel Oil, serve with a caper and dill sauce with yoghurt and Fennel oil.

The award-winning ‘Oil Maker’s Blend’ is our prized traditional blend first released in 2002 and it is the one olive oil that Lot Eight has built its reputation on.

Depending on the flavour profiles of the season, we blend a selection of olive varieties to achieve a blend that exhibits a fine balance of fruitiness and herbaceousness. Each year the result is a blend that is suited to a range of palates and its suitability for so many creative dishes.

It may be used as a dipping oil or as a finishing touch to a cold or a warm dish. When asked if we could choose one extra virgin olive oil for their pantry, our response is always the Oil Makers Blend. Its consistency of flavour and aromatic character brings the best of life to your table. You will feel inspired to dine in the olive groves or outside at your home, to savour the flavour and enjoy your food.

How to Use

Bring your creativity to your kitchen by using the Oilmakers Blend in some of these dishes:

You can drizzle over salads to highlight the freshness and flavour of your produce

It can be a tasty garnish to your entrée or main course dishes, with a liberal drizzle

Toss over warm vegetables before serving or drizzle over your pasta

It is delicious with a steak or poultry and especially nice with vegetarian dishes, pasta and risotto.

Spring and summer dishes benefit with the addition of olive oil to bring out the best in flavour of your herbs, garden produce and fresh fish.

In winter, your casseroles, tagines, stews and heartier dishes will be even nicer when you use olive oil to start the cooking process by caramelizing the onions and vegetables or meat.

The Oilmakers Blend is the best of all olive oils and should be enjoyed anytime you are enjoying good food with family and friends.

Certification:

FFA: 0.1 | Peroxide: 4 | Defects: none | Pungent: 5.0 | Fruity: 5.5 | Bitter: 3 | Total Polyphenols: 320 (Intense)

The award-winning Lot Eight ‘Reserve’ is a release that aims to show a blend of two cultivars, Koroneiki and Frantoio, personal favourites of the oil maker, Nalini Baruch. Each year we bring together the right selection of the two varieties of olives to ensure that the resulting oil exhibits refined notes of herbs and tropical fruits.

This robust blend started with several awards including Best in Class in New Zealand to Gold Medal at the prestigious New York judging and remains true to its origin. It is perfect as a dipping oil and it also provides a perfect aroma filled finishing touch to a warm dish.

When only the best will do, this Reserve Extra Virgin Olive Oil is the one to use.

How to Use

This blend is best used raw, either as a finishing touch to a warm or cold dish, or as a dip with warm bread and a sprinkle of sea salt.

Earthy dishes like Hummus; lentil and bean-based dips - whether fresh or canned beans, are great partners of the Reserve.

You can drizzle over salads to highlight the freshness and flavour of your produce.

It can be a tasty garnish to your entrée or main course dishes, with a liberal drizzle.

For an uncomplicated, comforting meal, drizzle the Reserve over piping hot Margarita pizza dotted with anchovies. This is our oil maker’s husband’s choice, and we all agree that this combination is a real winner.

Certification:

FFA: 0.1 Peroxide: 4 Defects: none Pungent: 3.5 Fruity: 5.0 Bitter: 3.5 | Total Polyphenols: 277 (Medium)

A first in New Zealand, the cold press ‘Lot Eight Citrus olive oil’ is a blend created by our oil maker for chefs looking for real fruit flavours to finish seafood dishes. This golden blend bursting with real citrus notes is created by milling fresh New Zealand citrus with this season’s Barnea olives.

Often described as ‘lemon meringue pie’ this oil is superb in sweet or savoury baking and also perfect as a finishing oil in salads and warm vegetables. Chef creations include sweet dishes like ice cream, gelato, cakes and toppings plus savoury dishes like warm seafood, sashimi and soups.

How to Use

Our oil maker has given you some hints, but you have so many opportunities to add a dash of finesse to finish your dishes, with a sprinkle, a drizzle or add some more for impact!

Why not try a Peruvian specialty such as ceviche, or as in other countries, it might be called crudo, or kokoda, which are all marinated fish dishes. A splash of Citrus Olive Oil over the coconut milk will be the highlight of this dish.

The savoury notes are highlighted when you roast a chicken or stuff a shoulder of lamb and use the Citrus Olive Oil

Bake an orange and olive oil cake to serve for afternoon tea with lemon icing

Use over freshly baked bread, served with smoked salmon, capers and dill mayo

Citrus tarts, lemon meringue muffins or maybe a jar of Moroccan preserved lemons

Perfect in a white chocolate and lemon curd ice cream for intensity

A first in the world, the award winning cold-pressed ‘Yuzu Olive Oil’ is a highly fragrant blend created for people with a taste for Japanese food flavours. This unique olive oil is made using New Zealand grown olives and the much prized, Yuzu citrus, also New Zealand grown.

Yuzu is regarded as a tree of eternal youth and longevity, given that it takes almost two decades to fruit and continues to bear fruit for more than 300 years. It is revered for its highly fragrant skin, which is used in a wide variety of Japanese cooking from savoury custards, over raw fish and in the exquisite Ponzu dipping sauce. This fruit is revered in Japan, with chefs creating their best dishes integrating the flavour of the citrus with the delicacy of the food.

How to Use

A favourite at Lot Eight is to make a mignonette dressing to toss over a green salad or served with raw fish, oysters and with steamed prawns. Bring your creativity to your kitchen at home and using the Yuzu Olive Oil in some of these dishes:

Salad dressings and sauces

Perfect when drizzled over a paella with seafood

Citrus tarts go to another level with the addition of Yuzu Cold Pressed Olive Oil

As a highlight note to your vegetable or fish-based soups when serving

For a decadent filling inside handmade chocolates OR with an olive oil chocolate mousse

Drizzle a few drops over ceviche (a delicate fish dish served raw or lightly marinated)

A Yuzu sorbet or ice cream is the perfect finish to a meal, with its refreshing citrus notes

The intensity of the Yuzu fruit is captured in the bottle, becoming the perfect highlight to any dish!

In 2017, our oil maker was gifted Kawakawa and Horopito from a very special garden to make a herb oil. No promises were made that these herbs milled with olives would retain their amazing flavours. The oil we produced delighted everyone and the subsequent 2019 oil confirmed the success of this blend and for our oil maker, has remained a way of acknowledging the privilege of calling New Zealand home. Her home since 1980.

Kawakawa and Horopito are revered by Maori as therapeutic plants and for good reason. These herbs have stood the test of time, with their unique flavour attributes. The orange fruits from the female plant are sweet and the seeds are peppery. We love the earthy flavours they impart combining the umami of the Kawakawa and the hot peppery notes of the Horopito. This season we included dried Kawakawa berries to prolong the peppery taste.

How to Use

Use this cold-pressed oil to dress raw or steamed seafood, soups, roasts and casseroles. A simple dish of fresh raw white fish, sea salt and finished with a drizzle of Flavours of Aotearoa is a firm favourite here.

Create an indigenous dish with a combination of whole potatoes and whole cauliflower with Horopito, cooked slowly or baked in the hangi. Serve on its own or with roasted meats and add a dash of Aotearoa Olive Oil.

Baked brie is a special dish and this one is baked in pastry. Use puff or shortcrust around the brie and add a few dollops of this oil over the brie before wrapping and baking. The unique flavours will come through after cooking for 10 minutes in a hot oven. Serve with freshly baked sourdough or on sliced baguettes.

Make a Kawakawa pesto using almonds, garlic and the stalks of the kawakawa together with Aotearoa Olive Oil and use to spread on the inside of a boned lamb shoulder before rolling up and securing together. Baste with Aotearoa Oil during the cooking process and cook slowly.

Our oil maker a self-confessed chilli addict. There are very few meals that she will consume without either a side of pickled or fresh chilies, but while a fan of chillies, she also believes that the heat of the chilli should not overpower other flavours of the food. This blend was born with this in mind.

Milled with dried chilies and Sichuan peppers; the Sichuan introduced to create a tingling of the tongue and to help fool the senses into believing the oil is hotter than it is, but also so this oil can be used as a dipping oil for dumplings and dim sums.

How to Use

The Oil maker has discovered that unshelled prawns coated in the Chilli (Orient) and cooked on a hot skillet or wok with ground white pepper and salt is a perfect use of this blend. Feel free to add minced garlic to the mix.

Roasting whole heads of garlic slowly for three hours will develop a beautiful sweetness and combined with the Chilli Oil drizzled on top, takes on the amazing eastern flavours and spice. Serve with roasted meats, poultry, or pork.

An Asian speciality is fish heads cooked in a stock with coriander, greens, and garlic and when you add a little of the Chilli oil, the Sichuan pepper flavour completes this dish.

Back to traditional favourites, a great stir fry will love the addition of the Chilli oil, so remember to taste and season during the cooking process for your perfect taste sensation.

Sunday roast is elevated with rubbing the leg or shoulder of lamb with the Chilli oil and serve with a refreshing celery and cucumber salad and Asian greens scattered with mint or Vietnamese mint to tingle your tastebuds.

We all love a decadent dessert but be sure to have the umami come through. In old Aztec times, chilli and chocolate was a popular combination. The balance of sweet and savoury is powerful when you add 2 tablespoons of the Chilli oil to a chocolate mousse and add during the mixing process with the chocolate, it will bring sugar and spice.

Why not try hand made chocolates with the Orient oil added. Using slivers of almonds, lightly roast in oven and once removed, add into melted chocolate and 1-2 tsp of Chilli Olive Oil, and combine well. Place small teaspoons of the mixture onto a tray lined with foil. If you are game, sprinkle a pinch of chilli flakes on top.

The ‘Flavours of the East’ has resulted from our oil maker’s love for crispy Asian salads.

This season, the olives were milled with Vietnamese mint, lemongrass, coriander roots and kaffir limes. With a delicate intensity of flavour, this cold-pressed oil combined with fresh lime juice, brown sugar, fish sauce, salt and pepper would make an ideal dressing for Asian salads or mixed with white wine vinegar and drizzled over sashimi and oysters. Simply garnish the salad with mint or coriander leaves for a perfect taste sensation.

How to Use

This oil is perfect to use as a dipping sauce with a little soy and rice wine vinegar for your dumplings and dim sum.

Use over steamed Asian greens with some finely sliced ginger and garlic with crushed peanuts to add some texture.

Japanese sashimi is a perfect item for the Flavours of the East Olive Oil to be used as a finishing touch with a drizzle, combined with a teaspoon of miso paste and a little hint of wasabi.

Thai salads are abundant with colour, spice and complexity of flavour and texture. A salad dressing combining the Flavours of the East Olive Oil, together with some coriander leaves, some additional lemongrass or shredded lemon peel, will add a vibrant finish.

Grill meat skewers basted with Flavours of the East Olive Oil and roll in the finely chopped onion and peppers then place on BBQ to grill on all sides and then place on a bed of Asian greens.

The cold press ‘Lot Eight Harissa olive oil’ is for anyone with a taste for spicy food. The Harissa  Olive Oil is made by milling fresh olives with chillies, smoked paprika, coriander, caraway and other aromatic spices. 

Traditionally created to accompany meats, fish, stews, couscous, pasta and vegetable dishes, at Lot Eight we use it with most recipes asking for a touch of spiciness.

Take your tastebuds on a magic carpet ride to the Middle East, where you dine in the souk (market) and the air is spiced with the smell of Harissa.

How to Use

Such a wonderful and aromatic spiced oil, it blends beautifully with hearty vegetable casseroles or the lightest of salads with shredded kale, spinach, roasted carrots and beetroot, the addition of this oil will bring a flavoursome treat to you.

Add it to mince for tasty meatballs, create spicy scrambled eggs, potatoes or drizzle over hummus before serving with warm flatbreads.

Make falafel and add the oil as a drizzle with tahini and blend well, before serving dollops of this inside a pita pocket for maximum flavour.

Add to burgers for a zing or schmear over roasted vegetables, add to salad dressings or combine with yoghurt to serve with a curry.

Lift the skin on a roast chicken and rub the oil onto the breast and legs before roasting. At the end of cooking, pour the leftover juices and Harissa Oil over the chicken and the roasted vegetables for maximum flavour.

If you are gluten-free, making seed bread will take on the additional flavour and the Harissa Olive Oil is fabulous when adding diced and sauteed peppers plus tahina to the mixture.

A spice inherently familiar to the oil maker as it is used as a digestive by Indians. It is often seen at the counter in Indian Restaurants for this same purpose.

Mixed in with yoghurt, freshly ground cumin seeds and grated cucumber is how we love using this blend. It can be paired with sausages, pork, chicken and added to mince to make kofta, alternatively, drizzled over a salad of finely sliced fresh fennel and oranges. 

How to Use

Oven-roasted vegetables with fennel included are a family favourite and in the French style, they love a light cheese sauce which comes to life with the Fennel Oil.

Brush Fennel Oil over pork cutlets or loins and baste again during cooking. Serve on a bed of finely chopped spinach and kale with a sauce of pureed sundried tomatoes, capers, anchovies and olives to serve on top and a drizzle of the Fennel oil.

A minute steak cooked to perfection and served with roasted kumara and fennel slices with Fennel Oil and flaked salt sprinkle is sublime. Add some seasonal cherry tomatoes lightly roasted on the stem as a side dish.

Steamed green vegetables of the season, with wedges of fennel, beans, broccoli with bread and parmesan crumble on top and Fennel Oil is a tasty combination.

Using a firm white fish or salmon, create the magic by wrapping in parcels using phyllo pastry with a few slices of cooked potato on base with sauteed leeks with Fennel Oil and then place the fish on before wrapping and baking in the oven. Brush top of pasty with Fennel Oil, serve with a caper and dill sauce with yoghurt and Fennel oil.

The cold press Lot Eight ‘Aromatic olive oil’ is a sweet-smelling delicate blend referred to as a ‘Turkish Delight’ oil, which is created with all things sweet in mind. Using our fresh olives and only the finest ingredients like whole vanilla pods and estate-grown saffron, the ‘Aromatic Oil’ deserves its place as a premium condiment and a perfect treat.

Chefs use this oil in sweet and savoury dishes whilst at Lot Eight, we use it in dishes like baked stone fruits, rice pudding, cakes and smoothies.

How to Use

This is another of our favourite oils, for it adds a dimension to any dish and elevates it to another level. A tablespoon added to your breakfast cereal, fruit juice or smoothie should provide the health benefits of extra virgin olive oil.

In muffins or other bakery treats, replace some butter with this aromatic oil for a delicate taste. The perfume of the vanilla and saffron will excite your senses.

The sweet notes of this oil come to life when used in desserts, so try adding with a chia pudding and fruit or add to biscuits and crumble through to give another dimension when presented in a glass showing the layers.

Many chefs around the world love a flourless orange and almond cake, made popular by food-writer Claudia Roden, whilst dense in texture, it is light and flavoursome for afternoon tea or dessert. The addition of ¼ cup Aromatic Olive Oil will elevate this cake into a very special treat for your family. Decorate with a light icing of ¼ cup orange juice, 1 ½ cups icing sugar, a little Aromatic olive oil and 2 tbsp of hot water, a little at a time, to make a smooth icing to drizzle on the cake. If you have any purple violets or pansy’s in the garden, decorate the cake or plate with a few sprinkled around.

Roast a combination of nuts tossed in a little Aromatic Olive Oil and bake slowly in the oven. Sprinkle a little castor sugar once they come out of the oven and toss well. Allow to dry and these make a great accompaniment to a dessert or just enjoy as a nice snack.

Combine crushed halva with ice-cream and mix well, adding Turkish delight finely chopped with ½ cup of honey and ¼ cup Aromatic Olive Oil. Mix well but not too smooth and pour into freezer trays. Scoop ice cream into bowls and add a few drops of Aromatic Olive Oil before serving.

Our oil maker has a thing about smoked paprika. She will use it to make her famous chicken and potato dish which uses cumin, bay, chilli and smoked paprika. Like most of the oils we produce at Lot Eight, Moorish is a product of the flavour combinations used by our oil maker and her desire to share them with food lovers.

This blend (nicknamed the chorizo oil) has already been used by the oil maker to make paella, chicken and potato bake, scrambled eggs and shakshuka. This blend can be used as a base oil as well as a finishing oil. We recommend both.

How to Use

Breakfast has never tasted better than when serving Shakshuka, a combination of tomatoes, onion and poached eggs cooked together with the addition of Moorish

The spice of life comes to life with paella, a Spanish favourite, combining seafood, sliced chorizo sausage and rice cooked long and slow, so add a dash of Moorish when serving.

As easy as it is, serve a pureed white bean soup made with tinned cannellini beans, garlic, stock and garlic, to be served with crusty bread and the addition of Moorish Oil to the soup, for balance and finesse. It will soon become a family favourite.

We all love freshly made bread and by using Moorish in your baking, you will salivate with the flavours, as a dipping oil or in the dough for maximum flavour and dip into dukkah.

A night off for the chef and its pizza on the menu. Make baby meatballs and add Moorish Oil to the mixture. Caramelise sliced leeks or onions and layer over the base and add the meatballs, some tomato sauce or sugo and the meat balls. After cooking, drizzle over Moorish oil and then sprinkle with a little sour cream to blend the exotic flavours.

Whole baked fish rubbed inside with Moorish and stuffed with sliced potato, sliced peppers and onion, comes to life fresh from the sea.

Herbes de Provence is a blend of Fennel, Thyme, Bay Leaves, Oregano and Rosemary.

These herbs, traditionally grown in the South of France in the Provence region are widely used in Mediterranean cuisine. Chefs love to infuse their meats and pasta dishes with these herbs and now using the Herbes de Provence Oil, they can include the use of this oil to bring out the best in the flavour of fish and dairy dishes, meats, pork and poultry.

Use this exceptional cold-pressed oil made with fresh New Zealand grown herbs to coat chicken or fish before searing, roasting or grilling, or add a few drops to soups or casseroles to enhance flavours.

How to Use

The chefs at Lot Eight love to infuse this oil into their risotto and pasta dishes plus a drizzle or two on the succulent meats that they oven roast . . .  slowly, to bring out the sweetness and tenderness of the meats. This is also a marriage made in heaven when you combine Herbes de Provence oil with seafood, as the aromatics of the fennel shines through and brings the dishes to another level. Try some of these ideas;

                  Incorporate into sauces and infusions

                  Sprinkle over fish and vegetables

                  Pour a spoonful into your favourite soups

                  Dip toasted bread croutons into the oil lightly and then toss into a salad or soup

                  Infuse into your crumble to sprinkle over oven-baked fish or chicken.

As you create and try various dishes and new flavour combinations, the traditional Herbes de Provence oil will transport you to the lush produce markets, picturesque vineyards and the coastline in France.