On a farm deep inside a desert in central Jordan, Amelia Bilbeisi presses olive oil of ultra-premium quality, a coveted grade only five percent of the world’s olive oil producers meet.

This is Maida Olive Oil, known as ONSURI in North America.

The Middle East is considered to be the birthplace of olives, but it is not as known for its olive oil as Spain, Italy, or Greece, the world’s top olive oil exporters.

Olive oil is central to Jordanian culture and today, Amelia and her team are well on their way to elevating its status worldwide.

Listen to the Episode

What you’ll hear:

  • How you can discern good-quality extra-virgin olive oil
  • What olive oil means to Jordanians
  • How the olive tree communicates with us
  • Why the Middle East is not known for its olive oil
  • Cooking with olive oil
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"Every tree from the top producing countries like Italy or Spain can be traced back to the Middle East. Well-known Spanish varietals, for example, are actually from this land. We've brought them back to their original home and in a way, I feel like they've spread their roots here. This is where they belong." – Amelia Bilbeisi
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ONSURI Olive Oil in North America

You don’t have to travel to Jordan to get a taste of this olive oil: ONSURI ships free in North America.

Visit the ONSURI website to see these award-winning oils.

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Use code GOINGPLACES to get 10% off your purchase

Check out our interview on YouTube →

SPONSORED

Produced in partnership with Visit Jordan

This episode is brought to you by Visit Jordan. Jordan is a small country in the Middle East that has something for everyone: in an area about the size of Maine, it packs diverse landscapes like the Mediterranean forests of Ajloun, deep canyons in Wadi Dana, the Mars-like desert of Wadi Rum, and the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth.

Learn more about Jordan