A Memory of Galilee: Tracking Down a Forgotten Olive Oil
Khalaf Olive Oil — Harvested from Ancient Souri Olive Groves in Rameh
In the early 1990s, I traveled through the sun-drenched hills of the Galilee in northern Israel, bringing back a bottle of exceptional extra virgin olive oil from Rameh. This historic Palestinian town is surrounded by legendary groves on sacred terrain that have long produced the Mediterranean's most coveted oils. While the exact label from my trip eluded my memory, a recent feature in The New York Times confirmed Rameh's centuries-old reputation for producing some of the world’s finest olive oil, pointing me straight to the historic, family-run Khalaf Olives estate.
The secret to the rich texture, and signature peppery finish lies in the ancient Souri olive trees—some over 2,000 years old—which rely purely on seasonal rains to yield a robust, gold-green oil. Rediscovering this connection proved how a single taste from a journey long ago can anchor us to a time and place.
Fresh Filtered Nov' 2025 Harvest Khalaf Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 500ml. Photo Credit: Khala Olives