This Is The Perfect Christmas Gift For Foodies & Home Cooks

Any home cook worth their weight in Maldon sea salt knows that quality is everything — especially when it comes to olive oil. We roast our veggies in the stuff, drizzle it on salads and pasta, dip our bread in it, marinate meat in it; we use it to sauté, sizzle and bake. No one knows this better than Citizens of Soil, our latest kitchen obsession and go-to gift idea for tricky-to-buy-for, already-have-one-of-everything loved ones.

Citizens of Soil is an ethically sourced, single-estate, extra virgin olive oil brand initially based on the island of Crete and now spreading across the Mediterranean; to Spain, Croatia, Portugal and the Peloponnese peninsula. They work on a refill basis to reduce waste, together with local, heritage and family owned olive growers in the regions. First, you order a single bottle of oil (starting at £17.50) which, if you subscribe, you can then top up with a refill pouch (£13.50) that's designed to fit through your letterbox each month. For newbies, there’s a £35 starter pack bundle of a bottle and refill pouch to get you started.

Sure, it is far from cheap. So why should you shell out? The taste, for one, is worlds better than the mass-produced supermarket stuff. On its journey from farm to table, supermarket olive oil typically changes hands countless times, meaning local farmers loose out and the taste is diluted. What started out fresh and full of flavour ends up stripped of its local identity.

Compared to supermarket oils, Citizens of Soil’s oil is rich and creamy with a fresh, earthy flavour; an insight into each environment the olives are grown in. In their Greek oil, notes of grass, tomato leaf and avocado come through, finishing with a light, peppery zing. Their Spanish oil is rich and zingy with a fruity freshness to finish; Portuguese has almost a floral aroma though an intense spice thats perfect for cocktails (especially martinis); Peloponnese, a herby essence thanks to the oregano, basil and mint grown nearby; and Croatian, cleaner and with a slight bitterness that gives your food an extra bite (Gordon Ramsay is a fan)

Honestly, whichever you choose, it’s good enough to eat straight. Drizzled over fresh pasta and salads, it can turn a simple dish on a drizzly weeknight into a sultry evening escape in the Greek countryside. A great combination to try is orzo pasta, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, Citizens of Soil oil, sun-dried tomatoes and Kalamata olives. Or go fully Greek and pour it over fruit or ice cream in the summer.

Even better, the brand has dedicated itself to championing female olive oil producers — many of whom, as in other areas of agriculture, typically see their ancestral lands passed on and managed by the men in the family. Connecting farmer to customer, on the brand's website you can find out all about the brand's current collaborations with these women and learn how she farms, about her family's ties to olive farming, her olive and soil type and when your oil was harvested. Citizens of Soil also donates 1% of every purchase to 1% for the Planet's soil regeneration projects and is currently working with Kiss The Ground and the Sustainable Soils Alliance.

All of this makes Citizens of Soil the perfect indulgent gift for foodies, budding home cooks or anyone who is trying to make their pantry more ethical.