Twenty years ago, no one in Hong Kong would have thought of dipping their bread in olive oil. Now everyone does it, especially in Italian restaurants, which have proliferated in the past couple of decades. Most Italians, however, do not eat bread with olive oil.
There is no doubt that it is a common ingredient in southern Italian cooking, which is why most people associate it with Italy. But Spain has long surpassed Italy as the largest olive oil producer and its products are monitored under perhaps the strictest standards in the world. For many years, Italy has imported olive oil from Spain and then re-exported it.
Spanish olive oil, despite the calibre, has always existed in the shadow of its Italian counterparts. Italian food enjoys more popularity around the world, especially in Southeast Asia, although that situation is slowly changing with the rising international stardom of tapas.
Another reason is marketing. Italy has always been more proactive in promoting its food products to overseas markets. Spanish olive oil is well respected by countries such as Italy, Portugal and even Greece, but outside of those countries, it has yet to be given the attention it deserves.
Most of Spain's olive oil, especially the top-quality variety, comes from Jaen, a landlocked Andalusian province in the south. In terms of tourism, it is often outshone by its more glamorous neighbours of Granada and Seville, or even by the more commercially vibrant Malaga.
But if discovering food culture is what you have in mind, a visit to this sleepy region is recommended. Spanish olive oil, especially the extra virgin variety, is a gourmand's delight.