Back in the good old days of Antiquity the city of Athens held its own « Olympic Games » every four years known as the Panathenaea festival which celebrated the city’s protective deity Athena with an eventful event filled with a parade, sacrifices, prizes and competitions in music and sports, including chariot racing and wrestling. It was held much like the modern summer games in July-August and is believed to date back to the 8th century B.C. Winners were given an amphora of olive oil emanating from a sacred olive grove in Athens.

Fast forward to 2010 when the Chantzios brothers, Pierre-Julien and Grégory, decided to take the helm of the family olive groves that have been in the family for eight generations in the Kalamata region of the Peloponnese peninsula in Greece. Their adventure, Kalios, was born. Growing the world renowned Koroneiki olives, the property also produces an exceptional olive oil found on the tables of more than 150 Michelin starred chefs, in prestigious palatial hotels and in gourmet grocery shops in Europe and Asia and soon in the United States. The olives are hand picked from November to January.

And in honor of the traditions of Ancient Greece and the Olympic Games being held in Paris and throughout France this year, the house has brought out a limited edition bottle of olive oil in honour of Greece’s Olympic heritage and the upcoming summer games, dubbed Olympe, French for Olympia. Drawing its inspiration from a Greek amphora it is decorated with scenes from the world of sport. Kalios has a shop in Paris on the great food shopping street that is rue des Martys and which will be carrying the limited edition bottle. ©Trish Valicenti for The Gourmet Gazette. Maison Kalios, 54 rue des Martyrs, 75009 Paris, France. https://mykalios.com/en/