Thirteen Olives honored for customer service

Two visitors sniff the contents of the tiny cups, swirl them around — and take an appreciative sip.

With the first sample, Gene Litz points out, “You’re getting that fruitiness.”

With the second, he asks the guests if they detect a “hint of arugula, and green apple.” They do.

The third, everyone agrees, is a bit more peppery.

Lest you think Litz was hosting a wine tasting on a recent Tuesday afternoon, please note he owns Thirteen Olives, a specialty store in Clarks Summit that offers a wide variety of premium olive oils and vinegars.

The customers had just tasted Arbequina olive oil from California, Coratina olive oil from Italy and Manzanillo olive oil from Spain — and they liked the Manzanillo so much they bought two bottles.

Thirteen Olives was voted Best of the Abingtons for Customer Service in a Times Leader Media Group readership poll, and it’s easy to see why, as Litz takes the time to offer tastings, answer questions and explain the benefits of high-quality olive oil.

“Freshness is key,” he said, explaining that the premium extra virgin olive oil he sells is pressed from the olives within a few hours after harvest, rather than waiting 24 hours, as industry standards would allow.

Also, he said, his suppliers tell growers they want green olives rather than ripe ones. That means the harvest yield will be smaller than if they waited, but the quality of the olives will be better, and hence the olive oil will be better.

“They tell (the growers), if you produce olive oil like we want it, we’ll pay you more,” Litz said.

Walking past a row of olive oil containers on display at Thirteen Olives, Litz pointed out such numbers as 383.7 ppm and 733.7 ppm on the labels. Those numbers indicate in parts per million the biophenal content of different varieties. Both are high numbers, he said, and indicate the presence of beneficial antioxidants.

“Some people do shots, for medicinal purposes,” Litz said, noting that some people drink straight olive oil in an attempt to fight arthritis, ward off cancer or address other health concerns.

Indeed, a glance at the National Library of Medicine website indicates biophenols from olive oil may fight cancer, cardiovascular disease and infections.

Other labels on the oil dispensers offer suggestions for serving and pairing the olive oil within. Herbs de Provence Olive Oil, for example, is “a show stopper when drizzled over grilled chicken, rubbed on turkey before roasting, for bread dipping or in aioli.” And the Wild Mushroom & Sage Olive Oil is “a sumptuous, savory experience,” especially recommended for drizzling over cream of mushroom soup or risotto.

In addition to olive oil, Thirteen Olives carries specialty oils made from walnuts, toasted sesame seeds, and even butternut squash seeds, with that last one coming from a producer in the Finger Lakes Region of New York.

And not all olive oil comes from the Northern Hemisphere. Some varieties come from Australia, Chile, Peru and South Africa.

Thirteen Olives also carries olive oils infused with herbs, sun-dried tomatoes and various fruits, and a full complement of balsamic vinegars as well.

Litz’s mother, Pat, who designs some of the specialty gift baskets available at Thirteen Olives, said her son had an interest in food even as a youngster. “When he was 12, he was making cheesecakes and selling them to the neighbors,” she remembered.

A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Gene Litz worked as a chef at various restaurants before deciding to become an entrepreneur. In his spare time, he enjoys gardening, fishing, and hunting, all of which take him outdoors into the natural world.