In Calabria, oil is never just oil. It's what gets poured over everything, what turns a simple dish into something memorable, what carries the scent of a particular place. These three flavoured oils are the most fragrant version of what Calabria can do with extra virgin olive oil: infused with bergamot, with lemon, with chilli. Three different characters, one origin.
 
 
 
Bought together they cost less than buying them one at a time. But the real reason to have all three is another: each one is for different moments, different dishes, different results. Once you've tried all three, you start using them like spices: automatically, without thinking, already knowing which one to reach for.
 
 
 
Bergamot extra virgin olive oil
 
Bergamot grows almost exclusively on the coast of Reggio Calabria. It's the most Calabrian citrus fruit there is – the one that scents Earl Grey tea, and which outside the region is only found processed, never fresh. Bergamot oil has a rounded, floral scent with a citrus note that doesn't sting. Use it on raw fish, carpaccio, mozzarella or steamed vegetables. One drop changes everything without masking anything.
 
 
 
Lemon extra virgin olive oil
 
Calabrian lemons are different from supermarket ones: more fragrant, fuller, with a thick peel that carries all their aroma. Lemon oil is fresh and clean, with an acidity you notice but never tire of. It's the one for poached fish, octopus and shellfish. But it also works on spaghetti aglio e olio instead of fresh lemon, on bruschetta, on grilled chicken. It's the most versatile of the three.
 
 
 
Calabrian chilli extra virgin olive oil
 
Calabrian chilli is what gives everything character. Chilli oil doesn't burn aggressively: it warms slowly, lingers for a few seconds, then makes room for the other flavours. Use it on pizza, pasta, eggs, bruschetta – anything that needs a kick. It's always the first one to run out.
 
 
 
How to use them together
 
There's no rule. Keep all three on the table and choose each time. Bergamot and lemon go well with fish, alone or combined. Finish with chilli when you want some fire. For everything else, improvise – which is how Calabria has always cooked.
 
 
 
Who these oils are for
 
They're for people who cook and want to dress their food with something genuine. For those who already have ordinary oil and want to find out what changes when extra virgin olive oil carries a distinct aroma. For anyone looking for a useful gift that's out of the ordinary, something that goes into the kitchen and stays there. For those from the South who already know them, and for those who aren't and are about to find out.
 
 
 
These three oils come from Altomonte, in the province of Cosenza. They're made from Calabrian extra virgin olive oil, flavoured with Calabrian ingredients. At €20.90 together instead of €24.00, it's the easiest way to take them all home at once.