Athena’s gift made quite a splash

Poised in a power struggle, Poseidon challenged Athena to bestow the mortals a most useful gift. Thinking himself clever, he sprung a saltwater spring. But it was Athena’s present that proved precious: from the rocky, sun-scorched terrain she instantly cultivated an olive tree. Athens was named in her honor, and the scraggly tree has been a symbol of health, prosperity and peace ever since.

Exalted as “liquid gold,” the oil of this mythic tree has been used to sanctify and to salve, as currency and cure-all. Old-school Olympians believed it was a kind of sacred steroid and it was essential to the Egyptian’s expert embalming. “Wine within and oil without” was the adage of ancient Romans, and let no fundamentalist forget that the Promised Land flows not with milk and honey, but is instead slick with a glistening sheen of golden oil.

The secular benefits of a diet drenched in olive oil are numerous as well. A monounsaturated fat exploding with antioxidants, it keeps the heart healthy and the skin supple. A French woman who reached the ridiculous ripe age of 122 owed her longevity to the stuff; she poured it not only on her plate, but also directly onto her skin.

Categorized according to acidity, olive oil comes in several grades. Casual cooks will saute with the lower-end stuff, saving the extra-virgin to serve straight up with crusty bread or drizzled over a salad.

But I tend to regard olive oil as I do red wine, using it not as an afterthought, but as the essential element around which the rest of the meal is planned. Everything from my sauces to my stir-fries gets doused with a hearty splash.

My baked goods also have benefited from a blast of Bellino; a recent loaf of olive oil sweet bread seems to have elevated me from mere kitchen vixen to domestic demigoddess.

But don’t worry, Athena, I’m not stealing your status as the wise woman of the olive tree. No cities have been named after me.

At least not yet.

Olive Oil Sweet Bread

2 1/2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup sugar

Pinch of salt

2 eggs, beaten

3/4 cup milk

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Splash of Grand Marnier liqueur

1/2 cup raisins

Grated zest of 1 orange

Unsalted butter for loaf pan

1/4 cup pine nuts

Preheat oven to 350. Mix together flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Gradually add eggs, milk, olive oil and liqueur and beat well. Toss raisins with a bit of flour to coat them. Stir raisins and orange zest into the batter. Pour into a greased loaf pan and top with pine nuts. Bake for about 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let loaf sit for a few moments in pan before unmolding onto rack to cool completely.