Q & A with Silver Spring Resident Michael Sideris, Olive Oil Producer

Silver Spring resident Michael Sideris, owner of Vordonia Athenolia, is the latest in a long line of family olive oil proprietors. Patch sat down with Sideris to learn more about the more than 3,000 years of history behind his unique business.

Patch: Tell us about your family’s history in the olive oil business.

Michael Sideris: Our history with olives and oil goes back all the way to ancient Sparta. The Spartans founded the famous Athenolia olive tree, known as “The King of the Olives” for its tremendous juiciness, aroma, flavor, and longevity. Then, the Byzantines continued by planting the Athenolia tree in Vordonia in the perfect conditions (elevation, soil and weather), and maintained by the hands of men who were strong believers in tradition. I was taught to maintain what our ancestors founded—they did all the hard work of founding what the French call the perfect terrior—and I respect them by not changing a thing. Today it is my turn to maintain the ancient traditional old fashion artisan methods of producing a single cultivar extra virgin olive oil. 

Patch: When did you first move to the United States?

M.S: Around 1966-67, because of political unrest in Greece, we moved with relatives to Washington, D.C. and later to beautiful Silver Spring. Over the years, we’ve regularly traveled back to Vordonia to maintain and harvest our unique family olive oil.

Patch: What is unique about your olive oil?

M.S:  Well, we have not changed a thing for over 3,000 years. Vordonia is the same oil the mighty Spartans and later the Byzantines ate and served to their family and guests. Also, we only produce a small quantity each year – only 600 bottles in 2011! For those who know a bit about olive oil, here are a few differences between Vordonia and other “artisan” olive oils: I produce 34 percent olive oil, compared to about 9 percent (by European standards any oil under 20 percent is for industrial use); my oil has a shelf life of over 8 years, most others begin to turn rancid after three months.

Also, I am the last of my kind - a traditional old-fashioned single cultivar olive oil craftsman. My only hope is that I can pass on all I know to my wife and kids.

Patch: Where can people buy Vordonia?

M.S: Since we only produce a small quantity, we have to be selective about where it is sold. While it is not available in Silver Spring, there are a few places nearby – the Cornucopia Specialty Food market in Bethesda, the Broad Branch Market in Washington, D.C. and online at
www.vordonia.com.


Patch: What do you like most about Silver Spring?

M.S: Silver Spring is a very diverse and dynamic place to live. Anything you need is just a hop, skip and jump away. My family loves the concerts and atmosphere of downtown Silver Spring, plus all the restaurants from around the world.

I remember as a young eight-year-old, driving up Georgia Ave. from our home on the district line and my uncle showing me this huge acorn. He parked the car and we walked up to a plaque that told of the founding of Silver Spring. We moved to Silver Spring just two years later!