It is phrased in different ways, but the question that keeps coming up about olive oil is how to find the ones that will endow your pasta sauces, your sautéed or braised vegetables, your soups, your stews, and of course your salads, with flavor that satisfies you. There are guidebooks, of course, some published in Italian, some in English. The Italian Gambero Rosso guide bestows its approval on nearly 400 different oils from 17 of Italy’s 20 regions. A guide called Flos Olei critiques oils produced all over the world. Tom Mueller’s book Extra Virginity is as informative as it is readable. It tells you as much or possibly more about how olive oil is made as most cooks would care to know, but unlike the other guides it wisely stops short of recommending specific brands that might be frustrating to try to find or if found, could prove unsatisfying to your taste. A reputable specialty shop or online merchant is the place to go for recommendations. The final decision, however, ought to be that of your own palate. I went back late tonight to one of Marcella’s cookbooks, Marcella Cucina, published by Harper Collins, and I found what may be the most effective method for subjecting a variety of olive oils to your own tasting standards. What Marcella suggests is to try several oils side by side, investing as liberal a budget as you can afford and pooling it with several friends. The assortment you assemble should include supermarket brands as well as some of the most highly rated estate oils. Boil two or three potatoes in their skins. Peel them when done, and slice them into evenly thin rounds. Lightly moisten each round with a few drops of oil, a different oil for each slice. Try to get it all done while the potatoes are still slightly warm. Refrain from talking so that you and your friends can avoid distraction and bring tasting faculties into focus. Take notes, which you will compare later with those of the other participants. The discoveries you make can be more instructive and fit your cooking style more becomingly than the text of any guide. Victor.
Posted on: Mon, 27 Jan 2014 06:52:15 +0000
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