Olive Oil Tasting

This past seek we learned how to properly taste olive oil! An expert in the field of olive fermentation and olive oil production taught us just how to do so. She first presented to us the science behind the olives themselves. Of course, olives are not edible directly from the tree. Instead they must be fermented in order to release a compound called oleuropein. This compound is what causes immense bitterness in the raw olives. Following fermentation, olives are stored in large vessels. These vessels are pre-washed with lye, sometimes causing soapiness qualities in the finished product. Olives are then added to a brine with a significant amount of salt. Then they are ready to be sold and eaten as table olives! We tasted both black and green olives. The green olives were crunchy, fresh, and excellent of course, as I have always preferred green olives in the past. The black olives were wrinkly and had a soapy flavor to them, making them less pleasing to my taste.

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Next we cleansed our pallets to then be taught how to properly taste olive oils! We were given three different olive oils…one is supposed to be excellent, one not so good, and one terrible. We blind-tasted each so we could test our abilities to differentiate the qualities and flavors of the different olive oils. After tasting all three in descending order we realized number 1 was the highest of quality and number three the worst! She revealed each bottle to explain the quality, flavors, and prices behind each. The most expensive and best tasting oil was sold in quarter liter bottles, the middle-grade oil sold in half liter bottles, and the least expensive sold in whole liter bottles. The highest quality oil is organically produced nearby Ascoli!

Finally, following both the olive tasting and olive oils, Chiara cooked several dishes using the olive oils. It is suggested to use cheaper olive oils when food is to be cooked, and better quality oils for when using fresh as a garnish or in a vinaigrette. First she served absolutely delicious rosemary focaccia topped with olive oil and sea salt, along with sliced olive bread which was also fantastic. A third bread was served which mimicked bruschetta, or thinly sliced, toasted baguette topped with fresh tomato, olive oil, and sea salt. Shortly after we enjoyed a variety of seasonal grilled vegetables. Chiara finished the lunch with a pasta with tomato sauce and whole olives, amazing! To be able to eat food with the oil we had just tasted made it a complete experience, something I would love to do it all over again.

here is a link to Italy’s best extra virgin olive oils!https://www.thegrandwinetour.com/popular-foods-of-italy/italys-best-extra-virgin-olive-oils/