More people are discovering the wonders of truly good olive oil. Occasionally, you will find a pretty good oil at the grocery (Rouses has a good one that is an unfiltered oil from Sicily), but the best way to shop for olive oil is online, where you will find countless great oils to choose from.
Professionally described flavor profiles will give you a good idea of what the oil is all about, and you can read other people’s comments and opinions as well. Looking at a bottle on the shelf at the grocery store will tell you little about the oil, other than it is extra virgin, first cold press, but then again, all the oil you’ll find at the grocery is extra virgin, first cold press.
I recently found an oil online that just may be the best I ever tried, Frantoia, made in Sicily, and it also touts that it is “made in the antique Sicilian olive oil pressing traditions.” I italicize the word “made,” because those crafty Italians will sometimes label oil as “bottled in Italy,” which means it was brought to Italy, most likely from Spain in a tanker truck, and bottled, not made, in Italy.
Frantoia truly is a great oil, but as you might expect, it is expensive. An oil of this quality is not used for cooking, but for drizzling over the finished dish, just like adding a good sprinkle of parmesan Reggiano. It is great over a good slice of hearty bread! It is described as “persistent spicy and warm with notes of green peppercorns and cinnamon.” Just imagine a hot, toasted slice of good, crusty bread (like the bread from Brew Paddle in Biloxi), drizzled with a generous amount of this lovely green oil. It will change your life!
If you are new to really good EVOO, try this simple recipe and you will immediately see the difference.
Choose your favorite Italian pasta (yes, the imported stuff is really better!) and cook it according to the directions. The Italians say we over cook pasta, and that it should be al dente, or toothsome, firm to the bite. My favorite pasta is Bucatini, which is a long pasta, like spaghetti, but it is hollow, so it holds more sauce. Cook it for the correct amount of time, then drain the water away, but do not rinse it (you are washing away the starch which is an essential element of the pasta experience). Place in a large bowl, then sprinkle and toss in olive oil. Plate and allow each guest to add freshly grated parmesan Reggiano (pre shredded tends to be too dry).
Once you have experienced the good stuff, you will never go back to the typical grocery store oil.
