Oil's well that tastes well?

Barry Lazar

I received a bottle of olive oil in the mail a while ago. I don’t often get food products delivered by courier, but a local importer wanted my opinion on a new product. As the Flavourguy, I am predisposed to food that tastes good and costs little. I am not keen on forking over fistfuls of dollars for colourful labels and exaggerated claims. Olive oil – along with its sneaky cousin balsamic vinegar – leads the line in the over-hyped aisle.

“Extra virgin olive oil” is ubiquitous. The adjectives tell us that there should be lower acidity and better quality; that noted, it gets a little slippery.

Technically, regular olive oil is more acidic than virgin which is slightly more acidic than extra. The lower the acidity, the less chance of olive oil going rancid (and yes, it can turn rancid in a warm kitchen after a long time on the shelf). Extra virgin should also be cold pressed which means that it was processed with as little heat as possible. But it really comes down to taste.

The brand delivered to my door was MonteAntico. It is available locally for $16.95 for a 500 ml bottle and it’s even on eBay. Price-wise, it’s not bad since olive oils of this quality can easily sell for more than a decent bottle of Chianti. The real question is, why would you pay more than you need to?

Maybe it’s a gift to impress your friends. In that case, go for what you can afford. Just hope that they like it. Maybe it’s to add a subtle aromatic note to your salads. Well, if you cut it with lemon juice, salt, pepper, vinegar, or Dijon mustard (mmmm…) how much of that extra virgin finesse will make it to the table?

Most extra virgins are meant to be consumed sparely. Italian bread is a good match because it usually has less salt (and less flavour) than a baguette. Or try it on romaine where the bitterness of the lettuce compliments the sweetness, succulence and flavours of good olive oil. Never in the frying pan – as soon as olive oil reaches a useful cooking temperature, the flavours burn off - better to use canola.

So the other night we set up some bottles and asked a half dozen dinner guests to sample them. The mix included a Loblaw’s President’s Choice from Spain, and two with similar names: the MonteAntico and a $3.99 Antica Bontà.

All three are basically OK. Each looks and tastes different. MonteAntico has grassy and herbal flavours; it is a little peppery at the back of the throat with a distinctive style. This is an olive oil that you can appreciate on its own. I liked the flavour but none of the others did. They found it overpowering. The President’s Choice Cataluña was a favourite and is mild. It would work well with most salad dressings. The lowest priced oil – Antica Bonità was hit and miss. In fact, it is not necessarily from Italy. I usually like its mild, slightly grassy taste but I have found that bottles can change. This is because it is packed in Italy.

Here is the caveat. Read the label. “Packed in Italy” is not the same as “Product of Italy.” Almost all olive oil comes from the Mediterranean. So although a bottle claims to be packaged in Italy, the oil could be Tunisian, Lebananese, French or from any country with olive trees. It might even be Italian! The Cataluña uses Abrequina olives and is from Catalonia in Spain. The Monte Antico is even more specific and has its own Italian pedigree.

This authenticity guarantees a level of quality you won’t find in most generics. However, the bottom line is - would I buy the MonteAntico? Probably not. As the only one in my household who appreciates it, I’m not going to save it, like a fine cognac, for when the right palate drops over. But I will continue to look for good quality olive oils. There are tasty ones in other countries, each with its own character. French olive oils tend to be lighter and peppery. Greek ones are heavier with a ripe olive flavour. Many people blend Greek olive oil, at home, with a lighter oil.

In the meantime: try this – crush a clove of Quebec garlic (yes look for it!) with a little salt until it is mushy. It’s worth while buying a mortar and pestle for this. Add some freshly ground black pepper and a half cup or so of olive oil to make a liquid paste. Add white wine vinegar or cider vinegar (the ratio will be about 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar). Put in a half teaspoon of Dijon mustard to bind the dressing. Let it sit for a half hour before putting it on the salad. Forget Newman’s Own. This stuff is great.

You can reach Barry Lazar at flavourguy@theseniortimes.com.