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The
Flavors of Olive Oil
by
Deborah Krasner (Simon & Schuster)
One
of the best meals I ever had consisted of olive oil. Not
olive oil over a salad. Not olive oil as a bread dip. Not
olive oil in a marinara sauce. Just olive oil.
TV
Food Network star (then host of that network's refined "Taste"
series) and gourmet extraordinaire David Rosengarten arrived
from New York at a swanky Santa Monica, Calif., hotel with
bottles of olive oil bursting from his luggage. For the
next few hours, he gave members of a prominent culinary
organization a tasting rivaling that of fine wines—only
it was fine olive oils. He taught nuances and it was nirvana.
Deborah
Krasner's The
Flavors of Olive Oil: A Tasting Guide and Cookbook
is the closest I've seen to that glistening night in book
form. She's been all over the world (sipping vanilla-infused
olive oil in Turkey, for instance) in her quest for the
best and generously shares the wealth
"You
may think that you lack the palate to taste subtle or even
obvious differences between olive oils," writes Krasner,
who throws olive oil-tasting soirées and compared
and contrasted 150 extra-virgin (the most flavorful) olive
oils for the book. "Although olive oils are as individual,
complex, intriguing and delightful as fine wine or great
chocolate, I think you'll find they're more accessible."
Start
with Krasner's "Short Course on Olive Oil"
and learn the basics, including the grades of oil, health
benefits, what you can learn from labels and how to store
it. Next, it's on to her "tasting process"
with tips on how to hold your own tasting at home.
"Professional
olive oil tasters follow elaborate procedures," she
notes. "They gently warm a special blue glass (so that
the sense of the oil is not influenced by its color) in
a water bath to heat the oil to body temperature. The glass
is covered by a lid to hold and control the release of volatile
aromas. Tastings I've attended, led by professional tasters
[ ] have offered a variation on this method: Olive oil was
poured into cups or glasses that were first warmed by both
of our hands, and then the glass was cradled in one hand
while we covered the top of the cup with our other hand
to hold in the volatile aromas."
You
can then compare your home findings to Krasner's international
tasting notes, which cover France, Greece, Italy, Morocco,
New Zealand, Portugal, Spain, Tunisia, Turkey and the United
States. You are told who makes the oil, what price range
it falls into and given phone number, Internet information
and commentary:
For
Portugal's Romeu: "Certified
organic, single-estate, unfiltered and stone-ground,
this exemplary oil has a strong aroma, with peppery,
herbal and pleasantly bitter notes."
For
France's A L'Olivier: "This
oil has a profoundly nutty aroma, with deep flavor
and a thick texture. Our tasters who are most partial
to delicate oils declared this a favorite."
For
United States' Calaveras: "With
an admirable, clearly dated harvest label, this oil
has layers of flavor that includes nuts, herbs, a
bitter note and a strong burning finish. ‘Perfect
for dipping bread,' said one taster."
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A full cookbook follows that puts the oils into action.
In each ingredient listing, Krasner gives olive-oil recommendations
by characteristics ("olive-y and peppery" or "fruity
and fragrant," for instance). This presumes you will
have tasted oils and made notes. It might have also been
helpful to refer to specific brands and/or page numbers
in her tasting section.
If
you do use an appropriate olive oil, your rewards will be
tangible. Some examples:
Watermelon,
Feta and Lime Parfait Appetizer employs lime
olive oil (imported from Tahiti) or a fruity/fragrant
olive oil combined with the grated zest and juice
of a lime to create a sweet and pungent flavor fest.
Polenta-Coated
Trout is browned in olive-y/peppery olive
oil and then served with almonds that have been browned
in the same oil. The oil makes this a flavor winner
over classic trout amandine.
Seared
Scallops get a lift from a leafy green/grassy
olive oil before being served on a filling chickpea
crepe that also benefits from the same type of oil.
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In reading and trying Krasner's recipes, I remembered that
we, too, ate a fine feast of olive-oil slicked dishes at
Rosengarten's party after our indoctrination. Funny, though,
as gourmet as such cuisine gets, like me, you may find the
solitary sips of the grand oils even more memorable.
RECIPES
—PAN-FRIED
TROUT WITH POLENTA CRUST AND ALMONDS
—BAKED
CHERRY TOMATOES PAOLA
(Updated:
11/25/08 SB)
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