OLIVE
OIL - Part 3
Finding the Right Oil for You
Los Angeles Times
By Emily Green
Staff Writer
October 17 2001
Consumers of olive oil divide into two camps--trained tasters capable
of
detecting minute technical defects and eaters who may not know the
defect
fustiness from mustiness, but who know what they like.
Some aficionados insist that only trained tasters have the faculties
and
expertise to conduct olive oil tastings. However, producers such as
Ridgely
Evers in Sonoma argue just as intently that trained tasters are walking
chemistry sets and that the people best equipped to judge the properties
of
olive oil are cooks.
We have it both ways. The trained tasters supported by Corti judged
a wide
selection of California olive oils for the Los Angeles County Fair
this year,
and below we note the best of show winners. But we also conducted our
own
tasting, for which we assembled The Times food staff, Lucques chef
Suzanne
Goin, Angeli Caffe chef Evan Kleiman and journalist Sue Ellicott. The
tasting
was blind and held in two sessions on different days. The oils were
repackaged and re-coded for each session. Two respected Italian oils,
Tuscan
Badia a Coltibuono and Sicilian Ravida, were thrown in as ringers.
Tasted
blind, the Badia a Coltibuono elicited by far the highest praise, with
Ravida
not far behind.
Interestingly, in spite of the vogue here for mock Tuscan oils, oils
made
from the Spanish variety Sevillano planted widely in California in
the 18th
and 19th centuries, scored as well as the pseudo-Italian oils.
Whatever style of oil you like, the most important this is to avoid
rancidity
by storing it in a cool dark place and consuming it quickly. Here are
our
favorites of the Californian oils, along with the County Fair best
of show
winners. Many oils are also available from the Olive Oil Source
(http://www.arrowgroup.com).
Frantoio Sevillano Variety Proprietor's Select. A varietal oil from
one of
the most common Spanish cultivars in California, from Roberta Zecca's
olive
press and restaurant in Mill Valley. Singled out for "round flavor"
and
"balance," it also took a best of show for the "late harvest" or ripe
oil
category at the L.A. County Fair.
$15 for a 500-milliliter bottle. Frantoio, (415) 289-5777 or
http://www.frantoio.com.
2000 Storm Olive Ranch. This new-wave Tuscan-style is made from Frantoio,
Leccino, Maurino and Pendolino olives. Times tasters praised it as
having a
"good olive taste" with a "peppery finish." It shared a gold in the
"New
World European blend" in the L.A. County Fair.
$20 for 375 milliliters. Katz and Co., (800) 676-7176 or
http://www.katzandco.com.
2001 Balzana. Made from Ascolano, Sevillano and California-type olives
by an
Italian olive oil maker in Hollister. Praised by tasters as "a round
full-bodied oil ... nice peppery finish. "
$17.99 for 500 milliliters. Available from fine food shops around Southern
California,including Wally's Wines and Spirits in Westwood, (310) 475-0606
or
http://www.wallywine.com.
St. Helena Extra Virgin Olive Oil Sevillano. Made from a traditional
California olive variety imported in the 1880s and planted widely in
California. Described as "light" and "smooth" by our tasters. A winner
in the
Early Harvest category in the L.A. County Fair.
$10 for 250 milliliters. St. Helena Olive Co., (800) 939 9880 or
http://www.sholiveoil.com.
2000 Lunigiana Organic. Tuscan-style oil made with Frantoio, Leccino,
Maurino
and Pendolino olives cultivars. Praised for its "good olive taste"
and "low
acidity," it also won best of show for the piquant early harvest category
at
the L.A. County Fair.
$20 for 375 milliliters. The Olive Press, (707) 938 8900.
Sciabica's Sevillano Fall Harvest. A varietal oil made in Modesto by
California's longest-running olive oil producers. Made from olives
of
19th-century Central Valley trees, picked in the autumn while still
a bit
green so the oil has tartness. "Smooth, well-balanced, herbaceous,
fruity,
nice pepper in the finish," said one taster. Sciabica's Ascolano oil
was also
praised. The county fair tasters awarded a best of show award to the
jalapeno-infused oil.
$6.50 to $7.50 for 150 milliliters, Nick Sciabica & Sons, (800)
551-9612 or
http://www.sciabica.com.
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