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A snippet from their conclusions: Our testing indicated that the samples failed extra virgin olive oil standards for reasons that include one or more of the following: (a) oxidation by exposure to elevated temperatures, light, and/or aging; (b) adulteration with cheaper refined olive oil; and (c) poor quality oil made from damaged and overripe olives, processing flaws, and/or improper oil storage.
Read labels? Ha!
Because of lax regulations and standards in the olive oil industry – olive oil can easily be tainted, cut with other oils, deodorized, and then sold as extra virgin.
There’s a river of rotten oil going into food service — restaurants hotels, schools, hospitals. The big companies are selling things that are not even olive oil.
Imported olive oil has been known to often have fraudulent or misleading labels, now certain US brands have been found to be mislabeling their olive oil as well. More than two-thirds of common brands of extra-virgin olive oil found in California grocery stores aren't what they claim to be.
Found to be accurately labeled as Extra-Virgin:
Kirkland Organic
Corto Olive
California Olive Ranch
McEvoy Ranch Organic
Found to have be fraudulently labeled as Extra-Virgin:
Whole Foods
Rachel Ray
Safeway
Newman's Own
Colavita
Bertolli
Filippo Berio
Pompeian
Star
Carapelli
Mezzetta
Mazzola
LOL!!! Dipping bread in olive oil??? That's Americanized! One of many concoctions invented in the USA.
In fact, in Italy, there is absolutely no practice of setting bowls of olive oil on the table so customers could munch on bread before the antipasti arrived. There everyone knows that eating bread before a meal ruins the appetite and leads to fat.
So, please don't ask for that while visiting Italy - your server will be shocked or even appalled!
OK, let me confuse you even more: Italians do eat bread with extra virgin olive oil on top. But the bread is not dipped in oil. A slice of bread is toasted (preferably over a flame), rubbed while still warm with a halved clove of fresh garlic, and placed on a plate. Fresh extra virgin olive oil is poured over the slice of bread and salt is added to taste. That dish is called Fettunta, and eaten rather at home.
California Olive Ranch or McEvoy Ranch. I used to live but not a couple of miles from McEvoy Ranch. It's the real deal.
And, yes, I eat bread with olive oil. (Fresh sweet butter, too. Yum!) It's a sensual pleasure, and I don't really care if the Italians think it's ridiculous.
Well, they all might do it... at home.
EU banned jugs and dipping bowls from restaurants to "protect customers", and now customers can only dip their bread or garnish their food using oil from non-refillable and labelled bottles.
Restaurants can only use pre-packaged factory bottles complete with tamper-proof lids. (customers are often tricked by cheaper alternatives to olive oil)
Well, they all might do it... at home.
EU banned jugs and dipping bowls from restaurants to "protect customers", and now customers can only dip their bread or garnish their food using oil from non-refillable and labelled bottles.
Restaurants can only use pre-packaged factory bottles complete with tamper-proof lids. (customers are often tricked by cheaper alternatives to olive oil)
Has nothing to do if dipping bowls allowed in restaurants or not, it is still something Greeks do.
When eating out, people put the olive oil on small plates handed out to each customer and dip their bread in it.
It seem that I always get a thinned out version of olive oil, it's hard to tell in these green colored containers.
Is there a way of knowing that I'm buying Extra Virgin ?
the problem is "extra virgin" is subjective and loopholed terminology. originally, it was meant as first press, but recent study shows the vast majority of extra virgin olive oil is not first press and not even olive oil.
buy a bottle, and basically do this. take a tablespoon of olive oil and let it slide to the back of your mouth and do a little gargle. if it doesn't taste fruity, then it isn't extra virgin olive oil. but most importantly, there should be a unique spicy numbing sensation at the back of your mouth from the phenol content. that's it. if it doesn't have those components, it's not real extra virgin olive oil.
that being said, a true imported italian or greek olive oil is far superior to domestic (i have tried california ranch too). olives in the mediterranean taste different than those in the west coast. same could be said about grapes and wine. this is of course subjective, and just my opinion.
I have the opposite problem. I like to use olive oil for certain things because its smoke point is higher. But I can't stand the taste of olives. I bought one bottle of "light" but I can discern the taste of olives in it. My neighbor says it's just psychological, she detects no olive flavor. Restaurant-cooked things supposedly in olive oil don't bother me. Salad O and V with what they claim is olive oil tastes just fine - way better than Mazola. I'm confused. Can't get any unbiased info on this. Peanut oil is OK for high temp frying, but not with everything. Mazola smokes at too low a temp, and often, acquires an off taste. Is there an olive oil suitable for me?
I have the opposite problem. I like to use olive oil for certain things because its smoke point is higher. But I can't stand the taste of olives. I bought one bottle of "light" but I can discern the taste of olives in it. My neighbor says it's just psychological, she detects no olive flavor. Restaurant-cooked things supposedly in olive oil don't bother me. Salad O and V with what they claim is olive oil tastes just fine - way better than Mazola. I'm confused. Can't get any unbiased info on this. Peanut oil is OK for high temp frying, but not with everything. Mazola smokes at too low a temp, and often, acquires an off taste. Is there an olive oil suitable for me?
I hate the taste of olives and do not find olive oil tasting like olives at all.
For cooking, use virgin, not extra virgin.
There are many different olive oils that taste different, try different ones to find the one you like best.
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