Tidbits from Tuscany - Insight No. 3

Another thing I learned in Italy: Not all olive oil tastes good.

Yep, you heard me right. In fact, I'll even go so far as to say some of it is downright nasty. And keep in mind that this is coming from an admitted olive oil addict. At home in the states, I buy the stuff by the liter and add it to just about everything I eat -- salads, hummus, pasta, seafood, sauteed veggies, pizza, chicken, dipping sauce for bread and so on. At my last physical, I learned that my LDL (or "good") cholesterol was off the charts high, and my doctor told me that probably had much to do with my extreme penchant for olive oil.

So, you can imagine my surprise when, at the Cantine de Greve (referenced in a previous post), I dunked a fresh piece of bread into a dish of Tuscany's finest, popped the dripping morsel into my mouth...and nearly spat it out on the tasting table. The flavor was awful -- like it had been aged in a corroding lead pipe.

"Must've gotten the dud," I thought, and moved on to the next oil spout. Thinking perhaps the bitter taste in my mouth had something to do with the bread I'd used for dipping, this time I ran my finger through the shiny, golden liquid and licked it in hopeful anticipation. But once again, what I experienced was a tongue-curling, pungent flavor.

After a third unsuccessful tasting, I finally gave up. Maybe my tastebuds were off that day or maybe my palate just isn't sophisticated enough to appreciate authentic Italian olive oil. But either way, it brings me to Tuscan Tidbit No. 3 - All olive oils aren't created equal

Photo Courtesy of rd.com