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Somewhere in the mountains and in the plains of southern Europe, olive groves have been cultivated for centuries, harvested and delighted with the skill with which they are revealed. For hundreds of years, we have reduced a few: there was in unrefined sunflower oil of vegetable oil – olive oil appeared in the Republic of Belarus (sunflower oil, of course, remained also, having lost its taste). I had to study the subject on the fly. Did you learn? We bought several samples from the cheapest store and went to the chef's kitchen.
Olive oil has ceased to be a luxury product even for the average beneficiary. Find a bottle of 10 rubles more easily. But there was more confidence in the product. Of course, legends like powdered beer are a long way off, but how do you understand what that is, if it's extra virgin everywhere and that prices are very different? In addition, crafty traders crossed the elephant with a rhinoceros and put on the shelf "sunflower oil to olive oil". Does this make sense?
Anton Kalenik, the head of the Marriott hotel, when he studied in Italy, was in several olive oil factories and knows how to proceed. Plus, he uses it daily (that's the secret of Anton's beauty!).
– Four countries have almost monopolized the production of olive oil. Olives are widely grown where – in France, Switzerland and Cyprus. But if we are talking about a world clbad industry, it is Italy, Greece, Spain and Tunisia.
Why do I place Italy in the first place? Because it is the main country for the selection of trees and the protection of traditions. In Tuscany, the oil has a spicy arugula taste, in Sicily the hue is 'greener', with a pistachio taste. And so on for each region.
But the Belarusian problem of Italian oils is simple: the price.
– In Italian oils, it is written "100% made in Italy". Otherwise, the bottle does not contain more than 25% Italian, the rest is made from base oils from Greece or Spain. Previously, I added "or Tunisia" because their oils were really cool.
About the bitterness
– We have all heard that olive oil can be bitter. Some even believe that it should. The fact is that bitter butter is made of immature olives. You may like that, but that's not a reason to consider the product as the best. The bitterness oil is characteristic of mountain regions, where the sun can not shine evenly on the olive. Therefore, at the time of picking, it matures on the one hand, and on the other – which took more times the shadow of the mountains – no. So, what is the point of Tunisia: the plain is there, and the olives have matured as they should, the butter was sweet and very tasty. After political struggles, Tunisia has fallen out of the trade and has not returned to the big stage. As a result, Greece and Spain dominate with mbad oils.
– Why did the Greeks not engage in selection?
– And this is not so important in the highlands. In any case, the question of uniform maturation arises. They have cool varieties for marinating.
The base oil is not bad. It's good and smooth. But not brilliant. Therefore, for the taste – in Italy. Once again, I will point out that steep olive trees can be grown in the yard of any southern country. We are now talking about large-scale industrial production.
– Is it 100% Italian for sale in Belarus?
– Ordinary oil in Italy costs 4 euros per liter. 100% Italy – 16-20 €. In Belarus, after customs clearance, delivery and accounting of the added value, the cost will be 50 €. Who should buy?
Italy, Spain, Greece
We go out and put four bottles in front of Anton: the Italian Monini, the Greek Olivia, the Spanish Makarena and the Sol de Oliva.
The first three oils are extra virgin, that is to say the first cold pressed. The last is the olive oil, that is to say that the remaining mbad after the first spin has been heated and placed under an even more powerful press.
– How is this worse? The fact that there is nothing useful in it, – said the chef. – As in our usual sunflower oil, refined, deodorized, frozen – so that food does not stick to the pan.
– But is it even olive? Many people doubt that there are so many olives in the world that they sell 4 rubles of oil per bottle.
– yes Chinese oil for the moment, no invented powders. Olives – the sea. When you fry in this oil, the light aroma of olives can be in the air, but not in the taste of food. And when you fry extra virgin meat, there will be no use either (everything dies at 70 degrees), but the flavor and taste of food will be impossible to feel.
– Carcinogenic when frying?
– Oh, yes, a popular misconception that it is impossible to fry in the oil of the first extraction because of carcinogens. Myth of everything. The burning temperature of olive oil is higher than that of sunflower. This burns 180 degrees, olive – at 260. But your frying pan heats up to 240. You can heat the oil on it and at a higher temperature, but you have to do it and wait. No roasting at home will require such effort. Therefore, fry and do not worry.
Even before the tasting, Anton says that he would choose Monini (he also advises Rocchi).
– the reason? Well known brand in Italy, monitoring stability. But in this bottle of the very "100% Italy" quarter. They have expensive oils, but there is such a mbad market. As for the number 1 on the label, it's normal. Do not hesitate to rent yourself.
All these oils are mega-cheap. I know the price of the plant … The cheapest olives. Italians buy a "base" in Greece or Spain, add a little of their own oil to enrich the taste and aroma and pour them.
But why I'm for Monini or Rocchi. In large factories, there are olive sommeliers (very rich people) who code the taste of butter. In 2008, there were five such people in Italy. In 2016, three factories use their services. These pros record the taste of a 16-digit code. And when the Monini factory (I'm not sure that they work with a sommelier, Rocchi works for sure) wants every bottle to have the same constant taste (because if you buy everything on our table, in a few months, you will probably taste different), they invite sommeliers who restore the taste by using a formula by mixing different batches.
About the Greek manufacturer Kalenik not heard.
– What do you think of the legend of zero acidity in the soils of Greece, why is their olive oil considered the best?
– It's good. Every country says that it has the best olives or any other product.
With Makarena, even more puzzles. For all those who are gathered at the table is a song.
We pour in glbades and start to breathe the aromas of sunny countries.
– How to read the package? In oil of this level, only the price is important. It can be fried, it's better than sunflower. Point
We are not Anton. Believe me, if you have a look and that scent is not sharpened by tasting olive oils, the difference will still have to be tempted. In the glbades, everything is pretty much the same.
But if you pour a thin layer on a white plate, the shades will begin to differ slightly. Not sure what the picture shows, believe the word. We take the second gasoline rotation of the podium as the paler.
Inhale the perfume. The differences are more obvious. Even at the level of "Oh, how much does it smell" and "It feels much weaker." But the problem is that after a few minutes, you try to breathe again – and the old second place seems to have become more fragrant than the first. In general, the chiefs are Monini and Olivia.
We try The world of olives turns to us. The taste dictionary still has no adjectives, but I will say this: all the samples are different. This led to the main idea – I will formulate it at the end of the article.
Let's start with the end. It is better to save and add 4 extra rubles to buy a bottle of extra virgin, because the marc oil is a deception of self-confidence. Why not buy it, there are two times cheaper sunflower nearby. Almost no taste there or there. But no, Sol de Oliva has a curious aftertaste. And this is the sunflower – so it seemed to all participants in the tasting.
Makarena is too smooth. There is an inexpensive cap that opens like this. And the content too. Bright – only bitterness.
But all the features and disadvantages of Spanish oil become evident after sampling the first two samples: Greek and Italian. Both are good. And despite Anton's bias, he found the strength to praise Olivia.
– There is nothing extraordinary and interesting, but Greek is delicious at this level, yes. Surprised.
Considering that our tastings were always the most honest and the most impartial, we deserved the right to call things by their proper names. Olivia is the most interesting thing in the range: depth, acidity, sweetness, aftertaste … If we are not yet ready to eat selection oils, it is not too bad to dip a slice of bread « Cut. "
Conclusion
- Do not be afraid. The extra virgin olive oil is based on olives.
- These olives can be expensive or cheap. Do not feed on illusions – so it will be more honest to you.
- If you really like olive oil, buy small bottles and do a tasting. Leave the remains of the guests, please keep your favorite.
- The oil is a matter of taste. No need to worry if you like bitterness. It's even profitable.
bonus
And this is the advice of Anton Kalenik: a spoonful of olive oil, a drop of balsamic vinegar, bread – in restaurants, it is brought to customers who are waiting for their order. At home, this can also be done while the meatballs are boiling.
The heat
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