The price no longer

If on one hand we should be happy that nowadays more people appreciate olive oil, on the other we should be aware that much remains to be done with regard to its quality.

Some just go for extra virgin olive oils without thinking too much. Well, if for many aspects this is a good thing, we should however remember to keep our eyes open and pay greater attention when we purchase a bottle of oil. When looking through the range of oils on the supermarket shelf, we should never choose a product out of habit or even worse, because it is the cheapest available.

When asked, I always advise people to buy a different brand every time they need a bottle of oil. Over the course of time, they should purchase all the oils available, and when they try them, jot down their impressions in a little note book. This is something important, that even a non-professional taster should learn to do.
Even a simple “I like it” or “I don’t like it” can be a valuable assessment.

At the end of the trial period, having sampled all the various oils, we can go through our note book, reading all our impressions and comments. We will then discover that we want to purchase the oil we like best, independently of its price.

We may sometimes find quality extra virgins at an interesting price. The important thing however is to make well-pondered choices that are not conditioned by special offers and discounts.

It is not a difficult thing to do, especially if you consider that nowadays the price of extra virgin oil is within almost everyone’s reach. Our nose and our taste buds must be the only yardsticks with which we judge an oil, no longer its price.

Luigi Caricato