Olio Bello! (Or the story of how a not-so-nice Jewish boy from West Colfax got into the olive oil business...)May 11th, 2010 2:06pm - Posted By: Jack
Olive oil is one of the oldest commodities known to man. The "discovery" of olive oil is lost in the mists of time. Olive oil amphorae have been recovered from ships that date from thousands of years ago. It appears that the olive tree and olive oil were first utilized in the Mediterranean area, and that explains why it came naturally to a Jewish boy, notwithstanding the fact that the only oil he remembers his own mother using is melted schmaltz. Today, however, Israel is a major producer of olive oil and has developed its own varietal, the Barnea. Olive oil is still the major oil in the Mediterranean diet, and truly fine "extra virgin" olive oil is highly prized amongst connoisseurs, as it is produced only in limited quantities (even if every label in the grocery store reads extra virgin). The name extra virgin is a bit misleading, somewhat like being only partly pregnant. Be that as it may, prior to every Luigi, Zorba, and Ramon getting involved in the marketing of olive oil to an ignorant and trusting population, the term extra virgin was indeed a standard of a very fine olive oil. This standard was based upon chemistry and a sophisticated palate. Jack is a retired home builder from Denver, CO. More recently, he started, developed, and sold an olive oil company with his wife, Sue.Posted in: NoneShare: Twitter, Facebook |
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