Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) is coming under increased demand from consumers particularly for culinary and health reasons. It is indeed an excellent product. Recently top EVOO has shown extraordinary soaring price raises. Demand is one thing but limited supply is another with European climate change and severe drought conditions resulting in far less total production. Another growing concern is the increase in fake EVOO in the marketplace replaced by or mixed with seed oil and green chlorophyll to look like EVOO. Reports from Europe state that over 250,000 litres of alleged counterfeit EVOO was seized in Italy & Spain at the end of 2023. Suspect we will be seeing more government testing of EVOO in both Canada & USA. Our house EVOO for cooking, dressings, and normal table use has been the now expensive Argiano but presently pleased with Kirkland Signature (from Costco) 100% Italian EVOO in 2L format. Check out our Blog of April 29, 2019 here on fantastic DOMENICA FIORE.
Therefore your scribe was pleased to attend on January 16 an educational EVOO tasting hosted by the Italian Trade Agency of Vancouver at their offices. They featured three fresh top quality EVOO by local importer Oleocanthal in collaboration with Chef Giovanni Trigona, British Columbia Delegate of the Italian Culinary Consortium (ICC) Canada. Impressed by how quickly they were able to bring the latest harvest crop of EVOO to Vancouver in classy black bottles presentation and even in larger 3L format tins. Well done. The tasting clearly was authentic EVOO with outstanding terroir definition from both high altitude Abruzzo (Intosso) & sunny Puglia (Fontana Rosa). Like the vibrant high polyphenols of the Coratina olive cultivar in the Puglia one but all three including the blend are excellent. Admired how the talented chef cleverly paired the best EVOO characteristics with his pizzas using the FONTANA ROSA nuttiness for the walnut cream & the INTOSSO herbaceousness for the pistachio pesto. Check out the wonderful EVOO selections available near you. Remember Caveat Emptor – Buyer Beware is appropriate when buying EVOO.
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