30. Olive oil

Tonio, who has harvested olives on his family’s land every year since he was five, led us through an olive oil tasting (after first serenading us, including his musical signature – a verse of just whistling.)

We learned that 75% of olive oil, especially that sold in supermarkets, is fraudulent, and that most of the words on the label – first press, EXTRA virgin, etc. – are meaningless.

He posed the question: why is wine presented with great fanfare and ritual, but olive oil as an afterthought? Having his outstanding Creanza family olive oil at every meal has made me a convert to the good stuff.