by Tom Mueller
The best oils are made by authentic artist-craftsmen, who marry centuries-old agricultural wisdom with cutting-edge extraction technology, and now produce the finest oils in history. However, these producers are being steadily driven from the market: extra-virgin olive oil is difficult and expensive to make, yet alarmingly easy to adulterate. Skilled oil criminals are flooding the market with low-cost, faux extra-virgins, reaping rich profits and undercutting honest producers, whilst authorities in Italy, the US and elsewhere turn a blind eye.
Extra Virginity, explores, as well, the factors that determine the different qualities of olive oil and helps the reader learn how to identify quality olive oil in the marketplace. A fascinating read about a product most of us use all the time but know little about.