Tasting Olive Oil

Wow, Every Meal A Feast had a wonderful time on Saturday at the Wine Country Inn during their Ode to the Olive olive oil tasting event. Three celebrity judges blind-tasted four Napa Valley olive oils, all the while educating spectators on what they were looking for, etc. (see the end for the winner).
Celebrity judge Diane DeFilipi of Let's Go Cook Italian (at left in picture) led the discussion. Here's what she mentioned as desirable flavor characteristics to look for:

* Fruity roundness--pleasant spicy fruit flavor

* Bitter/sharp -- a tartness pleasant on the tongue

* Robust/peppery/picante -- a slight "burning's sensation in the mouth/throat

Here are ways to identify defective and/or low-quality olive oils:

* almost tasteless

* "musty" flavor

* colorless

* odorless

* vinegar-like taste

* "fusty" flavor (rotting fruit was used...)

* "muddy" flavor (indicating contact with tank sediment)

* aroma of wax, varnish, or old salami (indicating oxidation)

All in all, very cool stuff. Oh, and the winner was... well, I'm not going to spoil the surprise NOW. The winner will be announced this Wednesday. Ciao.