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<pre>I know that Gareth's technique for tasting is the correct one and used
professionally but it can be a bit overwhelming and the simpler oil on bread
method as used in the Italian food fairs is easier for those of us who are
not professional olive oil tasters. The complication in Italy is that the
traditional bread of regions such as Umbria does not have salt because the
bread is eaten with food which contains salt (some of us say too much). When
it comes to the oil and bread combination there is a tendency to add salt
(bruschetta for example) which may improve the taste but reduce the accuracy
of comparisons. This should not be a problem in NZ or Australia where all
bread is salted and a simple bread and oil method of tasting should work
well.
The advantage of the bread method is that it is close to an actual use
(bruschetta) and helps consumers realise that the strong flavours which may
be overpowering to the newcomer on their own are a marvellous adjunct to
bland food such as bread, pasta, potatoes etc.
It is amazing how many foreign experts on Italian food say again and
again that olive oil is essential to the Italian cuisine but do not
understand why until they come to Italy. They then realise that it is not
really "olive oil" but the flavour of good quality olive oil that adds that
something extra. Take as an example a dish such as pasta with olive oil and
sage. If one cooks this from an Italian cookbook in English and one uses an
"olive oil" from the supermarket one can only wonder why the world is oohing
and aahing about thise fantastic Italian food. It is not worth eating. It
is plain dull and uninteresting. Now cook the same with a great oil packed
with fruit and finishing with a slightly bitter bite and this simple dish
becomes something that can be oohed and aahed about.

Cheers Brian Chatterton.
</pre>
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