Articolo disponibile anche in: Italian

An age old product that still needs to be understood? Definitely extra Virgin olive oil. It is a paradox considering how long it has been tied to history and every day life in Italy.

If we think of the verb “to cook”, in the strict sense of the term, we think of edible substances, but in a wider sense it is everything that produces tastes and flavors that are pleasant to the palate.

Extra Virgin olive oil, used always as a condiment, today assumes the value of a real ingredient, fundamental to our cuisine and not only as functional and for mixing flavors. It is a real complementary, food to be tasted and added through detailed study.

Luigi Veronelli affirms: “Remember, dear friend. In 30 years the olive oil of our land and farmers will be more important than wine in the world!” From our land alone we cultivate at least 800 different typologies of olives (cultivar) spread out from north to south.  Other European nations have ten or twenty at the most. Imagine the chef as an artist: he would have hundreds and hundreds of colors for his palette”.

Each of the following chefs created 4 recipes, pairing them with the different sensorial profiles of the 23 olive oils presented by the most prestigious producers of Italy: Oliver Glowig, Tano Simonato, Vito Mollica, Lino Scarallo, Pietro Leeman, Vinceunzo Capano e Guido Haverckock.

“Come si mangia l’olio” (How to eat olive oil) is a practical manual written by A.I.R.O., the association that deals with divulging information and knowledge about EVO oil, in collaboration with the Communications agency, SuperiorADV, the partnership of the “Premio Il Magnifico”, and the sponsorship of ChiantiBanca and the Fondazione ChiantiBanca.

They help people get to know olive oil and its correct pairing with food. The manual is in Italian and English, with graphics and style by “fresco design”. The text is easy to read and comprehend. It will be presented in Milan on December 14.