I’d like to add a side note that my interest in olive oils has to do with use as a dipping oil more so than cooking. I usually try it with a pinch of sea salt for the review. In practice, I will mix it with grated Parmesan and/ or balsamic vinegar and garlic powder.
Why I bought it
I had some great french bread waiting for a partner. The only oil in my house said “Olive Oil” but also read “20% pure,” a ratio didn’t sit well with my quality of bread. I’ve read about the health benefits of cold-pressed oils from an omega-3 preservation standpoint as well. I gave into the notion that raw was the next best thing to a freshness guarantee and committed to the test.
Tastes like Grass
The smell did not have the fullness I’ve become accustomed to with “Extra Virgin.” Now there is a whole slew of reasons why this might be different, including my ignorance of olive types beyond run-of-the-mill GREEN and Kalamata. When I pressed the crust into the Village Batch and let it coat my palette, I found both a sense of being underwhelmed by the subtle savoriness I was looking for and slightly repelled by the wheat-grass quality of the after-taste. There was a short lingering bitterness too which I could have done without. Now I’m left to decide if I’m going to use this oil for cooking just to deplete it or pass it off to unsuspecting party guests. We will see..
