Lottie Lomme
Gregor Christiaans, the author of the book Nice and fat – all about olive oil, is one of the few Dutch olive oil connoisseurs. I recently had the opportunity to attend a workshop on olive oil tasting and the writer told a lot about olive oil and also presented his book to the public.
Taste
When tasting different olive oils at Christiaans' workshop, I really noticed a difference. I have been given soft unfiltered olive oil from acquaintances from Italy or Greece. But when you taste the fragrant and pronounced taste of really good olive oil, you suddenly realize that what you mean by olive oil is actually something completely different from how it should be. That olive oil can have a completely different taste, richer and fuller, than you are used to.
Filter and refine
What I did find interesting was that unfiltered olive oil is often no better than filtered olive oil. There are those persistent myths, for example that if you get the olive oil directly and unfiltered from the farmer on his idyllic farm, it is best. But that is not the case. Gregor Christiaans explains why. And what the difference is between filtering and refining.
Tips to become a connoisseur
The book contains simple tips that you can follow and study that will help you become a true olive oil connoisseur. In addition to learning to recognize a good oil, all kinds of wrong knowledge is also eradicated. As the color of the olive oil does not say everything about the quality.
There are many more simple facts and tricks to gain some knowledge. The book is beautifully designed in appropriate colors and with beautiful photos.
Finally, a funny tip from Christiaans: 'Don't always listen to the pedantic Italian who will let you taste it and explain it. Who knows, maybe he's just used to the bend that his parents and grandparents have been making for years.' Developing your own knowledge is best when it comes to good olive oil goes.
Nice and fat – all about olive oil
by: Gregor Christian
168 pages
€ 22,50
Olive oil company, 2016
ISBN 9789090300245
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