Forget the Condiments, Just Add Olive Oil

Dear SOON(ER) to be traveler,

Olive oil is a national treasure in Italy. This liquid gold is the special ingredient that spices up any Italian dish. Regardless of how precious it is, I never understood its function, let alone how to properly enjoy it.

I never realized how spoiled I was with the array of condiments back home. Think about Chick-fil-A. I can name at least a dozen dressings and sauces for their chain alone. Although I will never say no to a side of ranch, I believe all these extra additives strip away from the dishes’ true flavor. Therefore, olive oil is the perfect addition to keep a meal's natural flavor with a little bit of pizzazz.

How To Taste the Oil

After my food tasting class in Arezzo, I finally understood how to properly taste the oil. Per instruction of the Italian chef, begin by taking a whiff of the oil one nostril at a time. Next, take a swig and allow the oil to marinate in the mouth. Lastly, let out an exhale through the nose and swallow the oil. It's as simple as that!

To avoid public embarrassment of swiggin and exhaling oil at a restaurant, I have a solution. Accompanying most meals in Arezzo, a brown paper bag of Tuscan bread is served. It’s dry, lacks salt and reminds me of cardboard. Its bland flavor is the is the perfect base to taste the yellow olive oil. Drizzle or dip the bread into the oil, and take a bite. You can truly taste the olive oil. It also makes Tuscan bread slightly more tasty.

There is no regime on how to taste ketchup or Tabasco sauce. It's almost like a science behind the taste and that's how you know it's true delectable.

The Complexity of a Simple Ingredient

Olives. One ingredient is all it takes to capture the essence of a summer day. The yellow hue reminds me of a Tuscan sunset. The flavor reminds me of freshly cut grass and the heat of summer. The runny liquid rims the roof of my mouth and leaves a glossy shine on my lips. This feeling wavers in my mind as I dip my bread into the yellow gleam.

Besides the immediate heatwave you experience, olive oil leaves an aftermath of warmth. You can feel the oil sink into your stomach. You can never truly let the taste disappear.

Bringing the Heart of Italy to the States

After consuming olive oil on a daily basis, it has become a taste I crave. Will it accompany me back home? Will I substitute olive oil for salad dressing? It’s likely, but understanding the liquid that lies inside the glass bottle is what makes it so heavenly.

Italians may scoff at the American excessiveness of condiments, and I might agree. I may have arrived in Italy with ketchup on my mind, but I will leave with olive oil ingrained in my heart.

BOOMER,

Sarah