Olive oil...
Before
moving to Italy, I didn't know a thing about olive oil. I thought
"extra-virgin" was when she brought a friend (just kidding)! Today, we
know olive oil. Every zone in Italy has its local production of olive
oil (and the flavor truly varies). We prefer olive oil that is grown
and produced in the regions of Umbria and Tuscany. Spoleto is home to Monini
(the 2nd largest olive oil producer in Italy). The General
Manager was a neighbor and friend of ours. (You can guess what he would
bring as a gift when their family came over for dinner.) The surprising
thing about Monini is that the quality is so good. Monini produces over
3 million liters of oil per year. Their local production D.O.P. Umbria
is very good and actually won 1st place in a prestigious olive oil
competition (a big surprise since they were competing with very small
highly priced olive oil producers).Riccardo took me on a tour of the Monini facility and I met Mr. Monini (son of the founder). He spends his day tasting and spitting olive oil. The company purchases oil from all over Italy and blends it to produce consistent flavors in their product line. If you can find Monini GranFruttato, buy it. If you can find the locally produced Amabile D.O.P. Umbria, buy it immediately!
Comments