Publisher Description
For millennia, fresh olive oil has been one of life’s necessities, not just as food but also as medicine, a beauty aid, and a vital element of religious ritual. Today’s researchers are continuing to confirm the remarkable, life-giving properties of true extra-virgin, and “extra-virgin Italian” has become the highest standard of quality.
But what if this symbol of purity has become deeply corrupt? Starting with an explosive article in the New Yorker, Tom Mueller has become the world’s expert on olive oil and olive oil fraud, a story of globalization, deception, and crime in the food industry from ancient times to the present, and a powerful indictment of today’s lax protections against fake and even toxic food products in the United States. A rich and deliciously readable narrative, Extra Virginity is also an inspiring account of the artisanal producers, chemical analysts, chefs, and food activists who are defending the extraordinary oils that truly deserve the name “extra-virgin.”
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“Listened to book on CD. It was a fascinating, even if a bit depressing, read. Now I know that the olive oil I’ve been eating probably doesn’t have much really good olive oil in it. I am very curious to learn more about high-quality oil, and see why the author (and the people he spoke with for the book) are so passionate about it. The book is really not technical at all, and it manages not to be sensational, judgmental, or plain too long. I very much enjoyed it.”
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Stella (5 out of 5 stars)
