This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Carapelli for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.
I love cooking with olive oil. I have to admit, I grew up with vegetable oil and until just a few years ago, had no clue I actually had other options.
I remember my first taste of olive oil. It was at a fancy Italian restaurant. The waiter swirled some olive oil onto a plate and then placed some herbs on top. He plopped down a loaf of crusty bread and encouraged us to dip.
Heaven.
Of course, when I got home, I decided I was going to try and recreate that masterpiece of bread and oil, so I rushed out to the grocery store to purchase some olive oil right away!
I learned quickly that all olive oil is NOT created equal.
Since that time, I have tried many different brands of olive oil with varying success. I can’t say I’ve ever come close to that perfection of my first taste. Until now.
I was sent a bottle of Carapelli Olive Oil to review (see my disclosure policy) and was encouraged to do an “olive oil taste test“. At first glance, it seemed rather silly (and a bit gross!). Here are the steps:
1. Swirl the olive oil in your glass. This releases the oils “esters” which are the molecules that create the aroma. (mmm, after I did this step it was amazing how much more you could really smell! I’m not even kidding, the act of swirling the olive oil really changed how thick the aroma was).
2. Next you Sniff. You want to inhale the aroma and see if it hits you hard or whether it’s more subtle. (I’d say it was subtle, but you could definitely smell it. It was a smooth smell. Very pleasant)
3. Slurp the olive oil now. This means you’ll sip the olive oil in a bit of air. This emulsifies the oil and helps spread it throughout your mouth. Now you take note of the various sensations and tastes. Is it fruity? Peppery? Smooth? (Very smooth. Very very smooth. Mmm, I wish I could have some bread and herbs with this right about now, it’s perfect!)
4. Now you swallow. A good quality olive oil should leave no aftertaste. (THIS is where so many olive oils have failed me in the past! This time? NO aftertaste!)
I am in love. I have found my long lost olive oil! I’m not sure if this is the brand that was used in that restaurant long ago, but I don’t care. Carapelli is perfect. I especially love using it to roast veggies. Any oil that encourages more veggie consumption is alright with me!
Luckily, they also area providing anyone who wants to try thier fabulous olive oil with a great $1.00 OFF coupon at www.CarapelliUSA.com (and you know how much we love coupons around here!
I encourage you to try out Carapelli olive oil and conduct the 4 S test yourself! I’d love to hear what you think about it as well!
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