Replies

de gustibus non est disputandum

Though I have a very wealthy friend who is a total wine connoisseur. He will regularly spend $300 on a bottle of wine. He claims French wines are overrated, and stocks California wines.

I don't really understand how you can disagree with me about the olive oil. To be sure, half of it is below average.

I do agree actually that enough virgin olive oil labeled as such is actually lesser grade mixed in....it does appear some countries of origin have that issue...Italy for example..and yes Israel too

And they also have in the past put other vegetable oils in at a lesser cost

I just don't think it is as rampant nor do i think petroleum oil is a big issue either...I have never heard of that although some folks mix it with Vaseline for moisturizing but you have to use it fairly quick or can go rancid

We do not use fancy olive oil for cooking...just dipping or salads or crostini

On wine....I stated that for a base level of appreciation that US is arguably less costly for level of quality...though not the bargain they once were

But they lack the full dimension and I stated why...wines based mostly on grape variety versus wine based on precise locales and geography

I think had Cali gone that way early on that in time...a long time...they could have reached such heights

take SilverOak...a pricey wine which is quite good from Napa mostly ...it is consistently good

but it isn't up to a decent Pauillac as a rule which mimics similar grape proportions

I have bought very pricey wine too and would now if I could afford to...for my wife and auntie..who are the real appreciators but I know it a bit...I can tell good wine pretty quick...after 35 years it just jumps out at you

and yes sometimes you get stellar cheap wine....some Mascarellis come to mind..7.99

but if money were no object I would buy a mix...heavy of French but also a good mix of others...Oregon Pinots which i think will eclipse Kali in time...and Spanish reds which in my view can and do compete with France at a slightly lower price...and Chile is rising as South Africa wines decline...another decent but unusual location wine...very surprising....Biltmore in North Carolina...I don't know if they are from their own grapes or if they buy and cask and age other grapes from elsewhere

you mention quality control...Italy once again...has a control issue on wines too

I am old enough to remember when if you went to a store to buy US wine it was as likely New York as Kali on the shelf...at least in the east.

Taste is acquired over time. If you drink cheap wine you know what the best cheap wine (for you) is. A higher priced blend will probably taste like it has dirt in it ~ which is probably true ~ but you have to practice drinking that stuff to acquire a taste for it.

Same with breads, olive oil, etc. However, with olive oil if you use it for cooking you know what cooks best, and frequently that's not the same stuff you'd pour on a salad.

Frankly I gave up salads just to leave room for more fine cooking EVOO on my limited counter top ~ there's a good 2 gallons there from 3 or 4 presses in different countries. Learning to blend on the fly BTW ~ only way to beat the efforts of presses to make something that salad-holics demand.

Due to adult onset wheat gluten intolerance, I've even learned the finer points of making pancakes out of cornmeal and tapioca. They look great; taste great; are great ~ but they do cost more the wheat based pancakes. I use a 2 cornmeal to 1 tapioca measure plus 1 cup milk, plus baking powder, and 1 or 2 large brown eggs recipe. Any quality corn meal is good.

Bread still smells great but that's it.

Plus, I cook those pancakes in about 1/4 inch deep puddle of hot olive oil!