Taste
Taste
To choose an Extra Virgin Olive oil (EVO) is important to read the label, that tells us in advance first infos about the product , essential for advise us . This operation is not sufficient, because we would not have no certainty of our choice quality, so it’s necessary a taste, it means the organoleptic test. When you are asked which is the best oil, usually everybody answers the one more liked, because taste is not questionable , being this a personal tendency to be respected.
On the other side, when we are asked which is the most refined oil, things change. In this case it’s necessary to go through a subjective point of view into an objective one. Here below the detailed method for an oil objective analysis:
Taste operation provides good psychophysical conditions, with peaceful and free mind , with no cold or other problems that could make difficult or fake sensorial perceptions. It’s necessary to have “clean mouth” , no smoke , food or drink (coffee , wine etc..) for at least half an hour. If this happens , it’s required to chew an apple slice or wash mouth with sparkling room temperature water.
By rule, EVO must have no defects, so we need , first of all, to place our mind to feel them in the case they would occur. Potentially defects could be many, below the most common ones:
RANCID: it happens with oils became oxidized
OILY DEPOSIT: it happens when oils keep in touch for a long time with sediments
MOLD: big quantity of piled up olives in an humid heat place can generate mold
FUSTY: it’s noted after an anaerobic fermentation of olives
BOILED MUST: during extractive phase, it results from a too high operation temperatures
WINEY: it is due to fermented olives, bringing to an acetic acid formation
WORM: it is present after milling of olives subjected to fruit fly
Now let’s focus on qualities and especially on their intensity:
FRUITY: it’s the olive smell, it means the “mother fruit” oil comes from. It can show different nuances and shades, from the softer to the more intense ones, of unripe or ripe olives.
BITTER: it is perceived in the tongue rear side and it can be persistent for a short or long time. “Bitter” remembers vegetal smell, passing through almond to deep artichoke. This scent shows natural polyphenols presence, very useful for our body
HOT: it is perceived into throat and it is similar to chilli pepper flavor. Many people confuses this “hot” with acidity, but this one can be measured by special tools. EVO must pinch, otherwise oil would not be called EVO. This perception, more or less intense or lasting shows the tocopherols presence, another important family of natural antioxidants, who fight free radicals. If by mistake, during the test, oil should enter into contact with throat, the tocopherols rate could be so strong to make speech difficult and cause tearing.
Said this, let’s go to the real taste, to do directly with no bread or other food, in this way we would not have any kind of interaction. We need to use a small no transparent glass, to avoid that oil sight influences our senses. Let’s pour a small oil quantity into the glass and place it on hand palm, with the other hand let’s cover it. This is useful to warm the product up, emanating its aromas, hold by the covering hand. Obviously, hands must not have any kind of perfumed cream or smelly cleaning. After thirty seconds, with the maximum concentration and free mind, let’s remove the hand from the glass and bring it to the nose, inhale deeply, but slowly in order to perceive olfactory sensations. Let’s ask ourselves if defects are present only with our smell, and afterwards , in their absence, by sure we will perceive olive smell with a more or less intensity. Then, let’s bring the glass to our mouth and pour into a small oil quantity, about a teaspoon. Sprinkle it on all inner walls to activate fully our taste papillas and further heat oil until it reaches body temperature.
After about fifteen minutes, tight-lipped, let’s force air into our mouth for a few times. Usually, three times are sufficient. This is useful to enhance the sensory perceptions that we will memorize carefully. At this point, we choose whether to swallow or expel the oil from mouth and then realize what this has transmitted to us. With no defects, in chronological order, we would have registered peculiarities of fruity, bitter and hot, that all together – of course each kind of oil has its own ones - , constitute the oil organoleptic identity. If you taste more than one oil, for example for a comparative analysis , it’s appropriate every time to “wash your mouth” with an apple slice or with sparkling water.