Posted on 05/17/2013 9:57:43 PM PDT by Olog-hai
The European Union is to ban olive oil jugs and dipping bowls from restaurant tables in a move described by one of Britain’s top cooks as authoritarian and damaging to artisan food makers.
The small glass jugs filled with green- or gold-colored extra virgin olive oil are familiar and traditional for restaurant goers across Europe, but they will be banned from 1 January 2014 after a decision taken in an obscure Brussels committee earlier this week.
From next year, olive oil “presented at a restaurant table” must be in prepackaged factory bottles with a tamper-proof dispensing nozzle and labeling in line with EU industrial standards. …
The European Commissions justification for the ban, under special Common Agriculture Policy regulations, is “hygiene” and to protect the “image of olive oil” with a measure that will benefit struggling industrial producers in Spain, Italy, Greece and Portugal. …
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
this is a make work law.
The quantity, quality and affordability of fine cuisine has literally exploded here in America over the past quarter century and I'm not even talking about the casual dining super-chains like Olive Garden, Longhorn and TGIs, that have popped up in our suburban sprawl areas like fire ant hills. Though even those places represent an overall improvement what existed on the American landscape before the 1980s as now even low-income people can take their families to a decent sit-down meal now and then without golden arches and creepy clown mascots being involved.
Many of our cities, including New York, Houston, Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles, have so many fine-dining establishments that people that live in those cities can go out to eat every night of their lives and never see the same restaurant twice.
Las Vegas, yes, Las Vegas is now the fine-dining capital of the world. Paris, Rome and Tokyo don't even come close to Las Vegas. Forget about London, might as well put a dome over that entire city and just call it a Ground Round.
Most of the world's fine wines now hail from the Americas (sorry France and Italy) and California all by itself will provide sommeliers with a lifetime of discovery.
And if you get sick of going to restaurants, our supermarkets and specialty markets here in America have an an astonishing array of quality foods that you can prepare at home.
Well said! My thoughts exactly... Ground Round. LOL!
I’m not going to flame with you but I heartily disagree
That most olive oil is substandard....maybe less than extra virgin when labeled so
Or that Vegas is culinary capital of the world....yes many big chefs have been paid to do corporate outposts there but I found them lacking in comparison
Wine....yes you can find better wine for the money comparatively in California.... Willamette Valley Oregon....Australia.... Chile....South Africa
Than in Bordeaux or Burgundy or Champagne....or the best Amarone in Italy or rioja in Spain
But at top end you cannot find anything to beat the best premier cru in whichever French commune....or further down in Chateaunuf due Pap....and so forth...or a top drawer Krug...
The depth and character and body of big old world...especially French wines is unmatched.....
But some Kali wines have come a very long way....but the varietal approach will always fail against the commune/chateau angle....its just not as comprehensive
That said right now we have stocked Meomi Belle Close special edition (35.00) and Trisae (40.00) both Willie Valley Oregon and for the money superb...velvety and nice currant and plum....deep
But neither will ever be a top notch Cote de Nuits burgundy like Romanee or Gevrey Chambertin....which of course cost way more...out of my price range usually
For the record....I found Vegas tacky and trashy with too many young drunk people from southern Kali
But I don’t begrudge folks who go for that
The staff at the Venetian/Palazzo were very very nice
You crack me up sometimes. LOL
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.
“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”
Two-Buck Chuck at Trader Joes, for all you winos...
Rule on Serving Olive Oil Stirs Ridicule and Anger in Europe [Google news search]
It's about $11 for a 2 litre bottle ~ which is about as cheap as it gets ~ EVER!
Should I worry?
I can see connoisseurs fixing the mixture to meet their own expectations ~ with bread crumbs, pieces of cheese, olive chunks ~ all in there, ready to go just like the good old days. They show up to dine, have the maître'd take their bottle out of storage, and set it on the table. The rest is up to the customer!
No doubt this will be confusing to everyone but Souvrn'rs on vacation.
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!
To them that super sale of the century WalMart had last year was just absolutely incredible. Imagine a decent bottle of wine for $2.50 or $2.87 for French varietals from Australia, Argentina, etc.
There are times when I bring my own Johnney’s Seasoning Salt to put on my reastaurant steak. I can see someone having their own vinegar and oil flask in a pocket ready to use for a restaurant dinner.
I have Indian and Pak friends who ALWAYS bring their own spices on a foray into a pizza joint.
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