 |
 |
 |
|||
Yes, it is all a matter of taste. And it certainly does take all kinds to make an interesting and healthy diet. Andalucia, famous for its charm, good weather and wonderful scenery, is also famous for its excellent cuisine, where the pleasure of good food is serious business. All the ingredients are there, freshness being their hallmark, from fish and succulent meat to sun ripened fruit and mouthwatering vegetables. The variety is staggering, yet there is one common factor, like the lubrication in an efficient and well maintained machine. An accomplished Spanish chef once said: "The great thing is, we've got the oil." Olive oil. The hills are graced with the silver-green of the olive tree leaves, the bar counters and resaurant tables decked with bowls of garlic drenched aperitifs, and the oil, while not perhaps liquid gold, is certainly the golden liquid. Of course, not all cooks use it, not all diners like it, but once its versatility becomes appreciated and once the taste buds get a feel for it, there is simply no going back. The question then becomes, not one of olive oil or extra virgin olive oil, but which extra virgin olive oil. There are cheaper brands, useful when one is restrained by budget, and there are lighter ones, ideal for salad dressings, for example. But the trail for the best oil leads naturally straight to the farms where the olives are pressed and the oil is bottled. The scenery on the way, the usual friendly, relaxed reception and the guarantee of cooking satisfaction to come, make the search and the visit worth every effort. And what else? Guess what? It's not only good, but it's good for you too! |
||||
 |
||||
January
2006 |
||||