Pastacheese sent me a bottle of this that had expired six months prior to the shipping date.There was black scum pasted to the inside of the bottle, which Pastacheese explained was olive oil sediment.Right.They shipped me a different brand as a replacement, but I am suspicious about that seller.
I was surprised when I first tasted this superb Extra Virgin Olive Oil made off Arbequina veriety. It may be one of the best I have tasted in my life.
This is a very delicious spread, perfect on toast, ciabatta, and especially whole wheat bread rolls. It is pretty expensive, but like many of the products from iGourmet, I feel that it is worth it. If you are looking for a savory treat for yourself or a friend, this is a great choice. My whole family really enjoys the Tuscan flavor of this spread and we will be trying some of the other flavors of Olive Oil spreads soon. I feel like this is a great healthy indulgence!
Grand'aroma Marinata Flavored Extra Virgin Olive oil is the best you'll find.I basted it on salmon for a New Year's Eve dinner and it was excellent, the best tasting salmon I ever ate.It gives wonderful flavor and works great on all type of fish/seafood.It is very light and tasty and is not salty or bitter.It has all the great spices already in it.I purchased it locally and the shop went out of business (I got in a shower gift kitchen basket) and loved it, but was unable to purchase since then.I held onto the bottle and just typed in the name after I was unable to get anywhere typing name of company on bottle.This is really great olive oil and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves to cook fish.I put in on the salmon with nothing else, put under broiler and it was done in a very short time and tasted excellent.I did add a little S&P to my taste also.It works great to use in a cruet to make your dressings for salads also.I give it a 5*.Thank you.DP
Badia a Coltibuono olive oil is a legend, deservedly so. But be forewarned -- if you are used to the bland olive oils sold mass market in most supermarkets, the strong assertive character may come as somewhat of a shock. As noted in the Amazon product description, "according to Deborah Krasner in "The Flavors of Olive Oil", this oil "...is strongly and pleasantly bitter, with a pronounced burn....'It made my face scrunch up.' Very green and grassy, this is an oil made for drizzling."" I would tend to agree with that. In my opinion, this is really at it's best drizzled over grilled meats, vegetables and salads almost as a condiment. For dipping bread and most cooking (it's too expensive for most chefs on a budget like mine anyway) you might prefer an oil from Sicily, Spain, Australia or California, which are softer and more buttery. That said, for purists, this may be the right olive oil even for bread dipping. It's flavors and aromas are remarkably complex and powerful.
Badia a Coltibuono olive oil is a legend, deservedly so. But be forewarned -- if you are used to the bland olive oils sold mass market in most supermarkets, the strong assertive character may come as somewhat of a shock. As noted in the Amazon product description, "according to Deborah Krasner in "The Flavors of Olive Oil", this oil "...is strongly and pleasantly bitter, with a pronounced burn....'It made my face scrunch up.' Very green and grassy, this is an oil made for drizzling."" I would tend to agree with that. In my opinion, this is really at it's best drizzled over grilled meats, vegetables and salads almost as a condiment. For dipping bread and most cooking (it's too expensive for most chefs on a budget like mine anyway) you might prefer an oil from Sicily, Spain, Australia or California, which are softer and more buttery. That said, for purists, this may be the right olive oil even for bread dipping.
Use this group if you don't mind getting the wrong product and then having the account executive say when responding--`everyone makes mistakes'--no apology, no oh we will refund your shipping costs--just `everyone makes mistakes'. I ordered a case of olive oil and the wrong product was shipped. WHAT a hassel!