The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil - Extra Virginity

This book will change your relationship to olive oil. I assigned it to my college class to prepare them for a trip to Italy. They then shared it with their parents to make sure that they never buy bad olive oil ever again. It's history, it's scandal, it's gourmet - all in one fascinating read.

This was so important to read'. When it so important to be able to purchase food that is pure and unadulterated for our health and longevity.
I thank Tom for bringing us the information and enlightening us to all aspects in regards to extra virgin olive oil. The History of the oil was fascinating as well'. Thanks so much and best of health to all. Tamra

I found this to be sooooo interesting. I love olive oil, but have been deceived many times and not sure how to pick the best ones and also learned a lot about the history of this product. Everyone who uses olive oil should read this...I feel so much better qualified to buy olive oil now.......

Extra Virginity was both enjoyable and troubling. I had known some of the amazing history of olive oil and a good bit about its benefits. I was completely unprepared, however, for the hushed up scandals, criminal activity, and lack of control over the industry. From the book I learned that Extra Virgin is often not even entirely olive oil and that some of the olive oil suppliers that I had considered reputable may have been duped themselves. I particularly enjoyed the chapters on extra virgin production in California. Extra Virginity is very informative and very readable.

Extremely interesting and eye-opening book on...of all things...Olive Oil! It completely changed the way I look at and purchase oil. It's criminal the way we are tricked into wasting money on cheap imitations, when we believe we are purchasing healthy pure oils. Great Book.

I would highly recommend this book for anyone who is interested in healthy eating. Who could imagine we have been eating inferior olive oil all these years, thinking it was healthy. Take time to read and digest this information, then follow up by ordering fresh pressed oil online. Mr Mueller talks about many serious minded companies here in the US who honor the profession of providing Extra Virgin Oil. It was easy for me to locate presses in California which have top notch oil. You simply will not believe what you will be tasting. I had to pleasure of attending a olive oil tasting with Tom Mueller and his knowledge is immensely satisfying. Thumbs up to this book.

Tom has really been able to immerse himself in the world of olive oil and learn the culture that surrounds it. He shares what he has learned about its history, its present state of existence and its hopeful future return to a glorious spot in kitchens everywhere. Olive oil, in at its best, is a beautiful fresh fruit juice. At its worst...sulfury turpentine. This book will help enlighten its readers on where olive oil was, is and should be.

If you enjoy quality premium Olive Oil you need read Tom Mueller's book that delves into the the dark side adulteration of production olive oil around the globe. There are no legitimate enforced guidelines for EVOO, so you really need to do your homework before you buy. The olive oil on grocery shelves is not what it seems in most cases, blended with other oils etc. We have been buying Sciabica's Olive Oil, a 80 year old company in Modesto, CA. for years. You can buy online @ [...]

Having just returned from Italy where I toured a number of oil orchards and processing mills tasting extra virgin oils along the way this book has further peaked my interest and desire to become more immersed in this fabulous liquid.

An industry shifting expose'. Very interesting, well written read that explores important issues of globalization, the food supply chain and human greed all the while championing true quality and instilling in the reader a curiosity and framework to seek out excellence in olive oil. This book is making a difference.

Tom Mueller writes a very thorough and well organized primer on olive oil and the industry which produces and procures it for us. Actually a bit depressing. But then you get over that and also have the knowledge to set out to find the real deal.

Enjoyed it very much. I am now officially an olive oil offcianado! or is that Olive oil snob. learned a lot about oil and the buisness industry surrounding it. ended up tasting my oil at home and found it s**ks. now i use much better oil. anyway, interesting book and very well written. keeps the reader engaged in each chapter and is very informative. Reading this in conjunction on a book about the coffee industry makes me very wary of the food industry though. Scarry!

Great book that thoroughly explains the history of olive oil and the history of deception in this most ancient of industries! Kudos to Tom Mueller for showing us where and why to purchase the best and healthiest true olive oils!

Shocking facts about the Italian oil business! Well researched, very very informative for anyone who appreciates good olive oil, and wonderfully well written. I knew there were some corruption and fraud issues with the olive oil industry, particularly in Italy, but I had no idea it is this bad and widespread. Caveat emptor!

Mueller is a talented writer. He thoroughly educates the reader in the historical, economic, cultural, political and geographical aspects of olive oil. I was surprised that a writer would make the topic of olive oil so engaging.

Fascinating story, and beautifully written with plenty of interesting anecdotes to keep your attention through some of the legalese. Any home cook should read this (and it sounds like quite a few chefs as well...)

Heard about this stunning book on NPR. If you love good food,Extra Virginity is a 'must read'. You will be stunned at what is happening behind the scenes in the industy. Plus, you will learn what is excellant olive oil, and what is junk. Highly recommended.Jim,Nashville.

It's good (though somewhat startling!) to know the truth about a food that is good for you but is so rarely sold as the real thing. Good to know so I can go in search of true extra virgin olive oil. Here's hoping it's not too difficult to find in Tucson AZ.

The book establishes that the labeling of Olive Oil as "Extra Virgin" is a farce. Then spends the rest of the book repeating the mantra. Lots of informative data makes reading marginal. A nice reference manual .

I wish i could havr read about this book earlier. The author was so dedicated in get the facts right, and it made us question the authenticity of the EVOO in our supermarket. It also made us think hard about the definition of real oil. For so long, we consumers have been blinded by oil manifactures! It's time for us to demand the oil producer come clean and stop messing up our health with substandard oil.

A great and easy read. The subtitle tells it all -scandalous and sublime. It is amazing what recognized companies will do to produce an inferior product sometimes unhealthy just to make a profit. Changed my way of thinking about my next purchase of olive oil.

This book has been recommended to me so many times and the reviews have been great. The writer did great research and his writing is very compelling. He is very clearly passionate about his subject.

But... Maybe I read too much fiction. There is no greater structure to the book. It is a collection of anecdotes and stories. The author just sets them out there and lets you read it. There isn't much in the way if conclusions.

All I got out if it were a bunch of interesting stories and a message: The olive oil market sucks and that's too bad.

Outstanding in readability, historical background, literary skills, general culture and olive oil promotion! It is a must for all of those who love olive oil and want to know more about it.
It is a landmark in the explanation of the adulteration and fraud mechanics, and needs a continuation on the environmental chapter, but it reads like... extra-virgin olive oil on a salad down your throat.
Many congratulations!