All of those are ways to describe the predominant flavor of different olive oils -except the flavored of course. Granted, each of us has our own words to describe these kind of things; however, I find these a quick way to help me pair them with food or just to decide what kind of flavor I'm in the mood for.
Buying olive oil these days is crazy, we went from 1-2 brands to dozens of brands with many variations and of course, different prices. If you really like olive oil, go to Oliviers & Co or to any food market where you can just taste a lot of them. See what you like and ask about the type of olive or the region.
At the end of the day, we eat what we like and we eat it the way we like it. I have a friend who every time we go out for tapas; he adds salt to it before dipping that crusty bread on it... Another one adds a few drops of balsamic vinegar...
Olive oil is so good to enhance flavors. Besides its health benefits, it is a great way to make your dishes taste even better.
Here a couple that are my favorites:
- Roasted asparagus drizzled with a grassy olive oil and sea salt -I like to add lemon zest too - Lentil soup with a few drops of a peppery olive oil will make the flavor really special
- A basic red wine vinaigrette with a very fruity olive oil to dress up bowl of mixed greens...and a touch of pepper
Although too much oil is not good for us either; eating it uncooked is definitely one of my favorite things - give it a shot.
