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The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil
W. W. Norton & Company
December 2011
On Sale: December 5, 2011
267 pages
ISBN: 0393070212
EAN: 9780393070217
Kindle: B005LW5IZ4
Hardcover / e-Book
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Non-Fiction Cooking / Food | Non-Fiction
The sacred history and profane present of a substance long seen as the essence of health and civilization. For millennia, fresh olive oil has been one of life's necessities-not just as food but also as medicine, a beauty aid, and a vital element of religious ritual. Today's researchers are continuing to confirm the remarkable, life-giving properties of true extra-virgin, and "extra-virgin Italian" has become the highest standard of quality.
But what if this symbol of purity has become deeply corrupt? Starting with an explosive article in The New Yorker, Tom Mueller has become the world's expert on olive oil and olive oil fraud-a story of globalization, deception, and crime in the food industry from ancient times to the present, and a powerful indictment of today's lax protections against fake and even toxic food products in the United States. A rich and deliciously readable narrative, Extra Virginity is also an inspiring account of the artisanal producers, chemical analysts, chefs, and food activists who are defending the extraordinary oils that truly deserve the name "extra-virgin."
 Media BuzzFresh Air - NPR - December 12, 2011
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