Spanish olive oil was considered the finest at the time of the Roman Empire; is this still so, and why was it?

considered finer than oil of other Mediterranean areas?Spanish olive oil was considered the finest at the time of the Roman Empire; is this still so, and why was it?
The good olive oil it's not cheap, it don't matter if it is italian , spanish or greek. Of course italian people prefer italian oil, of course greek people like greek oil and the same for spanish people. We are used to our oil, it's normal.





I'm spanish, i can tell you that you can find very bad oil in Spain, but also you can find excellent olive oil, I'm not going to say that it's the best one because it depend on each one preferences.Spanish olive oil was considered the finest at the time of the Roman Empire; is this still so, and why was it?
Ignore the guy with the Ceaser salad on his head, pretending he knows anything about Italy or History.





In fact.....many countries produce quality olive oil, and many countries, including Italy, produce pedestrian, watered down junk.





It's all in the process, and you either have honest, people who know what they are doing making the oil, or ya don't.





naturally, Italians will argue theirs is the finest in all the world........


and I am sure the Greeks and Spaniards would have alot to say about that.





All a matter of taste, and what you are use to, and what you think ';tastes better';.





They very fact that stuff is imported sometimes means that it will taste ';different'; than what you are use to........locally..........so, that can be taken two ways...........you can either market it as being ';far superior'; to the local stuff..........or the locals can brag that their OWN is BETTER.





';Spanish'; olive oil, probably sounded EXOTIC in the Roman days......





back yard oil, would have been pedestrian.-----hardly fit for EMPOROR'S. .....and that sort of thing.





Much like today......it's all in the packaging and marketing.





It's all the same thing, more or less... olive oil...but maybe came in a nicer package.
I think you are joking and misinformed. I also think you are a jealous Spaniard...jealous because the finest and most expensive olive oil comes from Tuscany in Italy..this is a well known fact.





Further, Spain for much of the Roman times was an arch enemy and in the hands of North Africans. So I doubt any importing of olive oil would've taken place also because Italy has plenty of olives producing far better quality of oil right near the Rome region as wel...so it doesn't make sense in the least.





p.s. Spanish olive oil is very cheap and low quality...you can buy it by the gallon here and it costs next to nothing...I would even consider it worst than Greek olive oil....
As an American restaurant owner, I have to say that I have my supplier offering ';the best'; Spanish olive oil every week for a ';good price';. But simply put I tried changing form Italian to Spanish and suddenly I started having complaints and the chef was not happy...said it took away taste from the food he prepared which reflected badly on him.





That's why I only buy Italian olive oil. People in the food indistry know that it is FAR superior than either Spanish or Greek...hence why it's so expensive and in demand. I believe Tuscan olive oil is sold out and reserved years in advance...hence why I can only find Umbrian...still good than any Spanish stuff though.





By the way McWeasel....as a fellow American, you are embarassing. Please be quiet.
ahah you must joking....


actually now we got PLENTY of areas that produce fantastic olive oil so the only reason that maybe still some could import the spanish one must be because that is much much cheaper....the finest olive oil is in the central south part of Italy...there's no need to import some crappy cheap one from anywhere unless for prices matters...but you know you pay the quality...yomomy not just Tuscany or Umbria...you forgot Puglia which is the biggest area for that of high quality
I think you can find good olive oil in any country around the Mediterranean. They have the ideal clilmate for olives.


It is like beer in the northern countries. All of them pretending to have the best brand.
I'm half Spanish myself and our oil is not good as Italys. Maybe we get close wid one to two but no... My family buy italian oil for special occassion...and use local oil just for normal cooking.





Even in spain we say italian oil is the better oil...
the best oil is from italy not from spain, but they make good olive oil, like greece

vincent