彭蒙惠英语:品尝橄榄油(1/2)
Savor a Sip of Olive Oil
品尝橄榄油(1/2)
Savor a Sip of Olive Oil
California’s olive presses yield bottles on par with he world’s best
Twenty-one food professionals at a Sacramento, California, restaurant warm small glasses in their palms, then sniff, swish, slurp and swallow the contents with deep concentration. Under the guidance of an Italian expert, they’re tasting California olive oils with a reverence more frequently associated with fine wine.
“The olives are very ripe,” says expert Marco Mugelli, head of this official tasting panel from Florence, Italy. “(This oil) is perfect for sauces, broiled fish and all those dishes that don’t heed to have their flavors changed,” he suggests.
Mild and fruity or sharp and spicy, olive oil has become serious business in the Golden State in the past decade. Annual production has more than tripled as farmers rush to cash in on consumers’ enthusiasm for the oil, which has been linked to good health and longevity in a stream of academic studies.
Food-obsessed consumers
The industry also is banking on the increasingly sophisticated tastes of food-obsessed Americans, who are willing to pay more for outstanding ingredients to recreate the tastes they’ve experienced in their travels. Tossed with fresh salad greens, lavished on crusty bread, drizzled over grilled steak, or even baked in a cake, high-quality extra-virgin olive oil is a key to great cooking and dining in the Mediterranean style.
For the most part, California olive oils aim for the high end of the market. The best--hand-picked, cold-pressed and unfiltered--compare favorably to the most respected olive oils in the world, taking top honors in international competitions. Today, more than 6,000 acres in southern California are planted in olive oil orchards, producing nearly 400,000 gallons of oil, according to a survey by Paul Vossen of the University of California. He counts about 200 brands of artisan oil from California on the market.
Specialized Terms
Broil (v) 烧烤；炙 to cook something by direct heat, especially under a very hot surface in a cooker
Golden State (n) 黄金之州（加州的别名） California; A nickname alluding to its rich gold deposits
Extra-virgin (adj) 特级初榨橄榄油 pertaining to the highest-quality grade of olive oil made from the first pressing of the olives
Artisan (n) 技工；工匠 a person who does skilled work with his or her hands
Vocabulary Focus
Slurp (v) make a loud noise with the lips as one eats or drinks (sth)
Reverence (n) feeling of deep respect or (esp. religious) veneration
Cash in on (v) to get money from a situation
Lavish (v) to give generously
Crusty (adj) 有脆皮的
Drizzle (v) to pour liquid slowly over something, especially in a thin line
Orchard (n) 果树
Discussion Question
People in China seldom use olive oil, what do we usually use in daily life? Which is your favorite?
Extra Exercise
1. Translate the following sentence into Chinese, ‘the best--hand-picked, cold-pressed and unfiltered--compare favorably to the most respected olive oils in the world, taking top honors in international competitions.’
2. According to the recording, why people would still get heart attack by using olive oil as ingredient?
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