A Drop of Green Gold

I’m in the midst of a waking dream in which Angeli Caffe chef and owner Evan Kleiman likes the olive oil I bought on my final day in Chianti last fall. I’ve scored a hit with the head of one of Los Angeles’ top cucinas. I, who know virtually nothing about overly precious olive oils. I can’t quote chapter and verse on virgins, extra or otherwise. I don’t know a cold press from a half nelson, nor have I searched through laboriously extracted olive gleanings that go for $20-plus a pint for the perfect balance of peppery, bitter, fruity, nutty.

All I did was look the young Italian salesman in the eye and ask, “Is this stuff any good?” His reply: “Yes, ees very good.” Homework be damned, it took the thrill of a now-or-never moment to get me to fork over several billion lire for the extravagance of three-fourths of a liter of olio extra vergine di oliva. And the bottle of cloudy, jade-green Antico Podere del Gualdo, vintage 1995, I dragged home in my carry-on (Shipping? “Fahggedit!”) is by far the finest oil I’ve ever tasted, the essence of light through leaves in an October orchard.

But what do I know? I fear the best oil is still out there waiting for me. After all, I live in L.A. I need expert validation. Thus I have come to sit by Kleiman’s side as she swirls my oil on her professional alta palata. “Not bad,” she says. “Beautiful color. Nice, full body.” Is she just being polite? She explains that the “Sinolea” on the label--I thought it was the brand name--is a new processing method using tiny steel blades that produce less heat than the traditional cold press.

She moves on to samples of her favorite oils, all from the Mediterranean: Italy, Spain, Turkey, even Algeria. None from California. “Let’s just say California oil makers are on a journey,” Kleiman says, “and they haven’t arrived yet.” Now she is being polite. All the oils are estate-bottled and carry vintage dates of 1996, meaning they were harvested and processed last year. An oil from Chianti is “silky, smooth, delicious, peppery, with an expansive aftertaste.” An unfiltered Sicilian oil is nutty and peppery.

Kleiman says olive oils are like wines. Flavor depends on olive variety, soil, climate, season and method of harvest. She suggests looking for estate-bottled extra-virgin oils. Complexity and flavor cost more, so if possible, taste before buying. And, more like Beaujolais than Burgundy, premium oils are best consumed within two years of their vintage date, preferably six months after opening.

But what’s the best oil and where can I find it? It’s a matter of personal preference. At Angeli, Williams-Sonoma, Bristol Farms or any quality gourmet market, prices of $15 for 17 ounces of Colamela from Spain, $33 for 13 ounces of Castello di Ama from Tuscany or $40 for 500 milliliters of Olio Verde from Sicily are not out of line.

My dream continues as Kleiman presents a steaming bowl of polenta soup, created from my description of a dish at Florence’s renowned Il Cibreo. Her version is made with scratch chicken stock and cavalo nero, or black cabbage, from the Santa Monica Farmers’ Market. She beams as I taste my first spoonful. “It’s very good,” I say. Now I am being polite. Then, without my saying another word, Kleiman offers a drizzle of oil. The soup soars into the realm of Italian soul food. Like life, it gains infinite depth from a small extravagance of oil. *

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Food stylist: Donna Deane; cruet and Apilco porcelain soup plate from Williams-Sonoma, Beverly Hills

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Zuppa di Polenta al Cibreo

10 cups rich chicken or vegetable broth

1 cup Italian polenta or coarse stone-ground yellow cornmeal

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup shredded kale, or cavalo nero if available (optional)

3 tablespoons very finely chopped mixed herbs (rosemary, thyme, Italian parsley, basil, garlic, chives)

2-3 teaspoons kosher salt

your favorite premium extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling

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(Makes 6 servings)

Bring the broth to boil. Whisk in polenta, adding it in slow, steady stream. When liquid returns to boil, adjust heat so that polenta gently simmers. Add 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, kale (if desired) and herbs. Stir frequently for about 1 hour, adding salt during last half-hour of cooking.

Cook until soup is thick and polenta is tender between the teeth. Serve in individual shallow pasta bowls with healthy drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil atop each serving.