With this in mind, while hoping to dispel a negative generality, we held a tasting of ten "estate-bottled" Sicilian olive oils produced in limited quantities by smaller firms using the olives harvested from a single place (usually their own farms). As a point of reference, albeit not a very distinguished one, we included the "better" brands of two "cooperatives" which market the oils of numerous producers as a single product. We could (and probably should) mention the brands selected as our second and third choices. We decided to do that at next year's tasting (yes, this will be an annual event). This was a blind tasting; nobody knew the brand of oil they were sampling, and no producers or marketing representatives were present. This was not a commercial or promotional exercise, merely a culinary one, and none of the seven tasters --all experienced in preparing Mediterranean cuisine-- are associated with any olive oil vendor.

Our choice? Titone is an organic, minimally-filtered oil made from three varieties of olive (50% nocellara, 25% biancolilla, 25% cerasuola) produced by a family-run firm near Marsala. It retains its grassy notes and fruity, tart flavor long after bottling. It seems to "cure" very little. It literally tastes like crushed fresh olives. As good as some oils are, this level of quality is difficult to imagine until you've actually tasted it.

During a visit to the farm, we met the firm's owner, Antonella Titone, a biologist who advocates a "low-oxygen" pressing and bottling process that ensures freshness. This oil has won plenty of awards, and they seem to be well-deserved. Titone's rural facility combines traditional and modern techniques. The idea of a fluent speaker of English explaining the merits of organic olive oil was an appealing one; too many of Sicily's olive growers lack the fundamental communication requirements of the international market they seek for their product.

This prompts an obvious question: Why can't more Sicilian olive oil estates mimic this success by using similar methods? After all, the olive trees on many farms around Sicily are the same five or six varieties, and the sunshine and soil are the same. Only on the slopes of Mount Etna is the micro-climate cooler and the soil more volcanic. The locals like to say that most of the island's olive farms are family-owned. It's true, but most of their oil is sold to cooperatives (such as Palermo's Apolivo) infamous for crippling bureaucracy and an outmoded, socialist-style "collectivism." The most diligent growers and producers sell under their own names, shunning "re-branding" while embracing the best pressing and bottling methods, but even many of the most diligent among them rarely make quality-control a serious priority.

Do organic oils taste better? This tasting included both organic and non-organic oils. The next one may be just organic ones (we're still debating it). The real test is tasting the oil yourself, directly and dipped in fresh white bread. At its best, oil making is a craft of the same order as wine making.

About the Author: Roberta Gangi has written numerous articles and one book dealing with Italian cultural and culinary history, and several food and wine articles for Best of Sicily Magazine.