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Getting Real Olive Oil

How do you know if that $9 bottle of olive oil is actually “extra-virgin”? Ruth Reichl, editor in chief of Gourmet magazine, and Louis Di Palo of the famed Di Palo specialties store on Grand Street join Leonard to discuss what real olive oil actually tastes like, from the Northern earthy oils of the Lake Guarda region to the southern savory oils of Sicily.

Here are Lou Di Palo's suggestions for a few good ones to try. But he recommends always tasting first before buying.
Olio Carli DOP Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Italy
Olio Extra Vergine Fattoria il Peraccio di Maserio, Firenze Italy
Spinosi, Extra Vergine, Region of Marche, Italy
Falconero, Extra Vergine, bottled by FontanaSalsa, Sicily, Italy

Or you can always visit Lou and family anytime:
Di Palo Italian Specialty Foods
200 Grand Street [at Mott Street]
New York, NY 10013
(212) 226-1033

Ruth Reichl and Gourmet Kitchen Staff’s Pantry List of Olive Oils:
For everyday cooking, we’re using supermarket oils – Colavita and Bertolli.
For special occasion extra-virgin (for salad or drizzling):
Alzieri from Nice, Unio from Spain
Spanish oil made from Arbequino olives
Mausannes-les-Alpilles from Provence
Moulin de la Brague (Provence) and Fairway store brand

Weigh in: What is your favorite olive oil brand?

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What the Dead Know

Thirty years ago two sisters disappeared from a shopping mall and their bodies were never found. Those familiar with the case have always wondered: how do you kidnap two girls without leaving behind a single clue or witness? Crime novelist Laura Lippman investigates the answer to that question in her latest book, What the Dead Know.

What the Dead Know is available for purchase at amazon.com

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Fear and Fantasy in Post-9/11 America

Susan Faludi provides an unexpected assessment of the post-September 11th era in The Terror Dream. Using the lens of gender relations, Ms. Faludi argues that Americans sought comfort in fables of female peril and of rescue at the hands of macho vigilantes, while feminist views were dismissed as unpatriotic.

Event: Susan Faludi will be in conversation with Corey Robin
Tuesday, October 23 at 7 pm
The Graduate Center, City University of New York
Proshansky Auditorium
365 5th Avenue (between 34th and 35th Streets)

The Terror Dream is available for purchase at amazon.com

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