Assume v. Presume

Mike0001 said:
But it is clear from the context: extra virgin olive oil is the good sort, ie, a first pressing and unblended.
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If Nigella meant "extra virgin", why not say so? I can go to the shop and buy a bottle labelled extra virgin, I can't buy a bottle labelled "good olive oil". So, stepping back a bit, what's your definition of a "good size room"?
 
There are criteria for being a good olive oil in that article. Being extra virgin is one of them.

Your good sized room is a straw man.
 
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Good god! Goodbye and good luck, then, and I drink to your good health. Goodness!
 
Yeah, you divert an argument by trying to get your opponent to support a hopelessly flawed argument. Like defining a big enough room!
 
Mike0001 said:
There are criteria for being a good olive oil in that article. Being extra virgin is one of them.
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I can't see where in the article it says that. What in that article does it state or imply that a good olive oil has to be extra virgin.
 
Luke said:
I can't see where in the article it says that. What in that article does it state or imply that a good olive oil has to be extra virgin.
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I thought everyone knew that, but anyway, here:

Choose the best
Extra virgin oil is the most expensive type, and is made from the first cold pressing of the olives. It has a very low acidity rate (under 1%) and is best used for dipping or to dress salads - both because its superior flavour is impaired by heat and because it has a low smoking point.

Virgin olive oil is also a first pressing, but has a slightly higher acidity level (under 2%). It should be used in much the same way as extra virgin, and can also be used to cook Mediterranean dishes to create an authentic flavour (but should not be used for deep frying).

Refined to remove its impurities, and blended to improve flavour, pure olive oil is the cheapest olive oil there is. Its flavour is quite bland, so it's not worth using it on salads, but it's a good all-purpose cooking oil (again, don't deep fry with it).

Oils from Spain tend to be smooth, sweet and fruity, with hints of melon and nuts and very faint bitterness - they're quite versatile.

The flavour of Italian oils varies from region to region. The north produces oils that are mild, slightly nutty, and very good with fish. Oils from the centre of the country are stronger-tasting, with grassy notes. Southern Italy, including Sicily, produces oils that have a drier, more herbal flavour.

Greek olive oils are herby, fruity and sometimes peppery - good all-rounders.
 
Mike0001 said:
I thought everyone knew that, but anyway, here:

Choose the best
Extra virgin oil is the most expensive type, and is made from the first cold pressing of the olives. It has a very low acidity rate (under 1%) and is best used for dipping or to dress salads - both because its superior flavour is impaired by heat and because it has a low smoking point.
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Just repeating it does not help!
I can't see where in the article it says that. What in that article does it state or imply that a good olive oil has to be extra virgin?
 
It implies that extra virgin is 'the best', although not specifically saying so. In fact, all three types described fall under the article heading of 'best', so are they all equal? I don't think so.

Now as 'better' and 'best' are the comparative and superlatives of 'good'. Then unless you accurately define 'good', then 'better' and 'best' are equally meaningless.

However, as the implication in the article is that extra virgin is the' best', by the definition of the word 'best' being better than good, it must be 'good'.
Try that on for size.
 
Do we have a context for "good olive oil" or is this another straw man?
 
What are you talking about? Post 1661 precisely states the context for both, and always did. No straw men were burned in the making of this argument.

And I absolutely agree with posts above: stating what the best olive oil is does not define what is meant by good olive oil, or excuse the likes of Nigella for assuming anybody might knowingly use bad olive oil.
 
Just to sort of contradict myself, surely if virgin oil is best, then it can't be good because it is better than that.
 
For an all-purpose oil, olive oil should never be a consideration on account of the behaviour at 'high' temperatures.
No Mediterranean cook would fry at the temperatures commonly used here - so, for them olive oil is the best, while, for us, a sturdier oil like sunflower is better.
 
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