(Note: There is profanity in this book.)

I'm conflicted about this book. I've read a lot of food history and deep-dives on a single ingredient quite a bit recently, and Extra Virginity is a bit outside that mold, while offering many similarities. Oddly enough, I feel like Extra Virginity lays on Mueller's passion for olive oil a little to thick, but also focuses too heavily on the fraud in the industry. I think it's a valuable read, but it's both too much to read and not in-depth enough. I didn't feel sated by this book, but I did scrutinize my olive oil labels a bit more closely.

I appreciate the investigative journalism that Mueller undertakes towards olive oil. I found myself sympathizing for the fraudsters a bit, which I'm sure was his intention. Mueller tells the intertwined cops-and-robbers story of olive oil from all possible angles: the fraudulent producers, the laundering import/exporters, the intentionally-ignorant mega buyers, the tasting experts, the growers' associations, the honest farmers, and the investigators.

On its own merits the investigative journalism would be a compelling read for me. It doesn't age as well as a more focused look at the olive oil itself, but I think it would be an appropriate piece of long-form journalism. However, about half the book is also dedicated to a deep-dive on olive oil. Oddly enough, Mueller's own passions for good olive oil feels like a misfit to this, especially odd to me, as someone who picked up the book for the deep-dive aspect of the book.

I don't think the deep-dive into olive oil is tacked on or disingenuous. Mueller really is that passionate about olive oil. But tonally, there's something weird going on here. I think writing in such a way that elicits sympathy for the fraudsters, while simultaneously extolling the virtues of untainted oil feels like a chimera wrote this book. How can Mueller, an initiated aficionado of olive oil, cast the people actively undermining his passion in such a positive light? I get that journalism dictates presenting the story from all angles, but he clearly is not a dispassionate actor here. And while his writing shows that he is able to present all sides with genuine emotion, it gives me an uneasy feeling just how well he is able to do so.

I wish Extra Virginity were two separate books. This is a case where the parts are greater than the sum of the whole. I understand the need to explain why olive oil fraud is worthy of our attention, but his esoteric ramblings on the subtleties of olive oil feels too unfocused for this purpose. Again, I love his deep-dive into the virtues of olive oil, but if this were merely to support the investigation, it's too much.

So, this book was interesting, but it could have been shorter by a third. The author kept repeating himself, telling us the same stories what felt like twice, and continuing to remind us that a) extra virgin is a special grade not all olive oils should get b) but it's a valuable commodity so there's lots of fraud c) lots of the olive oil we use is pretty much garbage.

And then proceeded to not tell us HOW to find out what the good olive oil is. Just...taste it. Uh - no. Most grocery stores don't sell it in small enough quantities to taste enough so you can tell the difference between the months it takes Americans to go through a small quantity.

Basically, it was interesting, but mainly just preachy, and could have been much shorter if he didn't think we were all idiots who needed reminding of the basic facts three times per chapter.

I really enjoyed this very detailed look at olive oil. It gives an interesting perspective into the history of olive oil, it's spread around the world and the crazy, intricate olive oil distribution system. I will not be looking at the oil on my shelves quite the same way and eagerly anticipate some day attending a tasting of olive oil just like you do a wine tasting.

The fraud and pretty much entire lack of regulation described in today's olive oil market is outrageous. Mueller weaves history and more scientific descriptions together with the tale of oil adulteration and fraud nicely, though sometimes I wished for more of one or the other. This messy state of affairs for consumers is what really made an impact, so I was happy to see the appendix with info on how to find reputable supplies of olive oil.

A few quibbles Which take it from 4 to 3 stars, well 3.5 if that was possible.
1. No index. This is non-fiction with a lot of information packed in a relatively concise (206 text pages) package - an index would have been helpful.
2. Font - greeting card font used, annoying to read
3. The appendix on choosing olive oil. Great to have this, but there is so much here, organized randomly - would have made a solid final chapter.

Olive oil has a long history with humanity. This book discusses that along with the on-going fraud in oil producation. I, for one, will never buy olive oil in the store again... folks, it's not 100% olive oil. Luckily there are a number of olive oil bars/sellers in MN, and I look forward to actually having true olive oil.

I'm actually abandoning this one part way through because I am so uninspired. Life is too short to read bad books. Love the subject matter, don't really love the writing or the author's voice.