OLEOLOGO THE OIL SPECIALIST

Oleologo. An Italian word that doesn't appear on any dictionary yet and that had been used by Luigi Caricato to qualify his job. Again, is there any other term so evocative and full of significance that is able to define those competent people who deal with such a wide, complex, and charming subject as oil?

An ante litteram oil specialist was Giovanni Presta (1720-1797), the author from Salento of the treaty Degli ulivi delle ulive, e della maniera di cavar l'olio (Stamperia Reale, Napoli 1794) and the volumes Memoria su i saggi diversi di olio, e su della ragia di ulivo della penisola salentina messi in offerta a Sua Maestà Imperiale Caterina II la Pallade della Russia (Vincenzo Mazzola-Vocola, Napoli, 1786) and Memoria intorno ai sessantadue saggi diversi di olio presentati alla Maestà di Ferdinando IV Re delle Due Sicilie...(Vincenzo Flauto, Napoli 1788).

<< (...) Which way should we take? For such an articulate and complex subject as oil, which concerns agriculture, taste and at least two more senses (sight and scent), history, health, literature, economy, religion, consumer protection, environment, you can't ask just anyone. The only professional who is able to meet all these curiosities about Italian olives and oil is the oil specialist, such as Luigi Caricato.

Like Poe stolen letter, Luigi Caricato revalues the local oil that has always been under Italians nose but that has been misused, without really knowing it. In Caricato's books we can find all that we need to know about oil production, and even something more: expertise and passion. The common valuation criteria used to judge expert people on a particular subject, tend to forget something: the ability of telling the without loosing any meaning. As for Caricato instead, the tone and the certainty of his books join even a poetic touch. (...)>>

Laura Grandi

Stefano Tettamanti

(from the volume Atlante goloso. Luoghi e delizie d'Italia, Garzanti, Milan 2002)