Extra Virginity

Mueller on olive oil — the chemistry of what “extra virgin” means, the adulteration trade, the Italian fraud prosecutions, and the growers still making the real thing.

Why it’s on the list: Named in the “explains an entire industry” thread, with Kyle’s own parenthetical “(about olive oil)”. A single commodity followed all the way down, which is the shape of the best industry books.

Where I saw it: In Kyle’s “Books To Read” Apple Note, recovered from the reply thread to @WillManidis asking “what is the single best book you can read that will explain an entire industry?” (June 2, 2025). The full recovered list lives on what is the single best book… (tweet).

Connections

• what is the single best book… (tweet) — the thread this came out of; the full recovered list lives there.
• Food · Agriculture — where the industry sits.