Down to Basics: Olive Oil

How about we start with a smidge of background. Olives are a crop traditionally found in the Mediterranean area and it’s believed their earliest cultivation was by the Minoans of Ancient Crete.

Olive oil was used for more than just eating. It was used for medicinal and ritualistic purposes; it was also used for skin care and as a fuel.

Olive trees have an usually long life space, some can even be measured in terms of centuries. It’s a very hardy plant and can survive with minimal moisture.

I just wanted to provide some clarification about the types of basic olive oils you find on your grocer’s shelf. Again, I use many of these, but have never really stopped to find out what the differences were between them.

OLIVE OIL

Virgin Olive Oil – according to the IOOC (International Olive Oil Council, governing body of olive oil production) all virgin olive oils are produced from olives that have been processed using physical or mechanical means (i.e., washing, decanting, centrifuging, and filtering) and have not been treated chemically.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil – is also produced via the virgin olive oil production method, only it’s made from higher quality olives and considered to have a much superior taste. The IOOC has measuring standards (rated by flavor and mouth feel of the oil) to determine which oils qualify as Extra-virgin. EVOO is the best to use on salads, for dipping, and also sautéing because of the higher quality.

Refined Olive Oil – has been chemically treated to neutralize the strong taste and acid content. When cooking with higher temperatures (like for deep frying), refined oils work better than EVOO because the unrefined particles in the EVOO burn which destroys the taste.

(Pure) Olive Oil – oils labeled simply Olive Oil or Pure Olive Oil are actually a blend of refined and virgin production oil.

Light or Extra Light Olive Oil – is also a blend but has a higher ratio of refined to virgin oil.

The best oil you can have on hand is a fresh one, because over time oils will deteriorate and become stale. Sure if you’ve had an oil for a year or more, it’s still very usable, but best used for cooking and not for dipping or dressings. If an oil is really really old, it will turn rancid and you’ll want to get rid of it.