The Best Olive Oil - 2021

Olive oil is known as one of the most useful items in the kitchen. However, with so many varieties and price points, how do you know which one is the best choice for you?

It’s important to pay attention to the label of the olive oil you’re thinking of buying and look for these key words: extra virgin. This distinction ensures you’re getting a batch of high quality. Often, olive oils which have been highly refined are labelled “light” or just “olive oil” and have less flavor than their extra-virgin counterparts. You’ll also want to check for the harvest dates or the use-by date. Ideally, you should use the olive oil no later than 18 months from harvest or bottling.

When it comes to olive oil, color is important. However, it’s not the color of the oil you should pay attention to, but the color of the container it comes in. Clear glass bottles are not a good choice because light and olive oil should not mix. Light can actually cause the oil to lose flavor and aroma. As a result, always go with olive oil sold in dark glass bottles or opaque tins.

• Unlike wine, extra-virgin olive oil does not get better with age. Instead, you want to get fresh olive oil, which has a unique taste that packs in a mixture of sweetness and bitterness. In addition to being delicious, fresh olive oil also has a number of nutritional benefits, such as polyphenols.
• When it comes to storing your olive oil, it’s important to keep it away from heat. Do not store the oil right next to your stove or in front of a window, for example. Instead, keep the bottle or tin in the pantry in a cool, dark place. This is the best way to keep your olive oil tasting fresh.
• Olive oil has a smoke point of between 375-405 degrees Fahrenheit. This means it is an excellent choice for most kinds of cooking, even some shallow and deep frying. In addition to cooking with olive oil, it’s also an excellent garnish to elevate your plating.
• Some olive oil labels boast that they are the “first cold pressing.” This sounds great but is actually just a redundancy. All extra-virgin olive oil must come from the first press and it must be done without heat. That means that all extra-virgin olive oil is actually from the first cold pressing.