Choosing Olive Oil

There's so much snobbery when it comes to choosing olive oil: Virgin olive oil, extra virgin, stone pressed, cold stone pressed - you name it.

The most important thing when deciding on what olive oil to use is that it is fresh. The fresher, the better. We are incredibly lucky and get our olive fresh from the olive press in the winter, but when we run out of it I have to go to the supermarket and buy there. Here it's important to check the expiry date. Olive oil can be sold for at least two years and you don't want to be anything near that expiry date!

Second: Olive oil is supposed to be thick and have a greenish colour. Some of the oils you can buy are thin and yellow - and taste nothing. I want my olive oil to taste of olives! (No, I don't taste oil by gulping down spoons of it - I dip bread in it.)

A good way to check the oil is to pour some over a slice of feta cheese. If it sort of gets absorbed by the cheese or easily run out of the edge of the cheese, than it is too thin. Olive oil with a good, thick consistence will stay on the cheese and you can barely see the white of the cheese under it.

Remember to store your oil the correct way: Keep it out of sun and heat. You can't keep it in the fridge, either, as it'll freeze. A cool basement or storage room is perfect. Otherwise, buy small quantities, so that you always have fresh oil.

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Olive Oil Benefits