How to Buy and Store Olive Oil:

I am not a big fan of olives, my wife loves them so we always have them on hand but I do love olive oil.

Olive oil comes in three basic types: There is extra virgin, virgin and pure olive oil. On the top of the olive oil chain is extra virgin olive oil and this olive has less than 1% acidity. Perhaps most importantly is that the olives have been picked and pressed the same day. Extra virgin olive oil is a strong, green color and posses a perfect aroma. Extra virgin olive oil will taste and smells just like the olive from which it came from.

I enjoy a small drink of extra virgin olive oil, about a teaspoon, every now and then. It is my first choice for salad dressing. It can bring your tomatoes, onions and greens to life and help you create a fantastic but basic salad.

The next grade down is virgin olive oil is the next grade. Virgin olive oil has less than 2% acidity with good color and aroma. This is possibly caused by pressing the olive on the day after it is picked.

Pure olive oil is the last grade. Pure olive oil is much lighter in color with little or no aroma. Pure olive oil is a blend virgin olive oil and refined oil. Refined oil is generally extracted from olive pulp, skin and/or pits.

Buying Olive Oil:

It is best to purchase your olive oil in small quantities because olive oil will age and will continue to oxidize. If you make the decision to buy larger quantities then separate the olive oil into smaller containers and keep them tightly sealed.

Before buying take a good look at the bottle and the label. You are looking the DOP or DOC label, both of which are standard organizations that define the various grades of olive oils.You need to also take a look at the colour in order to ensure that the olive oil is green or a dark green; then take a look at the percentage of acidity.

If at all possible taste the olive oil, this will not be possible in a grocery store but should you have the opportunity to tatse it you are looking for a sweet and peppery taste.

Olive oil is a matter of personal tatse like wine and olive oil will not improve with the passage of time.

How to store olive oil:

Olive oil is constantly oxidizing as a result of age, heat, air and light exposure. So to reduce the impact these elements will have on the oil’s quality keep it in a dark glass bottle or stainless steel container.

Never, I repeat never, store olive oil in plastic bottles. The oil is very reactive and if in contact with plastic will take on the properties of the plastic container.

Always keep the container in dark places and in areas that are slightly cooler than room temperature.