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FAQ
What does Extra Virgin or EVO mean?
What are the health benefits of olive oil?
Aren’t unfiltered olive oils better?
Should olive oil be kept in the refrigerator?
Why are Extra Virgin olive oils often so bitter?
What makes a good EVO oil better than an inexpensive, ordinary olive oil?
What determines the different flavors found in a good olive oil?
What does Extra Virgin or EVO mean? 
Virgin means that the olive oil is extracted from the olives by mechanical means, rather than with solvents and high heat. All other readily available vegetable oils – canola, safflower, peanut, etc – even non-virgin olive oil – are chemically dissolved out of the plant material, and then the solvent is boiled off. Unless the label on a vegetable or nut oil indicates that it has been expelled or expressed (and the price confirms this expensive method), you can assume it has gone through chemical processing. Now, for the term ‘Extra Virgin’ means that the virgin olive oil has passed chemical tests for purity and taste tests to assure the absence of spoilage flavors. This provides a healthy, tasty olive oil, possessing the flavors of the olive fruit. Unfortunately, the United States does not yet acknowledge the international standards for this designation, and the term is widely misused here for oils that may not even come from olives. That’s why it is best, here in the United States, to buy EVO oil that is certified as Extra Virgin, and certainly to avoid bargain-priced ‘Extra Virgins’.
What are the health benefits of olive oil?
There’s a difference between olive oils. Olive oil is certainly healthier than trans-fats, hydrogenated fats or animal fats. However, the full goodness of olive oil comes from the polyphenol content, which depends largely on the oil’s quality. Olive oil is the only vegetable oil that contains polyphenols, and true Extra Virgin olive (EVO) oil is the only olive oil that contains significant quantities. Generally, the polyphenols content of olive oils starts around 50 mg/kilogram and goes up to 250 mg/kilogram for Extra Virgin olive oils.
Polyphenols are a class of antioxidants found in a variety of foods – red wine, green tea, chocolate, olive oil and more. Antioxidants are now widely recognized for their ability to combat aging and many health conditions. Recent studies indicate that the polyphenols in olive oil are very powerful.
Aren’t unfiltered olive oils better?
The suspended particlesin unfiltered oils may at first give flavor that is missing in filtered oils, but these very particles threaten the life of the oil with spoilage. The sediment contains microbes that decompose the bits of olive flesh and produce off-flavors called ‘fusty,’ ‘musty’ and ‘winey’ by olive oil experts. Even unfiltered oils certified as Extra Virgin in their youth, may develop these off-flavors over time. Filtering removes the risk of this type of spoilage, and is a standard practice for most producers attentive to quality.
Olive oil doesn't improve with age like wine does. First, it must be said that ordinary olive oil, being predominantly refined, is essentially odorless and flavorless, and hardly changes – except eventually to go rancid from exposure to air. If you wonder what rancidity really is, just remember the particular smell and lingering taste of stale peanuts.
Extra Virgin olive oil on the other hand, is a natural raw product, subject to variations year to year and to changes with time. Generally speaking, a young EVO oil will be fresh and even perky with aromas and flavors. As time goes by, the filtered EVO oils will mellow, becoming softer and milder – but still quite pleasant. Unfiltered EVO oils may develop off-smells and flavors at any time, largely depending on storage conditions. Eventually, all oils will turn rancid.
The life-expectancy of olive oil is generally taken to be two years. In truth, it depends on the quality of the oil and how it has been stored – some EVO oils are capable of extended life, beyond two years – but there is no point in buying old oil, and no reason to age the oil you buy.
When looking for a good EVO oil, always check the harvest year. If there’s no date, then there’s no way to know how old the oil really is. Olives are harvested in the late fall and early winter, anytime between October and the end of January in the Northern hemisphere. Blending and bottling usually occur in the new year.
Should olive oil be kept in the refrigerator?
It is not recommended. Most EVO olive oils become cloudy and thick under refrigeration. And, as with wine, we have found that extended refrigeration can result in diminished aromas and muted flavors, even after the oil is back to room temperature.
Why are Extra Virgin olive oils often so bitter?
Extra Virgin olive oils contain the flavors of the olive fruit. (Tasting a raw olive is one of those experiences you would hope never to repeat.) Bitterness, along with pungency and vegetal/fruit flavors are considered positive attributes in EVO olive oils, particularly when they are well balanced. Depending on many factors, such as the olive variety and ripeness, milling technique, and the age of the oil, bitterness and pungency can be quite intense. Sometimes professional tasters classify EVO oils as ‘one-cough, two-cough or three-cough’ oils. Fortunately, these strong olive oils make wonderful condiments. Once you get used to them, you’ll find you use them more and more.
What makes a good EVO oil better than an inexpensive, ordinary olive oil?
A good olive oil has vitality; it is alive – like a good wine. It smells of the fresh vegetal world. In your mouth, the flavors bloom and then linger. Poor oils are an inert experience – no smell, little to no flavor, and often a distinctly oily texture, compared to a good olive oil. If they are old, there may be a slight but persistent rancid smell and flavor, like old peanuts or old oil paints. An easy way to understand for yourself, is to compare two or more olive oils of different prices and qualities, side by side.
What determines the different flavors found in a good olive oil?
Many factors play a role in the flavor and composition of a good olive oil. Flavors vary distinctly by variety and by the degree of ripeness at the time of harvest. Unlike wine, olives can be harvested over a period of several months during which they slowly ripen from green to multi-colored to purple and finally to black. Each stage of ripening yields a different quantity and flavor of oil. Different weather patterns and variable production factors also have an effect. The miller’s blending skills determine the final composition prior to bottling.
How do you choose the proper olive oil for a dish?
Pairing olive oil with food is a bit like pairing wine and food. It takes experience and understanding of both. In general, delicate oils will enrich and complement subtle flavors – fish, mushrooms, homemade mayonnaise, heirloom tomatoes, seafood pastas, and so on. The idea is not to overpower the primary flavors. Robust and pungent oils will answer the call of heartier cuisines: red meats and sausages, casseroles, thick soups, garlic dishes, rich pastas. You can also experiment with contrasting combinations to add interest (for instance, a fresh mozzarella with pungent oil, or a pecorino cheese with a soft one). A good pair will bring flavors out.
Why are your oils in dark bottles?
It is a question of quality – dark glass protects the contents from the deteriorating effect of light. Just think of all the health products available in brown bottles, expensive dark green wine bottles and the demise of milk bottles in favor of opaque cartons. Even a few weeks of light exposure will accelerate the aging of olive oil. The fact that so many olive oils are in clear bottles is certainly a question of marketing. It is also a good idea to store your oil in a (dark, cool) cabinet rather than on the (bright, warm) counter top to slow its aging.