It's one of life's greatest pleasures: dipping fresh bread in a bowl of gloriously rich olive oil. The lovely liquid can be used to cook almost any dish or drizzled over a salad with a dash of balsamic vinegar. But how should you go about choosing and buying olive oil? Check out our handy guide.
Oils Ain't Oils
The challenge when buying olive oil is making sure you're getting the real thing. A recent study conducted by the Australian Oils Research Laboratory with researchers at the University of California, found that up to 69 percent of olive oil imported from Europe falsely claims to be extra virgin. Further afield, in 2008 almost 90 farms were closed, after it was found that poor quality, non-Italian olive oil was being sold as Italian extra virgin. Instead, it was a mix of sunflower and soybean oil. Ick!
Top Tips for Buying Olive Oil
In the answer to the question, "How should I buy olive oil?", the smart alec would say "Hand over your credit card." But here are a few more practical tips:
- Taste the oil before you buy.
- Choose a seller who stores the oil in clean, temperature-controlled stainless steel bottles. They should also use an inert gas – like nitrogen – to prevent oxygen entering the container.
- Look for bottles that guard the oil from light, as heat destroys the oil's flavour. Opt for darker bottles if possible.
- Only buy what you need: you should aim to consume the oil in a month or so.
- Colour doesn't matter, as oil comes in a rainbow of hues. That being said, if the oil looks metallic, greasy or mouldy, stay away!
- Look for "extra virgin" on the label. If it says "light", "pure" or "olive oil", your oil has been chemically refined and processed. Extra-virgin olive oil is less processed and so will taste and smell richer.
- Unlike wine, oil doesn't get better with age. See when the oil was harvested and only choose an oil that was harvested this year. If the oil is more than two years old, put it back.
Perhaps the best tip when buying olive oil is to go local. In Australia, we're fortunate to have many luscious, locally produced olive oils. Wine regions such as the Hunter Valley produce fabulous oils with many different flavours, including chilli and truffle. Grab a bottle today, drizzle it over your food and enjoy the taste sensation.
Originally published on Nov 29, 2013
