Ingredient: Olive Oil - General
Category: Oils
Season: All
Olive oil is a fruit oil obtained from the olive (Olea europaea; family Oleaceae along with lilacs, jasmine and ash trees), a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin.
It is commonly used in cooking , cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and soaps and as a fuel for traditional oil lamps.
Olive oil is much healthier than other sources of alimentary fat because of its high content of monounsaturated fat (mainly oleic acid) and polyphenols with a powerful antioxidant Hydroxytyrosol.
Over 750 million olive trees are cultivated worldwide , about 95% of those in the Mediterranean region.
Most of global production comes from Southern Europe, North Africa and Middle East .
Of the European production, 93% comes from Spain, Italy, Turkey, and Greece.
Spain's production alone accounts for 40% to 45% of world production
The International Olive Oil Council (IOOC) is an intergovernmental organization based in Madrid, Spain, with 23 member states. It promotes olive oil around the world by tracking production, defining quality standards, and monitoring authenticity.
More than 85% of the world's olives are grown in IOOC member nations.
The United States is not a member of the IOOC , and the US Department of Agriculture does not legally recognize its classifications (such as extra-virgin olive oil).
The USDA uses a different system, which it defined in 1948 before the IOOC existed.
Retail grades in IOOC member nations:
As IOOC standards are complex, the labels in stores (except in the U.S.) clearly show an oil's grade:
Extra-virgin olive oil comes from cold pressing of the olives, contains no more than 0.8% acidity, and is judged to have a superior taste. There can be no refined oil in extra-virgin olive oil.
Virgin olive oil has an acidity less than 2%, and judged to have a good taste. There can be no refined oil in virgin olive oil.
Pure olive oil. Oils labeled as Pure olive oil or Olive oil are usually a blend of refined olive oil and one of the above two categories of virgin olive oil.
Olive oil is a blend of virgin oil and refined oil , containing no more than 1.5% acidity. It commonly lacks a strong flavour.
Olive-pomace oil is a blend of refined pomace olive oil and possibly some virgin oil . It is fit for consumption, but it may not be called olive oil. Olive-pomace oil is rarely found in a grocery store; it is often used for certain kinds of cooking in restaurants.
Lampante oil is olive oil not used for consumption ; lampante comes from olive oil's ancient use as fuel in oil-burning lamps. Lampante oil is mostly used in the industrial market
Label wording
Olive oil vendors choose the wording on their labels very carefully.
"100% Pure Olive Oil" is often the lowest quality available in a retail store : better grades would have "virgin" on the label.
"Made from refined olive oils,” suggests that the essence was captured, but in fact means that the taste and acidity were chemically produced.
"Light olive oil"actually means refined olive oil, not a lower fat content.
All olive oil has 120 calories per tablespoon (34 J/ml).
"From hand-picked olives" may indicate that the oil is of better quality , since producers harvesting olives by mechanical methods are inclined to leave olives to over-ripen in order to increase yield.
"First cold press" means that the oil in bottles with this label is the first oil that came from the first press of the olives. The word “cold” is important because if heat is used, the olive oil's chemistry is changed.
"Bottled in Italy" or "Packed in Italy"does not necessarily mean that the olive oil originated in Italy. Back or side labels indicate the origin of the olive oil, which is often a mixture of oils from several nations.
Retail grades in the United States
The United States is the only major oil-producing or oil-consuming country which is not a member of the IOOC, and therefore, the retail grades listed above have no legal meaning in the United States.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) , which controls this aspect of labeling, currently lists four grades of olive oil:
"Fancy", "Choice", "Standard", and "Substandard". These were established in 1948.
The grades are based on acidity, absence of defects, odour and flavour .
While the USDA is considering adopting labeling rules that parallel the international standards , until they do so, terms such as "extra virgin" may be applied to any grade of oil, making the term of dubious usefulness.
Keep an extra virgin oil for special occasions and an everyday blended oil for general cooking.
Buying and Storing Olive Oil
Buying oil in small sizes, or splitting larger bottles with friends , is a practical way to buy expensive oils.
Oil purchased in bulk should always be poured into smaller containers, preferably in a can or a dark-coloured bottle.
Remember !
Olives are fruit; olive oil is a fruit juice.
Air, heat, and light will cause olive oil to turn rancid (rancid is the flavour which is imparted in an oil after it has undergone the process of oxidation).
Since prolonged contact with oxygen is the cause of oxidation, rancidity is a common defect, so it should be stored in a cool place in an airtight container).
If your oil has a buttery taste, then it's probably rancid.
The ideal temperature for storing olive oil is 57°F or 14 degrees C, although a normal room temperature of 70ºF works very well, if the olive oil is stored in a dark area where the temperature remains fairly constant.
A kitchen cabinet located away from the stove and away from direct sunlight will work quite well.
If you have a wine cellar, store your olive oils there and keep a small amount in your kitchen.
Do not put olive oil in a container without a tight cap.
Refrigeration does not harm most grades of olive oil, but it is not recommended for expensive extra virgin varieties, because condensation may develop in the bottle, affecting the flavour. If refrigerated, olive oil will return to its original, liquid state when warmed to room temperature again.
When chilled, or in cold weather, the oil may turn cloudy and even solidify . Such oil will clear again as it warms, so cloudiness should not be taken as an indication that the oil is part its prime.
Be sure bottles are tightly sealed
Tinted glass, porcelain, or stainless steel is the best materials for containers .
Oil should never be stored in plastic or in reactive metals.
Stay away from plastic containers as the oil can absorb PVCs .
Cooking with Olive Oil
Cooking with olive oil is like cooking with wine .
Never use a wine or olive oil that does not taste good to you . An inferior one will leave an aftertaste.
If you do the taste test and compare the "pure" to the "extra-virgin" and then you'll understand the difference.
When cooking with olive oil ; save your extra-virgin expensive oils for salads, dressings, and vinaigrettes.
You can also drizzle it over slices of crusty bread or onto open-face sandwiches.
Use it on baked potatoes or add it to mashed potatoes instead of butter.
Extra virgin olive oil tastes great on cooked vegetables or brushed onto fish or meat before serving.
When sautéing or frying , use either a combination olive oil (one that is simply a blend of extra virgin and regular olive oil) or a straight olive oil. |
Use the chart below to convert the quantity of butter called for in a recipe to the required quantity of olive oil. |
Butter |
Olive Oil |
1 teaspoon |
3/4 teaspoon |
2 teaspoons |
1-1/2 teaspoons |
1 tablespoon |
2-1/4 teaspoons |
2 tablespoons |
1-1/2 tablespoons |
1/4 cup |
3 tablespoons |
1/3 cup |
1/4 cup |
1/2 cup |
1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons |
2/3 cup |
1/2 cup |
3/4 cup |
1/2 cup and 1 tablespoon |
1 cup |
3/4 cup |
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For deep frying , the olive oil grade "olive oil," is excellent because it has a higher smoke point (410º F) than virgin or extra virgin oils.
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Marcella Hazan who wrote the cookbook called Marcella Cucina , wrote the following:
"The taste of a dish for which you need olive oil will be as good or as ordinary as the oil you use.
A sublime one can lift even modest ingredients to eminent heights of flavour; dreary oil will pull the best ingredients down to its own level.
Partial clues to the quality of the olive oil you are buying are supplied by the label and the price, but ultimately, the only way to determine which one, among those available, is right for you is to taste and compare." |