The olive is a delicate fruit and will only show its true flavour and nuances if it is treated with care and attention throughout. The rewards however for an excellent olive oil are spectacular.

How do I store olive oil?
Olive oil can be kept for up to two years, longer than most edible oils. It should be stored in a cool place away from sunlight and heat. We recommend however to obtain your oil as fresh as possible and buy small amounts frequently, always checking the sell by/expiry date. The harvest is only once a year in the country of origin. For example in the Mediterranean harvest can be as early as October and as late as the following March. 18 months is the shelf life, so expect to see a sell by/expiry date April to October. As dates outside this range need to questioned!

Olive oil can be refrigerated - not recommended! - but this will make it cloudy. The cloudiness will disappear when the oil returns to room temperature.

Why is olive oil bottled in green glass?
The flavour of olive oil will be adversely affected by light. UV light oxidises the oil and turns it rancid. Bottling in plastic is detrimental to olive oil quality as the plastic can react with oil in time. In order to ensure our olive oil is as delicious as possible we only procure oils in dark green glass with UV control as well. This helps keep the natural flavours.

Isn't it all just olive oil?
Like wine, no two olive oils are alike. Each is a unique product of soil, climate, olive varieties and age, and processing methods. Oils can be fruity or flowery, nutty or spicy, delicate or mild, and can range from clear to pale green to golden to deep olive green in colour. When properly processed olive oil can fully maintain the flavour, aroma and vitamins of the olives from which it came. The key is freshness and care before bottling, the fruit starts to deteriorate immediately it is removed from the tree. From tree to milling and bottling should be as speedy as possible, ie within a few hours not days!

The health benefits, aroma and flavour of olive oil is determined by the quality of the olives, the harvesting method, how the oil is pressed and by the region of its origin.

Olive oil is classified primarily by its acidity level. The lower the acidity level, the better the quality and taste. Aim for less than 1% - read the label. Like fine wines each variety of olive oil is evaluated by tasting and measuring acidity before bottling.

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The Olive Oil to insist on:

Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Produced from the first cold pressing of olives without using any chemicals. Overall acidity must be 1% or less. Extra virgin olive oil has all the benefits attributed to olive oil. Organic is even better!! Also look for a single variety, and a specific region. Some go even further in that the milling does not have any added water or or extra heat in the process - but sadly the labelling will not reflect this in most instances!

The rest:

Virgin Olive Oil
Produced from the second cold pressing of olives and left over pulp.

Olive Oil/Pure Olive Oil
Produced by the chemical extraction of oil from the pulp remaining after cold pressing. Some extra virgin or virgin olive oil is added to give some flavour but it has little or no health benefits and is generally tasteless.

Pomace/Seed Oil
Olive oil without the addition of extra virgin or virgin olive oil. Pomace oil is not consumed but is used for lamp oil, making soap or lubricating machinery.

Blended Olive Oils
Produced by the blending of olive oils from different geographical locations or countries, and/or different types of olives. The oils blended together are often inferior olive oils from poor or damaged olives. Beware low price extra virgin olive oils are usually blended oils.

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How do I use olive oil?
Use extra virgin olive oil for all your food and cooking needs including baking and frying not simply the preparation of salad dressings. Replace all your cooking oils with extra virgin olive oil and substitute extra virgin olive oil for butter even when dining out ask for extra virgin olive oil to dip your bread into instead of butter.

Is olive oil a fruit juice?
Yes, unlike other fruit juices, extra virgin olive oil needs no chemical processing and can be enjoyed immediately after its extraction from the fruit.

Can I fry with olive oil?
Yes, olive oil, as with any fatty substance, deteriorates during frying especially if it is used over and over and if the frying temperature is very high. High temperatures destroy the good ingredients of any oil and create harmful agents for the liver, the arteries and the heart. These harmful agents are less likely to be created in olive oil than in all known vegetable oils. This is because olive oil has a high percentage of oleic acid, which is much more resistant to oxidization than the polyunsaturated acids, which are found in large amounts in seed oils. Also more importantly olive oil contains natural anti-oxidizing agents such as phenols and vitamin E.

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Can I bake with olive oil?
Yes, extra virgin olive oil can substitute for butter or margarine in recipes to produce a light taste and moist, even texture in bread and cakes. The antioxidants in extra virgin olive oil will keep the baked goods fresher longer.