All About Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) is one of the key cooking ingredients that we use day to day. EVOO is one of the highest quality in flavour and aromas. That is why we use it as the starter for salad dressings; as the base for marinades and sauces; and, as a finishing touch on dishes. But how much do you really know about olive oil in general?! 

We’re sharing some of our best tips to get the best use out of olive oil in your recipes:

Why are there such a variety of prices?

• A lot of time and effort goes into making a high quality extra virgin olive oil; thus, you’ll find these to be the most expensive in the shop. Fresh, healthy olives are picked and cold-pressed then used to make the higher quality oils. On the other hand, a lower quality oils’ olive-picking process may not be as stringent, resulting in the use of more heat or chemicals during the process. The price really depends on how the olive oil is made.

What is the difference between olive oil that is better for cooking VS finishing a dish?

• Save the good quality extra virgin olive oil for cold applications when finishing a dish like drizzling over pizza, pasta or hummus - trust us, you’ll notice the difference! Or, use it to make salad dressings. Choose a lower-quality olive oil to keep on hand for general cooking.

Cooking with olive oil?

• When compared to a canola oil, olive oil has a low smoke point so you may want to keep it for pan-frying only. What does a low smoke point mean? It means the temperature at which the oil starts to smoke and burn. Not only would oil heated past it’s smoke point impart a burnt flavour to your food but any nutrients found in the oil are destroyed when overheated.

Because olive oils have a variety of tastes, be sure to try and test out a variety of brands to find the one you love the most. Then, keep one delicious extra virgin olive oil on hand for finishing dishes and one basic olive oil for cooking!