This ain’t your mama’s vegetable oil. Olive oil is a great for cooking your meat and veggies, or for soaking your French baguette. Enthralling, I know, but before you go running out the door for this Mediterranean delight, you’ve got to know what it’s all about. You can’t just choose the first oil you see on the shelf; olive oil is like wine… it’s complicated, and the more you know about it the more you can impress people at cocktail parties.

Olive oil is extracted by pressing or crushing olives, and comes in different varieties based on how it is processed. It goes a little something like this:

Extra Virgin: This is considered to be the finest oil because it is the least processed; it is the oil from the first pressing of the olives.
Virgin: This is from the second pressing of olives.
Pure: This oil undergoes some processing, which includes filtering and refining.
Extra Light: The most mild of all the olive oils, it undergoes the most processing and hardly tastes like real olive oil.

When you are going to purchase your olive oil, you will want to look for high quality extra virgin oil because it is closer to its natural state, and therefore better. In the grocery store, “pure” olive oil will just be labeled “olive oil.” “Light” olive oil is just a marketing ploy, so don’t fall for it. It doesn’t retain the rich flavor or health benefits provided by extra virgin oil; some people like it for cooking because it loses the olive flavor. Also, always buy olive oil in small quantities because it can go bad as it continues to oxidize on your pantry shelf (especially if you are prone to long stints of eating out).

If you want premium olive oil, then check out Apollo Olive Oil, where you can find gourmet products and recipes. Our favorite is their “Barouni” oil (because it adds lustiness - seriously). Another great site to look into is Olive Nation, where you can also order food products, like pasta, that goes perfectly with the olive oil you’re about to purchase. You can even buy gift certificates for friends and family. So, get off the canola and get back to the root… or the branches rather, and pick up some olive oil today!

***Picture by: Plan 59***