Olive oil is a kitchen staple that people always have in their pantries. But, just because you buy new bottles of olive oil does not mean you get the best and freshest ones. Picking olive oils can be tricky because of the many factors to take into account. Plus, once you get a few bottles, you have to make sure you store them properly to retain their freshness. In terms of olive oil, you should be aware of the following:
Store the Olive Oil Properly
Olive oils are not cheap and you want to ensure you get the most benefits from them by keeping them fresh and usable. Direct exposure to sunlight, light, and air can affect their quality and freshness so make sure you store them in a cool, dark place. Moreover, do not store the oil above the stove or next to it to avoid exposure to heat. This is because condensation can dilute the oil and cause its early spoilage.
Taste Before you Buy If Possible
Olive oil tends to change from one bath to the next and a lot of places provide you with the opportunity to taste the oil before you purchase it. Smell the oil first before you taste it. A fresh olive oil should have a peppery sensation and bitterness. Find shops and markets that provide tasting to find exactly the oil you like.
Invest in Two Olive Oils
Apart from your regular house oil that you use for cooking, have a less expensive olive oil for cooking and one for finishing uncooked dishes and salads for which you may want to use an award winning olive oil, although this can be quite expensive. But, the benefits you can get from olive oil are worth your investment.
You Don’t Have to Give Much Important to the Country of Origin
No matter the origin of food, there is always good and bad. Thus, you can find good Tuscan olive oil and bad Tuscan olive oil. Just because the olive oil comes from a certain country does not automatically means it is of high quality. Also, understand that Made in Italy is not the same as Product of Italy. Made in indicates the olive oil is manufactured in the country using olives grown and pressed there. However, Product of Italy means the oil was bottled there; however, it could be made from olives from other countries that were shipped to Italy for bottling.
