Olive Oil: How to Choose a Good One

There are hundreds of bottles on the shelf. Which one should you take home?

Forget the fancy labels. Five things matter most...

1. EXTRA VIRGIN

Look for Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO). That's your starting point for quality.

2. FRESH

Olive oil is not wine, it doesn't get better with age. A harvest date is a big plus. Choose the freshest oil you can find and use it while it's fresh.

3. ORIGIN + VARIETY

A specific origin and olive variety tell you much more than a vague "Mediterranean" blend.

Koroneiki 🇬🇷 - green & peppery
Picual 🇪🇸 - bold & grassy
Arbequina 🇪🇸 - soft & fruity
Coratina 🇮🇹 - powerful & bitter

Different olives, different personalities.

4. PACKAGING

Olive oil's enemies are light, heat and air. Choose a dark bottle or metal tin, keep it cool and dark, and close it tightly.

5. PRICE ≠ QUALITY

More expensive doesn't automatically mean better. For everyday cooking, buy a fresh, good EVOO you enjoy. Keep a more special bottle for finishing salads, tomatoes, fish, vegetables, soup or bread.

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The Bottom Line

Extra virgin. Fresh. Traceable. Well protected. Delicious.

That's what I'd look for. 

And don't get stuck on the country. Greece, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Croatia, Tunisia, Turkey and many others produce exceptional oils.

Taste. Compare. Find your favorite.

My current kitchen test: 🇬🇷 Terra Creta · 🇬🇷 Melas BIO · 🇪🇸 18:1 Muñoz · 🇬🇷 Kalios 02

Four oils. Four personalities.

That's the fun of olive oil. 

-- Vivian Is Cooking