KEEPING OLIVE OIL
Every so often we get asked how long will Olive Oil keep ?and how best to store it ?
So here is a very quick explaination on what to do and what NOT to do with your Olive Oil ,
Firstly i must also explain the differnce between the various types of Olive Oil available and what is the differnce between Extra Virgin and Olive Oils etc.
There are basically 4 grades of Olive Oil available
The most popular is Extra Virgin Olive Oil , and in a very simple and short discription this is made from olives which are cold pressed and then the juice is the Olive Oil , If this Oil has LESS than 0.08% acidic content this is classified as EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
In this class there are many Extra Virgin Olive Oils at various prices , Some are Unfiltered , some are Filtered , some are from specialist Farms which have limited quanities and crush their own Olives ,and some are from Comercial Millers who Buy in olives from various olive growers. Its very much like wine is produced .
If this Oil has been found to have MORE than 0.08% acidic content then it is Classified as VIRGIN OLIVE OIL, mostly this comes about if there has been a delay from collecting the olives and crushing the olive to get the juice. This Virgin Olive oil in not really available in the UK.
The next Classification is OLIVE OIL, this is basically the second pressing and the crushed olives are mixed with hot water to enable more of the Olive juice to be extrated . this is mostly done by the larger producers .Having been extracted using Water the olive is then centrifused to seperate it from the water. In the olden days it was simply allowed to seperate out and then drawn off . But nowadays time is money and centrifuses are used.
Then we get the OLIO DI SANZA or Pomace Oil , this is still 100% olive juice but this time the olives after having been crushed under pressure and heat to obtain the Olive juice. This Oil is the lightest of all the Olive Oils and a little of the VIRGIN Olive oil is added to add coloure and flavour.
These are in simple terms the main differences between the Olive Oils . But under each Classifiaction there are many qualities and flavours , from very rich and peppery to mild and gentle . Just as in wine , it all comes from a single fruit the grape ,but there are thousands to tastes to suit everyone . And Olive oil is in this respect the same as wine.
What to use and for what ????
Well there are no hard and fast rules , use what you like best for your type of cooking or on your salads, If you like it then its the best one for you, don't let anyone tell you different ,
But and there is always a but ,this is what is most commonly used on what dishes
EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL firstly this is the tastiset of the Pressings so most people use Extra Virgin Olive Oil to add to their salads ,or to pour over fFsh ,Pasta, or Vegetables , or indeed drink it straight as a tonic .
OLIVE OIL can also be used instead of extra Virgin but generally it is used to cook with or to fry with ,
SANZA OIL is by the way its made is the least tasty of the Olive Oils and is generally used for frying ,but again it can be used in the same way and the Extra Virgin or Olive Oil , it really is down to taste.
What i sometimes do is just blend the three Olive Oils together to get the thickness or taste i require, all are 100% Olive Juice so its no real problem ,again its just down to taste.
As mentioned before there are hundreds of Good Quality Oils and its a matter of just trying them out and sticking to what suits you best. but its always favorit to have a nice selection at home to use on differnt dishes , Once you start tasting the differnce between them then you are half way to creating wonderful salads and cooked dishes as you will be learning to complement a certain dish with the Oil that suits it best.
PRESERVES IN OLIVE OIL
Most vegatables were once preserved in Olive Oil ,but nowadays such things as Sun Dried Tomatoes are preserved in Sun Flower or Vegetable Oils , THIS TO MY MIND is NOT GOOD. the best Preserved vegetable such as Artichokes, Tomatoes or even Wild Mushrroms are best preserved in OLIVE OIL , Try our sun dried tomatoes and then compare to the cheaper ones available in Other oil and you will see what i mean.
HOW TO STORE OLIVE OIL
very simple , try and keep your oil cool , not directly above or near any heat . and above all else AWAY from direct sun light as this will oxidise the oil and give it a truely horrible taste. THATS IT very simple really
It does NOT matter if you have opened the bottle or can it will make no difference to the taste , just cover the opening to stop any dust getting to the oil and you will be OK.
BEST BEFORE DATES ON OLIVE OILS
means exactly what it says ,BEST BEFORE , and does NOT mean that at midnight on that date the Oil will suddenly go off. Olive oil is basically a FRUIT JUICE made from the Olive Fruit , IT IS AT ITS BEST and has the most flavour soon after crushing and as time goes on the flavour fades but the olive oil if kept cool and dark will last several years ,So don't throw that bottle at the back of the cubbard out simply use it for frying rather than on your salads .
I hope the above has been of help , but again if you require more info simply e mail me with your questiona and i will get back to you with an answer
ALBERTO CAMISA
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