1. Flavor: The flavor of olive oil is a result of it's acidity. Every variety of olive oil is analyzed by tasting and measuring its acidity before bottling. The lower the acidity value of the olive oil, the better the flavor.
2. Color: The color of the oil will not reliably predict the taste of the oil. The color of the olive oil is dependant on the pigments in the fruit. Ripe olives give a yellow oil because of the carotenoid (yellow/red) pigments. Regular olives give a green oil because of the high chlorophyll content.
3. Storage: The well known enemies to olive oil are light and heat. Recommended storage of olive oil is in a dark press in a dark glass bottle. Usually, refrigerator temperature makes olive oil harden thus the best way to store olive oil is at room temperature.
4. Uses: Olive oil can be used in a wide variety of hot and cold dishes because it is extremely versatile. Olive oil can enhance the flavor of a salad or be used marinate meat or fish. Olive oil can be used in the same way as butter or vegetable oil when cooking, frying and basting. Olive oil remains stable at very high temperatures. |
