We previously discussed the challenges in buying high-quality and fresh olive oil in the article Beware! The Olive Oil You’re Using May Not be What You Think! and stressed the importance of harvest dates. While that is still important, there are still a number of other factors that should be taken into consideration when selecting an olive oil.
According to Nicholas Coleman, Eataly’s resident oleologist (olive oil expert), there are 3 major factors to consider:
- the harvest date (which we’ve previously discussed, the closer you are to it, the better),
- the region in which the olives were harvested (not just the country – as we know from wine, even the difference of a few feet where the olives are cultivated can hugely impact the final product), and
- the cultivar (which olives the oil is composed of, the analog to wine would be varietal).
If any of those 3 essential elements are not present on the bottle, it reflects poorly on that brand of olive oil, and perhaps it would be better to reconsider its purchase.
As far as harvest dates are concerned, northern hemisphere harvests tend to occur in the fall, so harvest dates should be on or around the end of October through November. Once you open a bottle, however, it’s best to use it within 60 days, otherwise the quality begins to depreciate dramatically, and like wine, it’s best to store it somewhere dark and cool (away from your stove).
As far as labeling is concerned, good quality oils will be proud to advertise the region in which they were produced. Consequently, labels such as “Product of Italy” are suspect, as they are often blends of oils from no specific region (sometimes, from all over the world) and they’re being processed, bottled and shipped out of Italy.
Like wine, cooking with oil also has its rules. High temperatures will destroy the delicate and nuanced flavors, so don’t cook with very expensive olive oil (keep that for salads or cold-use finishes). Since extra-virgin olive oil has a smoking point of about 400° F, it’s best to slowly heat your oil by starting it in a cold pan, bringing it to a gentle simmer to preserve its flavor.
Now that you know what to look for on a label when purchasing your olive oil, what do you look for when you have the opportunity to actually taste and evaluate the oil before you purchase? Well, here are some tips:
- taste the olive oil alone, so as not to influence its flavor
- official tastings employ the use of blue-tinted glasses that are shaped to fit in the palm of your hand so the warmth of your body can release the fine aromas (like a cognac glass). You obviously don’t need to carry that around, but the principles are the same
- sniff the oil as you would with wine
- sip/slurp the oil as you would with wine, employing the same aeration techniques to help imbue your mouth and nasal cavity with the flavors and aromas
- note the pungency, or a peppery burn in the back of your throat – this indicates the presence of a powerful antioxidant called oleocanthal
- note its attributes – what are its smells and flavors? do you taste green apple skin? fresh cut grass? banana? The variety of odors, aromas and flavors are as varied as what are found in wine – depending on what you taste will help you determine what would be the best oil pairing for the dish you’re looking to prepare