Wednesday, April 28, 2010

What is a great Olive Oil to buy? Does any Extra Virgin Olive Oil is considered good?

I appreciate if you can recomend some Olive Oil brands.What is a great Olive Oil to buy? Does any Extra Virgin Olive Oil is considered good?
A 1996 study by the FDA found that 96% of the olive oils they tested, while being labeled 100% olive oil, had been diluted with other oils. A study in Italy found that only 40% of the olive oil brands labeled ';extra virgin'; actually met those standards. Italy


produces 400,000 tons of olive oil for domestic consumption, but 750,000 are sold. The difference is made up with highly refined nut and seed oils.





If you want to find healthy, high-quality oils, you should focus on just a few very important things:





What should I read on the label? The most significant information is the date of harvest together with the expiration date. Did you know that olive oil loses fruitiness and flavor as it ages and after maximum two years from the harvest it will be oxidized and rancid?





The importance of packaging. A dark bottle, a bottle wrapped in foil, a bottle packaged in cardboard or wooden box is a MUST to preserve the quality of the oil because it must be kept away from direct light.





Is the color of the olive oil important? ABSOLUTELY NOT! Official tasters always use dark glasses so that their sense is not influenced by the color. Many times oils are chemically manipulated to be greener because customers believe that greener oil is better. This is absolutely wrong!





Depending on its place of origin and the variety of olives used , olive oil has a wide range of flavors and fragrances and the consumer should choose and buy the type that best suits his/her particular taste and the food to prepare.





Extra virgin olive oil is like fine wine. Its taste and aroma can be easily distinguished by the nose and the palate, then discussed and dissected.





When you buy olive oil, consider how you'll use it, how it will enhance your cooking style.


For dipping and drizzling or if you have a fantastic salad, pasta, red meat or some grilled vegetables probably you'll need a full bodied and big flavored oil and you could choose to have a hint of olive with a background flavor of tomato (typical with oils


produced in Sicily) or artichoke (Tuscany and central regions of Italy).





You could prefer a gentle or medium fruity oil for a soup or with fish, one that adds a layer of flavor but doesn't stand out.





Experiment trying out different oils on fish, pasta, meat, salads or bread and then decide which you prefer.





You'll find a great selection clicking on the links below.What is a great Olive Oil to buy? Does any Extra Virgin Olive Oil is considered good?
Any cold pressed extra virgin olive oil is good, but there are variations in quality and its really up to personal taste. However, I would recommend buying organic oils, and its always good to support products made in your own country.





I read in an airline magazine that a top Italian connoisseur rated New Zealand's olive oil as being the best.
if you are near a Whole Foods Market, they have good quality '365' brand olive oil, that is the best priced.





Do not buy at Sam's or other places that you have to buy huge quantities in order to save. It will turn rancid.
Extra Virgin OLIVE OIL FRANTOIO-BARBERA Highly valued extra virgin olive oil obtained from cold pressing in a traditional oil mill from the best quality Sicilian olives: Biancolilla, Nocellara, Erasuola originating in the surrounding areas of Partanna, Caselvetrano, Ribera, Sciacca and Trabia. This olive oil is characterized by its distinct personality, its typical aroma evocative of fresh fruit and its delicately fruity flavour that leaves an aftertaste of sweet almonds.

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