Tips On Using & Preserving Olive Oil

My new found best friend is Italian extra virgin olive oil. Once you have tasted the best, it is really difficult to accept the rest. I am serious. I am becoming a connoisseur of olive oil and had no idea that bottle of oil that I had been using everyday contains such important qualitites.  Not all extra virgin olive oils however have these qualities. Only the higest quality extra virgin olive oil contains the largest number of polyphenols or antioxidants.   And even if you have the highest quality extra virgin olive oil, you can literally destroy its good properties with the wrong use or preservation. 

The enemy of olive oil is heat and light. That is why it is a good idea to purchase olive oil that is in either tins or dark glass bottles. Never never purchase or store olive oil in plastic. Plastic will kill it and destroy those antioxidants not to mention what it does to the flavor in general. The absolute best place for storing olive oil is in stainless steel containers but not many of us have the space or access to these, so the second best is in tins or dark glass bottles.

Keep your olive oil away from sunlight, heat from stove top range, any source of heat or light. Store in cool, dark area.

The best olive oil is the newest or "olio nuovo". It is the opposite of wine. If you can, it is best to purchase the newest or latest harvest of olive oil. This is because it contains the best qualities for flavor and health benefits.