The rich flavor of Olive Oil

For well over 6,000 years people worldwide have enjoyed the rich fragrance and flavor of olive oil. With dozens of brands of olive oil now found on the shelves of supermarkets, consumers are starting to take notice of the quality of the olive oil that they buy, almost as much as people buying fine wines do.

Olive oil tasting has become an activity to rival wine tasting, and tasters use the same terminology with olive oil as they do with wine. Aromas may be mild, mellow or fruity; flavor can be nutty, zesty, peppery, sweet, rich, buttery or assertive; and appearance may be clear, cloudy, green or amber. Olive oil differs from wine in that it does not age well, and a bottle kept in a cool, dark area will remain good for only a year or two.

Listed below is a guide to the various grades of olive oil in descending order of quality:

Extra virgin: This grade of olive oil is the result of cold-pressing olives and not refining the resulting oil. Extra virgin olive oil has an acidity level below one percent, although acidity and taste will vary with the type of olive plant, soil, growing and harvesting methods, and pressing process. A more robust flavor can be achieved by using unfiltered extra virgin olive oil. When using extra virgin olive oil, you should use the less expensive varieties to sauté foods while saving the more expensive types for drizzling.

Virgin: Virgin olive oil has a slightly sharper taste than extra virgin olive oil. This is due to it having an acidity value of between one and three percent. It is rare to find this grade of oil being sold in the United States.

Pure: Pure olive oil typically has an acidity level greater than three percent. It is further processed with various chemicals and bleaching clay before being mixed with virgin olive oil to arrive at the final product.

Light: Light olive oil actually contains as many fats and calories as the other grades of olive oil. Its only difference is a lack of taste. 

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Traditional Italian Bruschetta

This recipe provides for four portions

Italian bruschetta can be made in your kitchen on a ridged grill pan, toaster or the grill of your stove. This method works just as well as the traditional Italian way of grilling the bread over a wood fire.

Ingredients
Half a loaf of Ciabatta bread, or any similar type if not available
Four crushed garlic cloves (large)
Half a cup of extra virgin olive oil
To taste, coarse sea salt
Ground fresh black pepper

The bread should be cut into diagonal slices of no more than 3/4 inch thick. The bread should be grilled on both sides until it is toasted. The crushed garlic should be spread over each slice of grilled bread. Arrange the slices of grilled bread on the plate you wish to serve from. Drizzle olive oil over the grilled bread. Season with some freshly ground black pepper and a touch of coarse sea salt.

Serve your Bruschetta straight away. As well as offering extra olive oil, have some balsamic vinegar and olive oil in another bowl and offer with your Bruschetta.

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Rosemary-Infused Olive Oil

Rosemary-Infused Olive Oil is ideal for pouring onto pasta, adding to soup, or as a dipping sauce for crusty Italian bread. Slow cookers are perfect for infusing olive oil with rosemary. It can be done on the stove top. However, it can be difficult to keep the oil from getting too hot.

Cooking Time: 1-1/2 to 2 hours on HIGH
Slow Cooker Size: 4 quart

Makes one cup 

1 cup mild olive oil
1/4 cup chopped fresh rosemary leaves

Pour olive oil into slow cooker and add rosemary leaves. Cook on uncovered on the HIGH setting for up to 2 hours. Turn the slow cooker off. Cool for about 20 minutes, and then remove the rosemary leaves from the oil by pouring it through a sieve or collider lined with a paper towel and placed over a metal bowl. After the oil has cooled completely pour it into a glass jar. Cover and refrigerate. Refrigerated the oil will last up to a month without losing its quality. Do not worry if the oil becomes a bit cloud within the month, it will become clear once it reaches room temperature.

Olive oil can also be infused with other herbs such as basil or garlic. Simply substitute the rosemary for the herb of your choice and prepare in the same fashion.

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Preserving and Storing Olive Oil Like all other oils, extra-virgin olive oil should be stored in a cool, dark place. Its flavor is strongest immediately after it is extracted from the harvested olives, and its taste, fragrance and color are all at their peak. Olive oil undergoes oxidation while in storage and its flavor and taste will deteriorate at a steady pace. Mild olive oils are oxidized particularly  fast, and have a shorter shelf life. Although all olive oils will inevitably become too oxidized to consume, this process can take up to three years. Olive oils that are fruity or spicy tend to resist being oxidized longer than other olive oils.

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