A few people have asked about Infused and Extra Virgin Olive Oils recently so I think it will do some good to talk about them.
"Where does Olive Oil come from?"
The wild olive tree originated in Turkey and generally understood to be domesticated in the 6th millennium along the coast of the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas.
Olive oil is physically pressed from a whole or ground olive. The grade, flavor, color, and thickness of olive is varies greatly on a few factors. A series of types and labels help you understand the difference.
Aegean's
Kalamata olive oil originates from the Kalamata Greek olive; likewise the Abruzzo extra virgin oil is created using Abruzzo olives from Italy.
"What's the difference between Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Pure Olive Oil?"
Pure olive oil is a blend of virgin and refined production oil and usually lacks a strong flavor. It is ideal for cooking purposes in place of butter or lard.
Virgin olive oil means the oil was made using only physical methods and no chemicals were used to control acidity or taste. People sometimes refer to this as a Natural Olive Oil.
Pomace olive oil and other refined oils use chemical treatments to control harsh tastes and considered to be a lesser grade than virgin olive oil.It is generally used as a special-purpose cooking oil.
Virgin olive oil is often used for cooking and has slightly less body than extra virgin olive oil and is typically cheaper. Most restaurants that cook with olive oil will use a pure, filtered oil.
Extra virgin olive oil is preferably used as a salad or dish finisher in nearly all cases and typically on cold foods. Other applications are sauteing with other ingredients. Extra virgin olive oil is often more expense than the pure variant.
"What are Infused Olive Oils?"
Asides from looking delightful as part of any table arrangement, an infused olive oil has been mixed with another flavorful ingredient and that can be quite pleasing to the senses. Oils can be infused a number of ways, but the two types are referred to as
Hot and
Cold Infusion.
With
Hot Infusion, ingredients are quickly added at a relatively low temperature and cooked briefly.The olive oil would be ready for use after cooling and last about a month in the refrigerator.
In using
Cold Infusion, a mixture of olive oil and ingredients are added and left to sit for several weeks until ready for consumption. Infused oils made in this way typically last no longer than 2 months in the refrigerator.
Dry Infusion is another way to flavor an olive oil; it is also the safest. The essence or oil of ingredients (
spices, herbs, flavors) are mixed into the olive oil at room temperature. This typically yields a richer flavor and longer shelf life for most ingredients but often is more costly than other methods.
Caution must be used when infusing your own olive oils outside of a controlled environment. If, for example, you are adding whole garlic or fresh basil to olive oil; you must make sure there is no water in your ingredients as this will promote the growth of bacteria and could make you ill.
Aegean Imports has a trio of
dry-infused olive oils that are superior in quality and taste.
"Can I cook with Garlic Infused Olive Oil?"
Sure you can but be prepared to have a your kitchen, and perhaps your house scented like an Italian restaurant. While it might not be a bad thing for garlic lovers like myself, this happens as the heat releases the garlic from the olive oil. As a result, you also lose some of the taste.
Infused olive oils make much better finisher. I would advise adding them during the last seconds of cooking or after the food in on the dish.
"Anything else I should know about Olive Oil?"
Nearly all olive oil will lose some flavor after a year in the bottle. At this point, the oil is still good for cooking but will lack finishing flavors.
Olive oil also has great health benefits as stated by the FDA and is one reason why many people are becoming aware of the
Mediterranean Diet. :
Limited and not conclusive scientific evidence suggests that eating about 2 tbsp. (23 g) of olive oil daily may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease due to the monounsaturated fat in olive oil. To achieve this possible benefit, olive oil is to replace a similar amount of saturated fat and not increase the total number of calories you eat in a day.
The taste of olive oil is a result of the olive's origin and age at time of harvesting.
Olive oil, particularly extra virgin, has internal and external health benefits for your skin. Many believe that the heavy olive oil diet of Italians and Greeks contribute to longer lifespans.
It is the author's opinion that Kalamata olive oil and is the best olive oil since it comes from my favorite,
Kalamata Olives.
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There is a wealth of information out there regarding olive oil and covering all of it would take me away from my sauce which is about ready. While I ready my dinner, please check out the links below for more on olive oil.
*Aegean Imports offers olive oil from Greece, Italy, and Turkey.
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