How to Shop for Olive Oil

These days, olive oil is as ubiquitous at Italian restaurants as Parmesan cheese. There's something delightful about dipping warm, crusty bread into dishes of olive oil. Many home cooks love olive oil, too. It contains the "good" fats, unlike other cooking oils, and imparts a great flavor to food. Know how to shop for olive oil, and you'll be cooking in no time.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Understand the different grades of olive oils. There are 4 traditionally sold in United States markets, although some high-end shops might carry even more. Extra-virgin olive oil comes from the first press of the olives and is considered the highest-quality olive oil. Virgin olive oil also comes from the first pressing of the olives, but it has a higher acidity level. Plain olive oil is a combination of virgin olive oil and synthetically manufactured cooking oil, and it's what you'll get if you buy olive oil in bulk. Finally, there's extra-light olive oil, which has practically no color or flavor.
2. Consider how you want to use olive oil in your kitchen. If you don't care much about the intensity of flavor and are using olive oil as a substitute for vegetable oil, virgin olive oil--or even extra-light olive oil--is fine. If, however, you want an olive oil with a rich, fruity flavor, choose extra-virgin.
3. Choose a store that offers a wide variety of olive oils and does a brisk olive-oil business. Olive oils lose their vibrant flavor as they sit on the shelf, so you want to buy your oil from a store that is constantly replenishing its stock.
4. Look for smaller bottles of olive oil. Unless you cook with olive oil every day, it will take you a while to deplete a big bottle. You want your olive oil to remain as fresh as possible, so purchase it in fairly small quantities.
5. Participate in an olive-oil tasting class. Many upscale grocers and gourmet food shops offer tastes of their olive oils, free of charge. Educate yourself about the different kinds of olive oil--and learn which ones you personally enjoy--before you buy a whole bottle.

Tips & Warnings

• Check the "bottled-on" date. Unlike wines, olive oils do not improve with age. Instead, they congeal, grow cloudy and lose their flavor. Purchase olive oils that have been bottled within the past year.
• Don't buy olive oil that has been kept in direct sunlight. It will most likely be spoiled.
• Don't buy "bargain" olive oil. Good olive oil carries a fairly high price tag, but it's worth it. Cheap olive oil can range from flavorless to downright acidic.