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Like wine, olive oil varies enormously in quality and flavor - the taste, colour and aroma are dependent on the country of origin, the soil in which the trees are grown and the method of harvesting. The oil can be anything from deep green to light gold while the flavor can range from pungent and peppery to light and fruity. The finest oils are hand harvested and cold pressed.

Professional tasters pour the different oils into small white dishes and taste them by dipping pieces of bread into the oil. As a general guide, oils from France are sweet, Greek oils are aromatic, Spanish oils are fruity, Tuscan oils are peppery and Californian oils are fruity and mild. South African olive oils are growing in popularity across the world (they produce some 700 tons of olive oil annually) and the better ones have a fresh, full-bodied taste with a slight peppery aftertaste.

Now, let's take a closer look at the inner makings of olive oil:

Extra virgin olive oil

Extra virgin olive oil has less than one percent acidity. Only the pulp of high grade fruit is used. A single variety of olive is crushed between two stone wheels and the pulp is then spread on mats and gently pressed down with weights. The low pressure prevents heat from building up and allows for a more robust flavor.

'Cold pressed' and 'first pressing' were common terms in the past, but they are not used as often today because modern methods and hydraulic pumps mean that the oil is pressed once only and the process does not require heat. Extra virgin olive oils are usually greenish in colour and are the best and most expensive, because they haven't been refined. The greener the oil, the purer it is.

Virgin olive oil

Virgin olive oil has 2 percent acidity. It is best used for saut?©ing or when a less pronounced olive taste is required. It is a refined virgin oil to which extra virgin olive oil has been added to restore some of the colour and flavor lost in the refining process.

Refined olive oils

These are usually simply labeled 'olive oil' and they have been refined to remove natural impurities. They are usually blended with one another and virgin oil is sometimes added to improve the flavor. They are blander in taste, lighter in colour and cheaper than virgin oils. They are good for cooking.

'Lite' olive oils

Finally, light oil can be used in dishes that do not want to be dominated by an olive taste. It has little olive flavor and is preferred in subtle and delicate recipes. Remember that "light" refers to colour and taste, not fat or calorie count, which are the same as in other olive oil blends.

Can you trust the label? You can do a simple test at home to verify the product descriptions on olive oils. Place 1/2 cup of olive oil in a container and refrigerate for two days. Chemically refined oils will turn into a solid mass, while genuine extra virgin oils will create small granules of fat suspended in liquid oil.

Don't cook with the best quality olive oil; add it as a final flavoring Dress fish and vegetables very simply with good-quality olive oil, a squeeze of lemon juice and chopped fresh herbs of your choice. Marinate meat in oil before cooking and drizzle some more oil over it before serving, if desired. Swirl top-quality olive oil into soups just before serving. Pour olive oil over grilled bread that has been rubbed with garlic. Use olive oil in breads and cakes to enhance the flavor of the other ingredients.

Storing olive oil

Olive oil should not be refrigerated as it becomes thick, cloudy and difficult to pour. Olive oil should be stored in opaque containers (preferably with screw-type tops), and protected from light. Unlike wine, olive oil does not improve with age, so enjoy oils when they are fresh and still have a delicate taste. Typically, Extra Virgin will last only one year.

Iodine in vegetable oil helps determine shelf life; as the iodine level increases, the shelf life decreases. Olive oil has the lowest level of iodine while walnut, for instance, has the highest. Pour olive oil into a plastic container and freeze. When solid, remove to the refrigerator for storage, and use as a spread in place of butter or margarine. Olive oil is 4-5x more resistant to heat than seed oils, which generally deteriorate after the first fry use. Olive oil actually "grows" in volume as it heats, which makes it highly suitable for repeated use.

Olive oil gives food a crisp and caramelized crust that prevents greasiness from searing into it. Among edible oils (almond, coconut, peanut, safflower, and soy, etc) only olive oil is produced from a fruit (so it's really a "fruit juice"), rather than from seeds, nuts or grains. Olive oil tastings are becoming popular events. Today, tasters' first cleanse their palate with apple slices to allow for the full flavor, then dip their bread (rubbed with garlic and lightly salted) into the oil, then taste...and savor.

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Recipes For Romance

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, share with us those recipes you consider when preparing that special meal for your sweetheart. Is there a special beef or seafood dish he/she enjoys? How about that aphrodisiac to all...chocolate? Share your favorite recipes for romance with us, won't you? Now, here is the NEW set of rules: