Italian Traditional Food - Cooking With Olive Oil For Life

The Olive Oil Basics

When it comes to cooking with olive oil, you must know the basics first. Not every olive oil is the same and there are many differences. It is more than just picking the most inexpensive or expensive one on the grocery shelf.

Olive oil is used for so many things and each has a specific type to use for a specific taste. Depending on what you are cooking and from what region it is from, you will want to make sure which type of oil it calls for. Olive oil can take on so many colors, tastes and fragrances. Once you know the simple things about olive oil you will find it easier to get the type you want.

What To Use It For

While we all know olive oil is for food, there are many specific uses for specific types. The type you choose will play a huge roll in what the final outcome of your meal tastes. You will want to properly pair your oil with the food you are preparing. If the two flavors clash, your meal will not taste correct. You need to know which type of olive oil to use in each of your recipes.

The three main categories are mild, fruity, and fruity-spicy. Mild olive oils are best to be used with sweets, dishes not containing garlic, and other delicate foods. The fruity type of olive oil should be used with pasta dishes containing garlic, herbs and spices, and on salads.

When you have dishes that use many spices and plenty of garlic and for meats, you will want to use the fruity-spicy oils. Once you get used to what to use for each cooking adventure, cooking with olive oil gets very simple.

Tasting The Right Way

Knowing the real flavor of your olive oil is essential for placing your olive oil in the correct category and knowing if it is good or not. There actually is a proper way to taste it too.

First you will want to know what to look for to place each type of oil. The mild olive oils have a buttery taste and can be a tad sweet. The fruity variety has a slightly fruity and stronger taste to it than the mild. The fruity-spicy is much more aggressive. The more you taste each type the easier it is to know which category it belongs in.

The way you test the taste of your oil is to pour a very small amount into a plastic cup. Make sure to cover it up and warm it in your hands. Make sure to smell the fragrance of each oil type when tasting. Then take a small amount into your mouth and roll it on your tongue. This will allow you to know the type and quality of your oil when cooking with olive oil.

Virgin And Extra-Virgin

When cooking with olive oil you will notice that some recipes call for virgin oil and others call for extra-virgin. Virgin olive oil is made by washing, centrifuging, and filtrating the olives. Extra-virgin is prepared the same, except they also cold press it as well.

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