6 FACTS ABOUT EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

Olives are actual fruit, cultivated in the Mediterranean Region for thousands of years. Freshly plucked from the tree, the olive is virtually inedible because of its bitterness. They should go through a special process, prior to eating, to remove some of the bitterness.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil is added to almost every dish and desert of the Mediterranean Diet, making it an essential part of it. Technically, it is the only oil we need in the kitchen because it is proven to be extremely healthy and beneficial to our system.

Let’s take a look at some interesting facts:

1. According to its flavor and aroma, how can an Extra Virgin Olive Oil be characterized?

Fruity: The term "fruity", refers to the fine taste and the aroma of the fruit of the olive tree. Simply put, the “fruity” extra virgin olive oil is the one that has a wonderful aroma and a taste that brings in mind the flawless, freshly cut, healthy, ripe or unripe olives.

Bitter: The term refers to the exact sense of bitterness that is felt in the mouth when we taste an extra virgin olive oil which is usually made from unripe olives. These olives usually have a yellow-purple-greenish color. Keep in mind, that the actual bitterness we can sense in our throat when we try an Olive Oil, is considered to be an advantage –a plus- to its quality. 

Spicy: It is the feeling of burning, the "spiciness" that we sense in our throat, when tasting a fresh extra virgin olive oil from made out of fresh, unripe olives. The spicy taste emerges a couple of seconds after we slowly swallow it and it may even cause us to cough a little.

Kardamas Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 2018 Harvest, is a spicy oil. Try it here!

2. How do we detect unsuitable Extra Virgin Olive Oil?

The initial product evaluation can be made through the examination of features such as the color, flavor and aroma of the Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Color can vary widely from dark green to light golden green, depending mostly on the type of olives and the point they were when pressed. Oils of very light color are either oxidized or old.

Oil storage conditions are also extremely important. Exposure to sunlight and oxygen will oxidize and eventually destroy its flavor and aroma, giving it a particularly disturbing taste and smell of soil.

3. What is the best way to store Extra Virgin Olive Oil?

In the old days, Greek families used to store their olive oil in large jars in house basements, where it was protected from light and humidity.

Make sure you choose a dry storage area, preferably dark and cool, where the temperature does not rise higher than 77 °F(experts suggest as ideal temperature 50-63 °F).

Therefore, you should avoid buying Extra Virgin Olive Oil sold in a clear or a plastic container. Glass bottles that are dark are ideal — like Kardamas! We specifically use the “Dorica” bottle, which is a tinted olive oil type of bottle, specially designed to protect it from sunlight.

4. Can Extra Virgin Olive Oil be used for frying? What is the best way to use it in cooking?

Extra Virgin Olive Oil is one of the best oils for frying. It has a great frying stability (it is very resilient even to high temperatures -from 356°F to 392°F), it does not oxidise easily and can be used several times without losing its beneficial ingredients.

For other culinary practices, it is better to use a minimal amount of oil in the begging of cooking and add the rest to serving, to enjoy its taste and beneficial properties.  

5. Does the Extra Virgin Olive Oil have preservatives or any additional ingredients?

No, absolutely not! Extra Virgin Olive Oil is pure and contains absolutely no preservatives or additional ingredients of any kind. It has a shelf life of 12-24 months, depending on storage conditions. It is important to check the expiration date on the bottle before using, for the best tasting results.

6. What is cold pressed Extra Virgin Olive Oil?

Cold press is the procedure of which no chemicals or scalding water is used to extract the oil from the olives. The oil is extracted by mechanical means, from fresh olives, at a low temperature. If the temperature rises during the extraction procedure it may spoil the high amounts of polyphenols, fatty acids and anti-oxidants of the olive oil.

Kardamas Extra Virgin Olive Oil is a cold pressed oil. Buy it now!