When it comes to olive oil, the unappetising truth is that there is still too much ignorance, too much adulteration and too much mediocrity. So, I’m only too happy to debunk the most common myths around olive oil and to share what good oil quality is all about.
Oh Olio mio
5 things to know about good olive oil
First and foremost: that the oil is “extra virgin” really says nothing about its actual quality!
If olive oil smells of olive oil, it’s not a good sign. The scent of a good olive oil is reminiscent of freshly cut grass, green tomatoes, green apples or berries.
A yellow or dull colour is also not a good sign: look for a bright colour with a deep or light green shimmer instead!
If the oil feels kind of scratchy to the throat and leaves a spicy bitterness in the mouth, that’s how it is supposed to be. Remember: in olive oil, a mild taste is a serious sign of degradation.
Good olive oil doesn’t come cheap, and for good reason. Consider that a well-tended olive grove of 1 hectare can yield up to approx. 250 litres of oil, and requires a good 20 days of traditional harvesting. To make all the effort worthwhile, the price needs to be around 15 to 20 euros for a 0.5 litre bottle.
My personal favourite olive oils come from Sicily, specifically from the renowned Planeta estate. It offers a choice of three different types of organic olive oil, all produced by hand according to the traditional method. Green is fruity and relatively bitter, Red is light and gentle, and Yellow is spicy and slightly bitter.
Horst Peintner, gourmet, sommelier and hotelier