What is the difference between the various types of olive oils? In particular, what does it mean for an oil to be Extra Virgin versus just being Virgin? How do these compare to Extra Light?

I ask because I can tolerate the taste of Extra Light Olive Oil much better than I can the Extra Virgin kind. If it's just a matter of the Extra Virgin being better for me I can handle that. But if the Extra Light is either no good or, worse, harmful then I need to know.

TIA

Bill, the "extra virgin" and the "virgin" refer to the quality of the olives used and the quality of the end product. Extra Virgin has less than 1% acidity and is made with the best olives (unbruised), virgin has slightly more acidity. What you should also be on the look out for is "Cold pressed" This means the oil is not heated and the natural anti oxidants and vitamines are not lost in the process. Basically, cold pressed extra virgin olive oil is the first pressing of the best olives where there has been no refining and/or heating.

Light olive oil is refined and has had much of the vitamines and antioxidants found in extra virgin olive oil removed. It is lighter and tastes 'better' because it is refined.

If you'd like a great read on oils and fats, I recommend Udo Erasmus' "Fats that heal Fats that Kill"

HTH
Nat

I had a feeling something like this might be the case. As long as the Extra Light stuff isn't going to do me any harm, I will go ahead and finish this bottle and then switch to Extra Virgin again. I've already noticed that I am tolerating the taste of even Udo's Manure Blend much better so that will probably work out O.K.

As for Erasmus' book, I've got to screw up my courage to buy that. He sorta pissed me off with his "pleasant buttery flavor with a hint of sunflower seeds" claim. Fool me once....

Thanks bunchs.

A few years ago, on holiday in Tuscany I was able to visit both a vineyard and an Olive Grove. I do not like Olives, Mrs R loves them.

However I do like a good Olive Oil. Regretably the way I used to like it was with huge chunks of italian bread dipped in the oil as a great pre-starter to an Italian meal.

Olive Oils in Italy are very much like fine wines (I was in the Chianti region), the smaller producers are sought after for the quality and taste of their product and a price to match!. Weather, olive variety and location are very much a factor in the taste, colour and quality.

Virgin and extra- virgin are not necessarily an indication of either quality or taste. The words are used for a chemical standard of acidity and not quality.

Most Olive oil is cold pressed. But the riper the olive the greater the acidity. The first pressings of the season the olives are less ripe and the acidity is lower. Provided it comes in under 1% it can be called extra-virgin.

Olive oil is made only from green olives. Nearly the entire production of green olives in italy is converted into olive oil.

Premium Select Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
This is the top grade of olive oil. With a lower rate of acidity than 1%. Some as low as .225%. This level of quality can only be achieve one way - through hand harvesting and pressing within 24 hours.

Extra-Virgin Olive Oil:
Any olive oil that is less than 1% acidity, produced by the first pressing of the olive fruit through the cold pressing process. Most olive oils today are extra virgin in name only, meeting only the minimum requirement.

Virgin Olive Oil:
It is made from olives that are slightly riper than those used for extra-virgin oil and is produced in exactly the same manner. This oil has a slightly higher level of acidity (1 1/2%).

Pure Olive Oil:
A general purpose oil, not really for the table but the food industry. It is solvent-extracted from olive pulp, skins, and pits; then refined. It is light and bland. Pure refers to the fact that no non-olive oils are mixed in.

So how should a good extra-virgin olive oil taste?

Smooth, robust, balanced, rounded, peppery, any of these words are good and with no significant aftertaste.

Bad oil? Cat's Piss!

Thanks - that was most informative.

The X.V. stuff I got at the store has, what I would call, a significant after taste. I don't know that I would call it bitter, just very much there. How much of that is do to the oil and how much to my tastes is open for debate. I did purchase it at the normal grocery store, it is in a clear glass bottle and it is about two months old. I stored it in the fridge for the first month but it has been on the counter since then.

These oils are getting expensive when I keep buying the wrong ones. But it is merely the cost of tuition and the education is well worth it.

Bill, are there any "high-end gourmet stores" in your area? Some stores will have bottles to sample if you ask for a taste. If not, but the staff is well trained, they will be able to direct you to an oil that has the qualities you are looking for.

Generally, oils from the south of France are fruitier and don't have a burning or bitter after taste.

For Italian, look for a brand called Sagra. Italian delis here always have it stocked, but I don't know what it's like in your neck of the woods.

Karen

I thought I read somewhere, maybe on the bottles themselves, that light referred to color and nothing more. Maybe I've lost my mind...who knows, it COULD happen.

Seems like there are a million different kinds of olive oil in the store, i don't even know where to begin. sounds like i need something cold pressed and extra virgin?

I guess first I'd better ask, Does olive oil taste like olives? Olives are definitely not at the top of my taste list.

Second, what do you use olive oil for? For any kind of cooking that you'd use oil in?

Jeanette

Olive Oil definitely does not taste like olives. I hate olives, too but LOVE olive oil. I cook tons of stuff in olive oil. I fry most of my meats in it (& add a little butter as well). I fry vegetables in it & also use it to make salad dressing. It definitely gives food a wonderful flavor.

An interesting debate about olive oil.

I hate olives, but generally cook in basic olive oil. However, when I tried substituting mayonnaise as my salad dressing for some extra virgin cold pressed olive oil I hated it. The taste was far to strong for me. So the two bottles I got will be used in cooking in the future. I'm not convinced that it makes too much difference what sort of olive oil you use.

The best extra virgin olive oil will taste mildly of olives, but not green olives, think the taste of a good, non-cured, black olive (my grandmother used to can the best ones I ever had). It will not be over powering. If it has any kind of aftertaste or bitterness, it's spoiled. Good olive oil has a long shelf life if it is stored properly (away from light and heat). Good olive oil never tastes bad.

We have a local grower/presser who makes the best I've ever tasted. They have a 150-year-old stone grinding wheel and some of their trees are almost as old. And they also don't filter their oil so all the wonderful anti-oxidants are still there too, although I had to get used to the slightly cloudy look.

If you're in the Sacramento, CA, area, their name is Bariani and you can get their oil at Corti Brothers Grocery (local specialty fine foods grocer) and a few other places I don't know about. They also sell their oil at our local farmer's market. It is only sold locally.

I used to love their olive oil with balsamic vinegar on extra sour french bread. Yum! But now I enjoy it on my salads and in my cooking, although it's best used at the end of the cooking process so it's flavor is retained.

;-Deb

Thanks Melissa and Little Anne and Deb. Sounds good! Deb, you've given me more to think about since, I've never had a green olive, only black ones. What's the biggest difference in taste?

Mabye I'd best just go and get a bottle for myself. Maybe I'm still putting it off, because then it'd mean I'd have to cook.

Am learning a lot from this thread!

Jeanette

have a sharp tangy taste. I like them a lot. I keep a large jar in the refrigerator and take out a few every once in a while for a snack. They taste kind of like they were packed in vinegar, but none is used. However, the label says something about lactic acid. I don't know what that is, but the major liquid ingredient is water.

My grandmother packed black olives, although some of her olives were actually part green and part black. Basically, green olives are not as ripe as black olives. That probably accounts for the tangy taste .

There are lots of different types of olives and preparations. Our local natural foods co-op has an olive bar with about 15 different varieties. I go there sometimes and get an assortment.

;-Deb

I can tell you're an olive oil lover like myself Deb, but taste is a subjective thing.

Olive oil can be a bit strange at first if you're not used to it and many really young oils, usually first pressed and from a single grove will have a bit of a burning or bitter sensation. It's something I really enjoy with certain foods, but to a novice, it would taste awful.

But there is an olive oil out there for everyone!

Karen

Karen, that's interesting. I've never had a bottle that tasted "green" like that. But it could happen, considering the taste difference between green and black olives. Bariani is a small farm/company. I think their literature says they have less than 50 acres, some of which is actually in the Sacramento City limits.

I also have to admit that I wasn't such a fan of olive oil until I had theirs. I like it's mild olivey taste. But it's flavorful enough that it doesn't get overpowered or hidden easily. I have since found others (mostly domestic) I like also - we grow a lot of olives in California, but I think Bariani will always be my favorite.

;-Deb