Key tips to choose your olive oil
1. Checklist
Have you ever felt lost in front of the olive oil shelf? Did you end up choosing the prettiest label, or the cheapest option? Olive oil is a product whose properties vary greatly, so here are a few pointers to guide you, including on our site!
As a first step, we recommend you give preference to oils that are :
Extra virgin - i.e. without taste defects
Filtered - the olive residue in unfiltered oils greatly reduces the smoke point and shelf life
From a single country and domain - vague wording such "EU and non-EU origin" usually indicate that it is a mixture of different oils of no particular taste interest, that is hardly traceable for the consumer!
Latest harvest - unlike wine, olive oil does not get better with time, it is estimated that a quality olive oil remains extra virgin 18 to 24 months after extraction, depending on its initial polyphenol content
In an opaque/dark container - UV rays oxidise olive oil very quickly, so don't be tempted by the good look of clear bottles!
On our site, all these boxes are of course ticked 😎
2. For cooking: filtered ripe fruitiness oil
There are two main categories of extra virgin olive oil depending on the degree of ripeness of the olives: "green fruitiness" and "ripe fruitiness" oils. The former are obtained from olives that are still green or "turning colour", picked at the beginning of the harvest season, whereas ripe fruitiness oil is produced from olives that are mostly already purple (for more details, see our article).
Green fruitiness oil will tend to lose most of its natural flavours when heated, so we recommend ripe fruitiness oil for cooking as a general rule. It is also a budget matter, since a green fruitiness olive oil is theoretically more expensive than a ripe fruitiness olive oil (the oil yield is 20 to 30% higher with more mature olives).
Discover Il Fattore in the Boutique, a ripe fruitiness oil that is suitable for all types of cooking.
3. And for finishing or seasoning?
An olive oil sommelier will tell you that a good cook should have several finishing olive oils available for different uses. But this poses obvious practical constraints and is not always possible for everyone. So here are some key guidelines - and their exceptions! - to find the best compromise, depending on your taste and fancy...
The guidelines...
In principle, it is recommended to match the flavour intensity of a dish with the intensity of the olive oil fruitiness. If you are generally favouring one type of cuisine, choose an oil with a suitable profile:
Rich traditional cuisine (roasted meats, gravy-based dishes, curries, stews) => green fruitiness oil with a strong aromatic profile that will bring a modern touch, in contrast with the umami and grilled flavours
Complete dishes, Mediterranean diet (fish and white meats, grilled vegetables, soups, whole salads, mature cheeses) => medium intensity green fruitiness oils that will balance the flavours of the dish
Simple and light dishes (green salads, steamed vegetables, fish, fresh cheeses) => delicate green fruitiness oils that will not overshadow the delicate flavours of the other ingredients
... And the exceptions!
You can also decide to play with contrasts to bring out the flavours of the olive oil. For example, Talismano on mozzarella are a real treat!
You can also let your personal taste prevail and ignore the principles. If you’d rather always use olive oil in a discrete manner, the delicate fruitiness oils are made for you. Conversely, others may like olive oils that bring a decisive touch and prefer robust fruitiness flavours in all circumstances!
Still can't decide? Our Green Fruitiness Set includes all three types of intensities. So you'll have the whole range at hand!