Questions about olive oil

Dear olive oil lovers,

At this point we would like to explain frequently asked questions and answers about olive oil. If your question remains unanswered here, please use our contact form to your question. Gladly, you may tell us at this point further suggestions and improvements.

What is the proper temperature when frying?

Again and again one hears, cold pressed olive oil, you should only use cold. It would be a crying shame and smooth waste to heat this precious oil and use it for frying.

The opinions of experts on this subject is clearly another. Physicians, nutritionists, and also we from Villa Oliveto recommend: cold pressed olive oil is generally excellent for cooking, vapors, stewing and roasting.

There is no reason for this good oil to use only cold. In fact, its valuable ingredients are not lost by gentle heating.

The olive oil is compared with other edible oils for the longest shelf life, and it can tolerate very high temperatures. Note, however: It should never come to the smoke point (this is the case, however, for other fats).

Olive oil may be readily heated to 180 degrees, but for frying already temperatures around 130 degrees as a rule are enough.

Incidentally: In the classic olive-oil countries, most people use the cold pressed oil for all work in the kitchen. Following the motto: Because we know at least what one has, namely, pure nature.

Other recommendations about olive oil can be found on our website under "Tips when cooking".

Are there green and black olives?

There are no trees, give only green or black olives. Each olive is always green, and initially developed on the process of ripening to dark purple and black.

What does "cold pressed" and "first pressing" mean?

In former times, when the olive press was operated by means of human or animal power, the olives were pressed a second time The second pressing was in the spreading rate increased by the addition of hot water.

From this period are the terms. Today there is a single cold pressing. The terms are often used because they sound nice and show the value of the product. Since 01.11.2003, the word "cold" may be used only when pressing processes below 27 ° C.

Why is there olive oil in large price differences?

An olive tree has for years maintained intensive, so a good olive oil. A product, in which up to 80% of the costs arise by handwork at the harvest and tree care, also for this reason can not be cheap. Olive oils with characteristic features and a special sapid value achieve on the market higher prices.

Cheaper virgin olive oils are usually mixtures of different countries. They are nutritionally considered not bad, is crucial in this case of personal entitlement.

How long does olive oil last?

In closed, dark vessels cold pressed olive oil keeps for at least one year. Bottled olive oil from bigger olive mills and large-sized enterprises holds even up to 18 months.

How should the olive oil is best stored?

The olive oil is best stored cool and dark. For bottles, the principle applies: The darker the better. The best are green or brown glass bottles. The ideal temperature is 10 to 16 degrees.

Cold pressed olive oil does not belong in the refrigerator, even if it sometimes is recommended. Smell and taste may be in the iciness not unfold properly.

White flakes, which are formed in cold storage, at room temperature disappear again. The quality does not suffer less.

In closed vessels cold pressed olive oil, for example, you purchased open from a farmer, keeps guaranteed for one year. Bottled olive oil from bigger olive mills and large-sized enterprises holds even up to 18 months.

What do different colors for olive oil?

The color of olive oil depends mainly on the tree and the degree of ripeness of olives. However, from the color is not necessarily to close the taste of olive oil. Some olive growers leave some leaves with olive oil presses, so that the oil gets a light green color.

Can olive oil be mixed?

Olive may be interconnected to a certain taste variant mixed. Mixing with other grades are not allowed. In the northern EU states are also olive oil mixed with vegetable oils. But with such products in the future is indicated the percentage amount of olive oil and the exact grade on the containers.

The Villa Oliveto olive oils consist of pure varietal olives that are picked by hand.

How do I taste?

The most common way to find out the taste is possible with a piece of white bread. The bread dip force in olive oil and spread in the mouth. The olive oil should not be just sampled with the tongue tip, because olive oil goes down well with all the taste buds in the mouth.

What does the acidity mean?

An important parameter for determining quality is the percentage of free fatty acids (expressed as oleic acid per 100g). Basically, you can say, the lower the acidity, the better the oil, although there is only one factor of many. With extra virgin olive oil is the maximum value set at 0.8, for virgin olive oil with 2.0. See "The oil quality"

Which oil is best?

First and foremost, it is a matter of individual taste. How do you like it? Fairly mild, moderate or intense in flavor? If can not try the oil while buying, start with small quantities. Try the oil at home with bread and in various dishes. Some labels provide information on the flavor. The variety of flavors can be found on the natureally "extra virgin olive oil" and "virgin olive oil", while the grade "olive oil" generally is very mild in taste and more for cooking and frying purposes. Read the labels! Here you can find any other features that could give a hint to the taste.

What says the label on the bottle?

The label contains information on the origin and possibly also information on the olive varieties, which method of harvest or the pressing method.

produced and bottled in XY means that the olives for this oil are grown and harvested in XY, the oil was pressed in XY.
produced and bottled for ABC means: This oil can also be from another country than the one in which it was bottled.