Olive oil sits in most kitchens treated as a single ingredient. In reality, there are several kinds, used for very different jobs. Knowing the difference quietly improves everything you cook.
Extra virgin: the finishing oil
This is the unrefined first pressing. It is fruity, sometimes peppery, and full of flavour. Use it raw — on salad, drizzled over soups, on bread, finishing a pasta. It is the oil that tastes like olives.
Regular olive oil: the cooking oil
Refined olive oil is milder and has a higher smoke point. It is the right choice for sautéing, frying, roasting. Wasting your good extra virgin on a hot pan is a small kitchen tragedy.
Storage matters
Olive oil hates light and heat. Keep it in a dark bottle, in a cupboard, away from the hob. The clear bottle on the windowsill is going stale faster than you think.
Buy what you will use
A litre of expensive oil that you only use occasionally goes off. Better to buy a smaller bottle, use it generously, and replace it often.
Taste the difference
Pour two oils into spoons and taste them side by side. Once you have done this, you will never look at the bottles in the supermarket the same way again.
Olive oil is not just a cooking fat. Used well, it is one of the most direct expressions of place and tradition in your kitchen. Treat it with the respect you give wine and your food will be better for it.
