How to Choose the Perfect Olive Oil!

Today you are living the good life. You found some truly fantastic salad greens at a road side stand and tomatoes fresh from the vines. The dinner guests joining your family this evening will be thrilled by a crisp fresh picked salad. The last thing you need is Olive Oil, but which one should you use. Olive oils are offered in many different styles and with a little help you will choose the best one to dress those perfect greens.

Olive oils, no matter the style, are full of healthy fatty acids and antioxidants. Some are perfect for dressing salads while other are better suited for sautéing and frying. Learning how to choose an olive oil will certainly leave your palette smiling.

Extra virgin oil is retrieved from the first press of the olives. This oil does not have a higher acidity than 0.8% and will appear greener than any other olive oil. The low acidity levels make extra virgin olive oil perfect for dressing salads and creating dips and marinades.

Virgin olive oil is also harvested from the first pressing of the olives. The only difference between virgin and extra virgin olive oil is the allowed acidity level. Virgin olive oil acidity can not exceed 2%, slightly higher than extra virgin. While this oil is still fantastic and should be used in the same salad dressings, dips and marinades, it is simply not on the same level as extra virgin olive oil.

Light olive oil is refined oil derived from later pressings. Each time the olives are pressed the oils are lighter and lighter. The term "light" is not to be confused with describing calorie content. The olive oil is no lighter in that regard, just the appearance is described. Light olive oils are perfect for frying and sautéing.

Pomace olive oil is pressed from the leftover olive parts. The pits and meats are treated with chemicals and solvents to extract extra oil. The oil is then processed again in order to be safe for human consumption. The resulting olive oil has little or no taste and is only suitable for frying. The chemical processing leaves this olive oil with a higher burning point than most olive oils.

Early harvest olive oil is obtained from olives picked before they are ripe and ready for harvest. These small olives produce a very small amount of bitter, peppery oil that appears very green. Due to the small amount of oil produced by the under ripe olives, the early harvest olive oil sells for a higher price than other olive oils. The early harvest olive oil is perfect for adding a new taste to salads and marinades.

Late harvest olive oil is the opposite of early harvest. The ripe, full olives produce smooth textured oil that can be described as sweet and fruity. This oil can also be used for salads and marinades as well as dips.

Cold pressed olive oils are obtained from pressing olives without the use of heat. When olives are pressed with heat, they yield more oil but the taste can be altered. Cold pressed olive oils exhibit a more true olive taste.

Olive oils are a staple for every pantry. From salads, to dips and sautéing to frying, different olive oils are perfect for different situations. This list will help you to learn more about the varieties of olive oils on the market. Dressing salad greens has never been easier!