The Olive Oil Enthusiast: A Guide from Tree to Table, with Recipes by Skyler Mapes

Author:Skyler Mapes [Mapes, Skyler & Morisani, Giuseppe]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-08-15T00:00:00+00:00

DON’T JUDGE AN OIL BY ITS LABEL

Today, olive oil branding and labels appear to live in one of two categories—traditional or modern. We always giggle as we meander through the olive oil section in a grocery or specialty foods store and see how the industry has been divided in their choice between the two aesthetics. Traditional labels are green and feature olives, an olive tree, or a seemingly random (but sometimes very significant) illustration of an ancient figure. Writing in ancient Greek and Roman–style fonts in green and yellow hues wraps the front of the bottle. Modern labels typically include bright colors, large type in a script font, and a seemingly random design.

While we find this divide quite humorous and often choose to design our labels in a style somewhere in the middle, there is one thing we can all agree on: do not judge an extra-virgin olive oil by its label. You may see a bottle of Italian olive oil with an over-the-top traditional label (you know the one: excessive cursive, an ancient Roman doing a split, and an olive branch embossed on the actual bottle) and think, Bingo, that’s going to be great, only to get home and find that the oil is rancid and flat. The product next to it on the shelf with the plainer label might have been four times as good for the same price. Instead of playing the “what if” game, pull out your phone and google the brand or simply ask the staff. (If you’re extra, do both.) While this does take a few more minutes, you’re almost guaranteed to learn something new about the olive oil stocked by the store. You might find a new brand you love (and if you ruin the aesthetic in your pantry…it’s going to be okay).

Purchase EVOO Often

Before you buy any new olive oil, take an inventory of your bottles. Make sure you’ve checked your pantry, counters, and fridge (we’ll talk about storage soon) for any stray bottles, and make a list of what you have (you can do this in the Notes app on your phone).

Now it’s time to buy new olive oil—but how much should you buy at a time? Well, this depends on your household size and rate of consumption. A helpful bit of information: A 16.9-fluid-ounce (500-milliliter) bottle of extra-virgin olive oil can last one person about thirty days if they consume 1 tablespoon a day. Depending on how much one person cooks and entertains, they might go through a quarter of a bottle to two bottles a month. During the holiday season, you’ll likely use more. We recommend purchasing EVOO based on how much you and your household truly use on a regular basis.

Here’s a cheat sheet for a 16.9-fluid-ounce (500-milliliter) bottle:

HOUSEHOLD OF 1

½ to 1 bottle per month

HOUSEHOLD OF 2

1 to 2 bottles per month

HOUSEHOLD OF 3

1½ to 2 bottles per month

HOUSEHOLD OF 4

2 to 3 bottles per month

HOUSEHOLD OF 5

3 to 4 bottles per month

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