I love Olives!

Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are.
The Physiology of Taste, 1825

Olive oil is a mono-unsaturated lipid that's better for you than saturated animal fats such as butter and lard, and also better than poly-unsaturated fats such as canola and safflower oils.

Olive oil also contains vitamins, anti-oxidants, and other healthy things that only a chemist can pronounce.

Choosing a bottle from a supermarket shelf can be confusing. There will be dozens of bottles all with different labels, but there are really only three types of olive oil, depending upon the way it's been extracted.

Extra Virgin
When a bottle is labeled extra virgin the oil is derived from the first processing of the olives. To be certified as 'extra virgin' it must have a maximum acidity of 1 percent. (A little acidity is unavoidable). Some of the more reputable products register well below that level, coming in at below 0.5 percent.

Virgin
Virgin oil is derived from a subsequent processing of the olives, but still contains only juice from the olive. The acidity level must be between 1 and 2 per cent.

Plain
Plain olive oil uses chemicals to extract the last bit of olive oil from the paste and can't be labeled organic. This can also be called 'extra light'. It's a perfectly good oil and ideal for pan-frying or lightly greasing a casserole dish.

Other terms sometimes used
But wait, there are more labels with different terms on. What do they all mean?

Cold Pressed
Cold pressed is an anachronistic label description for olive oil. Fifty years ago when most oil was made in vertical presses, the paste was pressed to make olive oil (called the first press) and then mixed with hot water or steam and pressed again to remove more oil. This "second pressing" wasn't as tasty as the heat had evaporated some of the delicate flavours.

The less the olive oil is handled, the closer to its natural state, the better the oil. If the olive oil meets all the criteria, it can be designated as "extra virgin".

Keep in mind that olives are fruit - so olive oil is a fruit juice. Like any fruit juice, keep it in the fridge.

When it's been kept in the fridge, or sometimes on an extra cold day, olive oil will turn a cloudy colour. If the weather is really cold, the oil may even congeal. Don't worry, there's nothing wrong with your oil and it will return to its clear and lovely liquid state when it regains room temperature. Being kept in the fridge will lengthen the life of your oil.

In the warm climate where I live, olive oil must always be kept refrigerated. My neighbour, an older lady who came to Australia from Greece over 50 years ago, refuses to keep her extra extra virgin olive oil in the fridge as she says it removes some of the flavour. She keeps hers in the wine cellar instead.

When I buy a large amount of olive oil it's in a tin. I pour some off into 2 or 3 bottles and keep the tin down the bottom of a dark cupboard in the laundry. (Next to my mushroom boxes). If I had such a thing as a wine cellar instead of a small wooden rack on my kitchen bench, I would keep the tins of oil down there too. But the oil that I decant is always in the fridge.

Light and heat will damage your olive oil. Don't put your bottles of liquid gold on the windowsill and never, ever pour olive oil into plastic containers.

Olive Oil in Bottle, Olives Photographic Print
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Have you ever tried freezing olive oil in ice cube trays to use instead of butter?

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There are safe and unsafe ways to make flavoured olive oil. The unsafe way is to put anything in the oil which contains water.

Two Methods of Safe Flavouring :

1. Mix all the ingredients, make sure the oil covers the herbs, refrigerate, and use within 10 days.

2. Dry the herbs to remove all water, leaving the essential oils. You can hang up whole sprigs of thyme, rosemary etc in the sun to dry.

What you need
Olive Oil
Fresh Rosemary Twig
Clove of Garlic
Pinch of Salt

What you do
Combine all the above ingredients in a clear bottle. Make sure the oil covers the clove and the rosemary (push them down with a skewer if necessary - don't break the clove) Leave it in the fridge for a few days before using.
*Use as a dip for bread or as salad dressing.

What you need
250 g of black olives with stone removed
80 g of anchovies washed and thinly cut
50 g of capers
Juice of a lemon
1/4 cup brandy
200g olive oil
salt & pepper to taste

What you do
Mash up olives, anchovies and capers in a mortar
Add lemon juice, brandy,olive oil, salt, pepper and stir well.

Keep the pate in a closed jar in the fridge.

What you need
* 1/3 cup (79 ml) chopped, pitted green olives
* 8 ounces (225 g) cream cheese, softened to room temperature
* 2 tablespoons (30 g) freshly squeezed lemon juice
* 2 tablespoons (30 g) finely chopped fresh chives
* freshly ground black pepper to taste
* 8 ounces (225 g) thinly sliced smoked salmon

What you do

In a small bowl, thoroughly mix chopped olives with the cream cheese, lemon juice and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Place a thin slice of salmon on your bench or board, with one of the narrow ends toward you.

Place a rounded tablespoon of the olive mixture on the end nearest you and roll up in the salmon.

Repeat with remaining salmon and cheese, arrange on a serving plate, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until serving time.