Cooking with olive oil


silentrage

Delta Girl
Do you cook with olive oil? NPR has a good article and some recipes using olive oil.

Those of you in the DC area can take a class on olive oil at the Smithsonian.

Portion of the article pasted below. Follow link for full article.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6285804
Like Fine Wines, Fine Olive Oils Boast Subtle Joys

NPR.org, October 18, 2006 ? "What do you smell?" she asked.
I leaned over and sniffed the bottle in her hands.


"Floral," I said. She scrunched her face. Clearly, I had more to learn.
Frances Chastang is the packaged food buyer for the gourmet store, Dean & Deluca, in Washington, D.C. She is the region's resident expert on olive oil and even teaches a class on the subject at the Smithsonian.


When I stopped by recently to ask for a few pointers on picking an extra-virgin olive oil, she graciously offered to give me a crash course and an informal tasting, similar to what one would experience with wines. My "floral" mistake was early in the lesson.


Gourmet olive oil, in fact, is a lot like wine -- and easily as expensive a habit. Sixteen-ounce bottles of the finest oil can run $30 or more, giving new meaning to Homer's description of it as "liquid gold."
 
I haven't tried it, but then again, I don't cook with any oil.

I've heard that people in the Mediterranian(sp) region are much healthier because they use mostly olive oil.
 
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The article also offers some pointers on storing, the history, tasting and healing properties of olive oil.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6285804
How to Store Olive Oil

The two biggest enemies of olive oil are sunlight and oxidation. The oil loses its flavor and begins to go rancid. Good olive oil usually comes in a dark bottle to protect the oil from the sun's rays. If you keep it in a cool, dark place and always keep the cork or screwtop on tightly, the oil should keep for up to a year.

If you prefer keeping your oil in the fridge, you may notice a separation of particles in the bottle. Don't be alarmed. Just allow it to warm to room temperature before using.

If you make herb-infused oils, be careful not to store them for more than a week. The water content in herbs and garlic will help promote bacteria buildup in the oil, which can eventually lead to botulism.
How to Taste Olive Oil

When sampling a gourmet olive oil, try it on its own to detect the subtleties of flavor. Smell the oil first, then taste it. How does it feel on your tongue? Thick like motor oil or slippery and light?

What do you sense immediately and then what do you taste as it hits the back of your throat, where hot and peppery flavors linger? You may notice a hint of familiar fruits or vegetables: lemons, pears, tomatoes, apples, avocado or nuts.

An oil's color does not indicate its flavor. A yellow oil may be hot and peppery while a green oil can be bland.

Remember, like wine, it doesn't matter how much you spend on an oil. What matters is whether you like it. But the better the oil, the more likely it can hold up on its own rather than be masked by other flavors or muted by heat.
Olive Oil's Ancient History

Olive oil is one of civilization's oldest foods, dating to at least the 10th century B.C. The word "oil" actually is derived from the same root as "olive."

In the Book of Genesis, Noah knows the floodwaters have receded when he sees a dove carrying an olive branch -- now a universal sign of peace. In Greek mythology, Zeus offered Attica to the god or goddess with the most useful invention. Athena, goddess of wisdom and peace, won the prize for her creation of the olive tree.

Olive oil was used in the Temple of Israel. The kings of Israel and Judah were anointed with olive oil, and from this ritual of anointing the Jews referred to their savior as "Messiah," Hebrew for "anointed one." Christ, too, is derived from the Greek word, Kristos, which is a direct translation of "anointed one."
Olive Oil's Healing Qualities

Olive oil has monounsaturated fats, the same "healthy" fat found in avocados and nuts. It contains no cholesterol and is rich in antioxidants such as vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol), carotenoids and phenolic compounds. Olives and olive oil are mainstays of a Mediterranean diet, which doctors believe helps reduce the risk of heart disease.

Olive oil is also used as a skin moisturizer.

One tablespoon of olive oil has 120 calories, but it's worth every one of them. Don't be fooled by "light" olive oil. The term denotes color alone and has the same number of calories as regular olive oil.
 
I use the cheap version of Extra-Virgin Olive Oil. :emlaugh: It's supposedly better for you, than regular vegatable oil.
 
I use olive oil exclusively when preparing meals that require a lil' sautee'ing or frying. :)

Has a nice flavor and the health benefits are an added bonus.
 
I use it in the place of oil, at times.

When I do fry, which is hardly ever.............as a matter of fact, I can't remember when the last time I fried anything! :xeye:
But when I do, I will use Canola oil, but I mostly just spray with Pam when stir frying.
 
^^^^^
Well Less Fry U up and toss You like a salad....:ebrow:
:lmao:

I only use Canola/ Olive Oil.......If used....
 
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I am an OLIVE OIL freak. I saute' my vegetables olive oil all the time. Even make an olive oil vinergarette fory salads. My favorite olive is CARAPELLI EXTRA VIRGIN it has a nice flavor. It's stonger than POMPEIAN olive oil.
 
Does that help dry skin>?:D
Yep, better than lotion. My grandmother never used it in cooking, but would drink it (from the bottle,) rub it on her skin and hair. I use it in the winter & occasionally take a teaspoonful in juice.
 
Yep, better than lotion. My grandmother never used it in cooking, but would drink it (from the bottle,) rub it on her skin and hair. I use it in the winter & occasionally take a teaspoonful in juice.

:tup: :tup: One of those blurbs I posted up there ^^ talked about using it in those manners.
 
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