My husband Peter grew up in Messini, Greece, just outside of Kalamata where those famous olives come from. His family still has olive fields there, which Peter estimates go back three generations, and he still remembers that different world—carrying water from the town well several times a day with a yoke and two buckets around his neck, the feel of those ancient groves. When he was seven, his family came to America on a steam ship, his first glimpse of his new home the Statue of Liberty rising from the harbor. They built a new life here, and now Peter is celebrating fifty years in the restaurant business. Olive oil has been a constant thread through all of it—from those Greek fields of his childhood to our kitchen today, this golden liquid connects us to history, to family, and to the beautiful simplicity of fruit pressed into something extraordinary.
Table of Contents
- A Journey Through Time: The Story of Olive Oil
- The Science Behind the Magic
- How Olive Oil is Made
- Understanding Olive Oil Grades and Labels
- The Geography of Flavor
- Cooking with Olive Oil: Techniques and Applications
- Selecting and Storing Your Olive Oil
- The Health Story
- Building Your Olive Oil Practice
- An Ingredient Worth Knowing
A Journey Through Time: The Story of Olive Oil
The olive tree’s relationship with humanity stretches back at least 6,000 years, possibly longer. Archaeological evidence suggests that people in the eastern Mediterranean were cultivating olive trees and pressing their fruit into oil as early as 4000 BCE. The ancient Minoans on Crete built their economy around olive oil, using it not just for cooking, but for lighting lamps, treating wounds, and anointing bodies in sacred rituals.
The ancient Greeks and Romans elevated olive oil to something almost divine. Homer called it “liquid gold,” and in Greek mythology, the goddess Athena gifted the olive tree to humanity. Victorious Olympic athletes were crowned with olive wreaths and awarded amphorae filled with precious oil. Roman emperors distributed olive oil to their citizens, and Roman engineers developed sophisticated pressing technologies that remained virtually unchanged for nearly two thousand years.
As civilizations spread across the Mediterranean and beyond, olive trees traveled with them. Spanish conquistadors brought olive cultivation to the Americas in the 16th century. Today, while the Mediterranean basin still produces most of the world’s olive oil, you’ll find olive groves from California to Australia, Chile to South Africa, anywhere the climate offers warm, dry summers and mild, wet winters.
The Science Behind the Magic
What makes olive oil so special isn’t just its history—it’s the remarkable chemistry happening inside each olive and during the pressing process.
From Flower to Fruit
Olive trees bloom in spring with delicate white flowers, but only about 2% of these flowers actually become olives. The fruit begins green and hard, gradually ripening through shades of purple to black, growing plumper and oilier as it matures. Inside each olive, triglycerides (the fats) accumulate in tiny droplets within the fruit’s cells.
The timing of harvest dramatically affects the oil’s character. Early harvest olives (green and just beginning to ripen) produce oils that are intensely grassy, peppery, and bitter, packed with polyphenols and antioxidants. Late harvest olives (fully black and soft) yield milder, buttery, golden oils with less bitterness but also fewer of those healthful compounds. Many producers harvest at various stages to create oils with specific flavor profiles.
The Chemistry of Flavor
When you taste high-quality olive oil, what you’re experiencing is an extraordinary symphony of chemical compounds. The peppery sensation in your throat comes from oleocanthal, a polyphenol with anti-inflammatory properties similar to ibuprofen. That pleasant bitterness? That’s from other polyphenols like oleuropein. The fruity, grassy notes come from volatile compounds released when the olives are crushed.
These compounds do more than create flavor—they’re powerful antioxidants that protect both the oil and, when you consume it, your cells. This is why the best olive oils can have that assertive, almost aggressive character. Those strong flavors signal the presence of compounds that keep the oil stable and support heart health, brain function, and overall wellness.
How Olive Oil is Made
The basic principle of making olive oil hasn’t changed in millennia: crush the olives, separate the oil from the solids and water. But the methods range from ancient to ultra-modern.
Traditional Methods
In traditional production, olives are crushed using massive stone wheels that slowly grind the fruit—pit and all—into a paste. This paste is then spread on woven mats (traditionally esparto grass, now often synthetic), which are stacked and placed under a hydraulic or screw press. Pressure squeezes out the oil and water mixture, which is then separated, traditionally by allowing the lighter oil to rise to the top.
These old methods are gentle and romantic, but they have drawbacks. The process takes time, during which the crushed olives can oxidize, leading to defects in the oil. The mats can harbor bacteria between uses. Still, some artisan producers maintain these traditions, and when done meticulously, the results can be exceptional.
Modern Production
Most quality olive oil today comes from modern continuous-cycle mills. The process begins the same way—crushing the olives into paste—but instead of stone wheels, most mills now use hammer mills or disk crushers. The paste is then mixed (a process called malaxation) at carefully controlled temperatures, usually between 70-80°F. This gentle warming helps the tiny oil droplets combine into larger ones that are easier to extract, but the temperature must stay low to preserve the oil’s delicate flavors and healthful compounds.
Modern centrifuges then separate the oil from the fruit water and solids, producing pristine olive oil in a fraction of the time traditional methods required. The entire process, from fruit to finished oil, can happen in under an hour, minimizing oxidation and preserving freshness.
Industrial Production
Large-scale industrial operations use similar technology but on a massive scale, often processing olives from multiple sources and regions. While these oils can certainly be safe and pleasant, they typically lack the distinctive character of small-batch production. Industrial facilities may also use chemical extraction or refinement processes to increase yields or improve oils that developed defects during processing or storage.
Understanding Olive Oil Grades and Labels
Walking down the olive oil aisle can feel overwhelming. The bottles make all sorts of claims, and the price range is staggering. Understanding what these terms actually mean helps you choose the right oil for your needs.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
Extra virgin is the highest grade of olive oil, and the designation means something specific. To earn this label, oil must be extracted using only mechanical methods (no heat or chemicals), and it must meet strict chemical and sensory standards. It must have no taste defects and display some degree of fruitiness. The free acidity (a measure of fatty acid breakdown) must be less than 0.8%. When you see “extra virgin” on a bottle, you’re looking at pure, unrefined olive juice—essentially, fresh-squeezed fruit.
Virgin Olive Oil
Virgin olive oil is also mechanically extracted and unrefined, but it can have slight taste defects and its free acidity can be up to 2%. You’ll rarely see this grade in stores, as most producers blend oils that don’t meet extra virgin standards into lower grades.
Refined and “Pure” Olive Oil
Olive oil (sometimes labeled “pure olive oil”) is typically a blend of refined olive oil and a small amount of virgin or extra virgin oil. The refined portion has been treated with heat, chemicals, or both to remove defects, color, and most flavor. The small addition of virgin oil adds back some color and taste. These oils are perfectly fine for cooking at higher temperatures, but they lack the complexity and health benefits of extra virgin oil.
Light and Extra Light Olive Oil
Despite what the name suggests, light olive oil has the same calories as any other olive oil. “Light” refers only to flavor and color—these are highly refined oils with very mild taste, useful when you want fat without olive flavor, but offering minimal health benefits beyond basic fat content.
What About “First Cold Press”?
You’ll often see bottles labeled “first cold press” or “cold pressed.” Historically, this meant something significant—olives were pressed multiple times, and the first pressing produced the best oil. Today, with modern continuous-cycle mills, there is no “second pressing.” The “cold” part means the oil was extracted without heat, which is required for extra virgin designation anyway. So while not misleading, these terms are largely marketing rather than meaningful distinctions in modern production.
The Geography of Flavor
Just as wine expresses its terroir, olive oils carry the signature of where they’re grown. Each major producing region has developed its own styles and traditions.
Italy
Italian olive oils are perhaps the most famous, but Italy is actually a tapestry of regional styles. Tuscan oils from Frantoio, Leccino, and Moraiolo olives are known for their assertive, peppery character with herbaceous notes. Southern Italian oils from Puglia, made from Coratina and Ogliarola varieties, can be intensely fruity and bitter. Ligurian oils from Taggiasca olives are delicate, almost sweet, with almond notes.
Spain
Spain is actually the world’s largest olive oil producer. The Picual variety dominates Spanish production, creating oils with tomato and herb notes and a pleasant bitterness. Arbequina, grown primarily in Catalonia, produces mild, buttery oils with notes of apple and almond. Hojiblanca from Andalusia offers a balanced, slightly spicy character.
Greece
Greek olive oil, particularly from the Kalamata region and the Koroneiki variety, tends toward a more moderate peppery character with fruity notes—think green tomato, artichoke, and fresh-cut grass. Greek oils often have a pleasant golden-green color and a smooth finish.
Other Regions
California produces excellent oils, particularly from Arbequina and Frantoio varieties, often with a fresh, bright character. Australian oils have gained recognition for their quality and innovation. Chilean olive oil benefits from the southern hemisphere’s opposite seasons, providing “fresh” oil when northern hemisphere production is aging.
Cooking with Olive Oil: Techniques and Applications
Understanding how to use olive oil in your cooking transforms both your dishes and your relationship with this ancient ingredient.
The Heat Question
There’s considerable confusion about cooking with olive oil, particularly regarding heat. The truth is, extra virgin olive oil is excellent for most cooking applications. Quality EVOO has a smoke point between 375-405°F, well above most sautéing temperatures (around 250-350°F) and suitable even for most frying (350-375°F). The polyphenols that give EVOO its health benefits also help protect it from oxidation during cooking.
That said, the choice of oil depends on the dish. For high-heat cooking or when you want neutral flavor, refined olive oil or other high-smoke-point oils might be more appropriate. For finishing dishes or making vinaigrettes, the complex flavors of extra virgin oil shine. (For a deeper exploration of smoke points and how different fats perform in cooking, you might enjoy our complete guide to cooking fats.)
Everyday Cooking
For sautéing vegetables or proteins, extra virgin olive oil is wonderful. The heat brings out its fruity qualities while the fat carries the flavors of your other ingredients. When sautéing garlic, the oil’s fruitiness complements the garlic’s pungency beautifully.
For roasting, toss vegetables or proteins in olive oil before they go in the oven. The oil helps achieve that beautiful caramelization and adds its own character to the finished dish. A robust, peppery oil can stand up to hearty vegetables like cauliflower or Brussels sprouts.
Pasta water benefits from a generous glug of olive oil after draining, particularly for simple preparations. Toss hot pasta with good olive oil, maybe some reserved pasta water, garlic, and red pepper flakes, and you have a classic preparation that lets the oil’s character shine.
Finishing and Raw Applications
This is where extra virgin olive oil truly performs magic. A drizzle of high-quality EVOO on finished soups adds richness and brings all the flavors together. Try it on a simple white bean soup or creamy tomato bisque.
For salad dressings, the formula is simple: three parts olive oil to one part acid (vinegar or citrus juice), plus salt, pepper, and perhaps a touch of mustard or honey. Whisk vigorously or shake in a jar. The emulsion of olive oil and vinegar creates something greater than its parts, coating greens and vegetables perfectly.
Bread dipping is traditional for good reason. Pour good olive oil into a shallow dish, perhaps with a sprinkle of coarse salt, crushed red pepper, or dried herbs. The oil’s fruitiness, the salt’s crunch, and the bread’s chew create a perfect combination.
For vegetables and proteins, a final drizzle of peppery olive oil just before serving adds a fresh dimension. This works beautifully on grilled vegetables, roasted fish, or even a simple omelet.
Baking with Olive Oil
Olive oil can replace butter or neutral oils in many baking applications. In Mediterranean baking traditions, olive oil cakes are beloved for their moist crumb and unique flavor. Use mild olive oil for most baking, or embrace a more robust oil for rustic breads, focaccia, or savory baked goods. As a general rule, use about ¾ cup of olive oil to replace 1 cup of butter. If you’d like to try a beautiful example of olive oil in baking, our Greek olive oil and honey cake with walnuts and figs showcases how olive oil creates an impossibly moist, tender crumb with subtle fruity notes.
Selecting and Storing Your Olive Oil
Choosing good olive oil and keeping it fresh protects your investment and ensures you’re getting the full benefit of this wonderful ingredient.
What to Look For
Start with the harvest date. Fresh olive oil is better olive oil. Look for bottles that list a harvest date (not just a “best by” date), ideally from the most recent harvest season. Olive oil from the northern hemisphere is harvested October through January; southern hemisphere harvest runs May through July.
The container matters. Olive oil should come in dark glass bottles or tins that protect it from light. Clear bottles might look pretty on the shelf, but light degrades the oil’s quality over time.
Check for specific information. Quality producers tell you the olive variety, the region or estate where the olives grew, and how they processed the oil. Vague labels like “Product of Italy” could mean olives from multiple countries, processed and bottled in Italy. Single-estate oils or PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) certification indicate higher standards.
Price reflects quality to a point. Truly excellent extra virgin olive oil costs more than everyday cooking oil—those olives were carefully grown, harvested, and processed within hours. But the most expensive bottle isn’t always the best. A mid-range bottle from a reputable producer often represents excellent value.
Storage
Keep olive oil in a cool, dark place, away from the stove. Heat, light, and oxygen are olive oil’s enemies. A cabinet away from heat sources is ideal. Refrigeration isn’t necessary for oils you’ll use within a few months, though it won’t harm the oil—it will just solidify and become cloudy, clearing and liquefying again at room temperature.
Use olive oil within 12-18 months of the harvest date. While it won’t suddenly go bad, it will gradually lose its vitality, becoming less peppery and vibrant over time. Eventually, it may develop rancid flavors. Buy what you’ll use within a few months, and consider keeping two bottles: a special one for finishing dishes and a more affordable one for everyday cooking.
Tasting Olive Oil
Professional tasters evaluate olive oil by pouring a small amount into a glass, warming it in their hands, and then smelling deeply before tasting. To taste properly, take a small sip, draw air through the oil (making that characteristic slurping sound), and let it coat your mouth. Notice the flavors—fruitiness, bitterness, and pungency (that peppery throat catch) are all positive attributes in fresh, quality oil.
Defects you might encounter include rancidity (like old nuts or crayons), mustiness (moldy smell from olives that sat too long before processing), or winey-vinegary notes (from fermentation). If your oil has these characteristics, it’s past its prime or was poorly made.
The Health Story
The health benefits of olive oil have been studied extensively, particularly in the context of the Mediterranean diet. Extra virgin olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fats, particularly oleic acid, which supports cardiovascular health. Those polyphenols we discussed—the compounds responsible for bitterness and pungency—have powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
Regular consumption of extra virgin olive oil has been associated with reduced risk of heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers. It may help regulate blood sugar and support brain health. The Mediterranean diet, with olive oil as a central fat source, consistently ranks as one of the healthiest dietary patterns in the world.
What’s particularly wonderful is that these benefits come from something that also tastes beautiful. You’re not forcing down medicine; you’re savoring something humans have treasured for six thousand years.
Building Your Olive Oil Practice
Developing a relationship with olive oil doesn’t require expertise or expense—just curiosity and attention. Start by tasting your current olive oil. Really taste it. Notice what you smell and taste beyond just “olive oil.” Is it grassy? Peppery? Mild and buttery?
Try oils from different regions or varieties side by side. Pour a little of each into small bowls with bread for dipping, and notice the differences. Some will appeal to you more than others, and that’s perfect—there’s no right answer, only your preference.
Experiment with using olive oil in new ways. If you always cook with it, try it as a finisher. If you only use it raw, sauté with it. Notice how heat transforms its character, how it carries other flavors, how it makes vegetables glisten and proteins crisp.
Visit a specialty store or olive oil shop if you have one nearby. Many offer tastings, and the staff can guide you toward oils that match your preferences and needs. Learning about olive oil from knowledgeable, passionate people is a gift.
An Ingredient Worth Knowing
Olive oil connects us to history, to the land, to the people who tend ancient groves and modern mills. It’s both everyday and extraordinary—simple enough for drizzling on bread, complex enough to study for a lifetime. When you choose olive oil thoughtfully, store it carefully, and use it with attention, you’re participating in a tradition that has sustained communities and cuisines for millennia.
The beautiful thing about olive oil is that it rewards both casual enjoyment and deep exploration. You can simply keep a bottle by your stove and enjoy its flavor, or you can dive into the fascinating world of varieties, regions, and production methods. Either way, you’re enriching your cooking and your life with something that has brought joy and nourishment to countless tables throughout human history.
So pour yourself a little in a small dish, tear off some good bread, and taste. That peppery catch in your throat? That’s six thousand years of cultivation and care. That fruity aroma? That’s sunshine and stone and skilled hands. That golden-green liquid is more than fat—it’s a connection to something larger than any single meal, any single moment in the kitchen. It’s liquid gold, just as Homer said, and it’s waiting to transform your cooking, one drizzle at a time.
Discover more from The Noms
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
