Guides
Olive Oil Guides
Short guides to extra virgin olive oil — how to spot the real thing, how to use it, and what to check before buying.
How to use
Olive oil in children's cooking
The peppery bite can be strong for small children. Here is how to soften it.
1 min read
How to use
Olive oil salad dressings: three basics
Three parts oil to one part acid. The rest is easy.
1 min read
Buying guides
Olive oil compared with other cooking oils
Every oil has its place. Here is how to pick for each job.
1 min read
Quality & testing
What does cold pressed mean?
The term is often used loosely. Here is what it should mean.
1 min read
Quality & testing
What do international olive oil awards mean?
Blind panels judge flavour. Labs judge numbers. They are different things.
1 min read
For businesses
Buying olive oil wholesale for restaurants and retailers
Sizes, cost per serving, and the paperwork resale requires.
1 min read
Buying guides
Olive oil as a gift
A food gift that actually gets used rather than stored in a cupboard.
1 min read
Real or fake
How to tell real olive oil from fake
The fridge test proves nothing. Here is what you can actually check.
2 min read
Quality & testing
What is free acidity in olive oil?
The international limit is 0.8%. Olivko measures 0.18%. What does that mean?
1 min read
Real or fake
How to read an olive oil label
"Packed in Italy" and "light" do not mean what you think.
1 min read
Buying guides
Extra virgin, virgin, pure and pomace explained
"Pure" sounds like the best one. It is not.
1 min read
How to use
10 everyday ways to use extra virgin olive oil
Not just for salad. Ten ways that fit everyday cooking.
1 min read
How to use
Can you drink olive oil straight?
Yes — but only extra virgin, and the peppery kick is normal.
1 min read
How to use
Can you fry with extra virgin olive oil?
Fine for sautéing and roasting. For deep frying, something cheaper makes sense.
1 min read
Quality & testing
What are polyphenols in olive oil?
Why fresh olive oil catches at the back of your throat.
1 min read
How to use
How to store olive oil so it keeps
Do not keep it next to the stove. Here is why.
1 min read
Buying guides
Halal olive oil in Malaysia: what to check
Pure olive oil has no animal ingredients. So what is actually being checked?
1 min read
Buying guides
What does organic olive oil mean?
"Organic" on a label only means something if a body verified it.
1 min read
Buying guides
How to choose the best olive oil in Malaysia
Six things to check before you pay.
1 min read
Quality & testing
Why Tunisian olive oil?
Much European-labelled oil actually starts in North Africa.
1 min read