MASTER CLASS

Extra-virgin, light, single-estate, unfiltered, cold-pressed, Greek, Spanish, Italian – buying olive oil can be a confusing business. Here’s how to decode the label.

EXTRA-VIRGIN, ORDINARY AND LIGHT OLIVE OILS

Extra-virgin olive oil comes from the very first pressing of the olives. Provided it passes certain chemical and flavour tests, it can be labelled as ‘extra-virgin’. It will have a distinctive flavour, often with fruity and peppery notes. Extra-virgin olive oil is a good choice for sprinkling over salads and vegetables, although it can sometimes be too strong to use in a flavoured dressing.

‘Ordinary’ and ‘light’ olive oils lack the characterful flavours of extra-virgin and are produced by further refining – either mechanically or chemically.

Ordinary olive oil is generally a blend of refined oils and extra-virgin (or virgin, a slightly lower quality category).

Light olive oil is an even more refined oil with a neutral taste. It can be useful when you want a less robust flavour – in a mayonnaise or light salad dressing, for instance.

COOKING WITH OLIVE OIL Light olive oil is a good choice for frying. Extra-virgin can also be used for frying, although it’s expensive and loses its character at high temperatures. Some advise against using it for deep frying, saying it breaks down to produce harmful compounds at a lower temperature than some other oils. However, this doesn’t happen below 190°C – it’s best not to deep-fry at temperatures above this.