Olive Oil - the acid test

There are some things a Spanish kitchen can live without. Olive oil is not one of them. 

So much Spanish cooking depends on olive oil. I was never a fan until i lived in Spain. I'm surrounded by olive trees, so now i use it every bit as much as my Spanish neighbours. If you want to serve up the best Spanish food, you must have some olive oil handy. So what are the rules and regulations of this so called 'liquid gold.'  

Olive oil must not be exposed to heat, light or air for any sustained length of time. Keep it in the shade and leave it in the dark. There's no doubt that olive oil is in its best condition in the first year. If it has been hanging around your kitchen for a couple of years or more, do smell it before pouring. It may be rancid, in which case throw it away. Experts judge the quality of olive oil by its acidity and the highest quality oil has the lowest level of acidity. Extra virgin oil has the highest grade and is, therefore, the most expensive. Its acidity level must not exceed one per cent, or one gram for every 100g of oil.

I'd never used olive oil on salads before i lived in Spain. I never used olive oil on bread or toast before i lived in Spain. Now i love the stuff. I put olive oil on my bread, with salt. Unthinkable 10 years ago, it is now a favourite habit of mine. A good one. Extra virgin oil has a more distinct colour, aroma and flavour than virgin olive oil. The latter has a marginally higher acidity level of no more than 1-5%. It's often used in Spain for salad dressings.

Meanwhile the cheaper, ordinary olive oil has an acidity level of no more than 3.3%. This is what most Spanish chefs and housewives use for general cooking. It is a more healthy option than using butter and is ideal for frying, grilling and roasting.

The health benefits of, in particular, virgin olive oil are well documented. Many a doctor inside and outside of Spain will tell, for example, athritis sufferers to take a shot or two of olive oil or to always cook using it. 

So next time you are pouring olive oil over a salad or cheese, spreading it on your bread or cooking with it;  have in mind that it not only tastes good. It does you good.