What's cookin', good lookin'?

The whole olive oil industry is in flux this year, with soaring prices, global shortages, and an ever-increasing demand for the good stuff. So let’s talk about why is olive oil so expensive and if there’s any signs of prices going back down.  As we were in Crete harvesting what little fruit was in Christina’s groves back in November, our phone rang from another producer, Marianna, in the Peloponnese. She was fighting back tears. We’d had chats throughout the season and we were aware the harve...

There’s a lot of talk lately about polyphenols and the important role they play in our overall health. And while they exist in loads of plants, there are some powerful ones specific to virgin olive oils which help to explain why it's been considered a superfood since antiquity. Perhaps it’s spearheaded by a wider post-Covid health movement, or the “Zoe-fication” from new innovations and research in the nutrition space, or maybe it’s just that we’re forever chasing the fountain of youth… Whate...

  There’s a fat lot of good olive oil can do for you. There’s also a lot of misconceptions out there. It’s time to cut through the fog and get to your burning questions. Is olive oil really that healthy? Yes. Yes, it is. Here’s why... Olive oil is almost 100 percent liquid fat. And in a world where the mere mention of "fat" makes many uncomfortable, it’s found itself unjustly feared. Yet, in the grand parade of fats, there are unsung heroes, and yes, extra virgin olive oil proudly leads that ...

You buy a nice bottle of olive oil, but when you take a closer look, you notice white bits floating around in it. Is this mould? Is it dangerous? Let's have a look at this common, cold-weather condition... Through that dark glass (yes, it should be dark *not* clear), you see some suspicious shapes. There's cloudiness, small pellets, white flex, or crystal-like shapes are swimming around—and it all looks a lot like mould. But don't toss it yet! Chill out; your oil might just be a little cold. ...

For years, a question has puzzled home cooks and chefs alike: ‘can I cook with olive oil?’. Traditionalists say no, health experts say yes, and people from the Mediterranean say absolutely. Let’s uncover the ancient wisdom. It's time to cook with extra virgin olive oil. For the past few decades, a simple yet confounding question has stumped home cooks and professional chefs alike: can you cook with olive oil? Traditional cooking authorities have categorically shunned the use of extra virgin ...