We are never surprised when clients come into one of our stores to ask us “pressing” question about olive oil. Questions like “Is it First Press?” or “Do you make the Olive Oil here?” or “Do you have any Olive Oil from Cyprus? (insert any country here)” We love all the questions! Why? Because we are experts in everything olive oil and our owner/founder is a certified Olive Oil Sommelier – that’s why our name is Olive Oil Co. Inc. We’re not just a specialty food store or a gift shop that sells Olive Oil as a side hustle! And we are in our 10th year of operation in this area. We are locally-owned and operated and we LOVE what we do!
So when you’re purchasing Olive Oil, please ask yourself the following 5 questions, (especially if there’s nobody around to ask):
- Harvest Date – when was the oil actually made? You need to know this because if it gets too old, it will go rancid, just like any other fruit juice.
- Bottle – Is it in a dark green glass bottle or stainless bottle? It should be.
- Chemistry – Is any Chemical analysis provided? FFA, PV, DAGS, Polyphenols, Oleic Acid etc. This chemistry ensures you’re actually buying real Olive Oil.
- Olive – Are the olive varietals listed on the bottle? Coratina, Arbequina, Hojiblanca, Frantoio etc. Knowing the ingredients beyond “olive oil” is really supportive in ensuring quality.
- Country – Is the country of origin mentioned? Knowing where your oil is actually from, and that it’s not just a blend of a variety of countries or good and bad olives, or a grocery brand, gives you a better chance of finding an authentic extra virgin olive oil.
Or, drop by and ask us. We LOVE that!
