Choosing The Right Olive Oil  

Author: litalia

A DEFINITION: "Extra Virgin" is any olive oil that is less than 1% acidity, produced by the first pressing of the olive fruit. Most olive oils today are extra virgin in name only, meeting only the minimum requirement. Extra virgin is a chemical requirement that does not indicate either quality or taste.

QUALITY: With an impressively low acidity level of 0.225%, Lucini has a level of quality that can only be achieved one way -- through hand harvesting and pressing within 24 hours. The premium flavor reflects the expert touch of our master cultivator: knowing when to harvest, avoiding bruising, and handling the fruit with the utmost care.
 

Several categories are crucial to judging the excellence of an extra virgin olive oil: aroma, taste, color, body and pepperiness. Any one of these can affect the quality of the oil. Below we have explained the most important parameters experts look at when judging extra virgin olive oil. AROMA: Is it natural, "green?" Aroma should never be processed and harsh. Regular extra virgin olive oil is often processed and high pressure filtered. This becomes apparent in the oil's smell -- oily, processed, and manufactured -- in other words, unpleasant. But Lucini Premium Select has a fresh and natural aroma, reminiscent of the lush green hills and fertile soil where its olives are grown
 

TASTE: Is it natural, alive? Is there a peppery finish? Taste should never be fatty, oily, stale or lingering. Fresh, quality, olives produce a "green" taste: almond-like, with a momentary, distinct peppery finish. A quality extra virgin olive oil will reflect this balanced taste. Compared to bland, regular extra virgin olive oil, Lucini's authentic flavor confirms that nothing is added, nothing is taken away.
 

CONSISTENCY: Is there a defined body? Consistency shouldn't be weak or runny. Extra virgin olive oil should be defined, not thin or runny. Lucini has a defined body and firmness. This is a result of Lucini's method of gently extracting the oil from the fruit. Unlike regular extra virgin olive oil that separates, Lucini binds with ingredients, absorbing and enhancing the natural flavors present in your cooking. A firm, defined body lets you know that no heat or bacteria were used during the extraction process.

COLOR: Is it richly colored? Yellow versus green. True experts can gain insight into the quality of an extra virgin olive oil from its appearance. They can tell when the fruit was harvested, and the type and condition of olives used. But anyone can determine whether an extra virgin olive oil is of good quality by examining its color. When held up to a light, a good extra virgin olive oil will appear to have green undertones. Fruit that is overripe when harvested will appear yellow, this indicates oxidization. The rich, verdant green color of Lucini oil is a direct reflection of the quality olives grown in our highland estates. Only by hand-harvesting the olive fruit at the time of its peak flavor can this color be achieved.