How To Choose an Olive Oil

• Only buy extra-virgin olive oil. It’s the least processed, which means it will have the best flavor and be the healthiest.

• Don’t ever buy light olive oil. I’ve never seen it in an Italian home. I doubt it even exists in Italy.

• Always buy olive oil in dark glass. Olive oil is light-sensitive (i.e. the light ruins it) Good olive producers know this and package their olio accordingly. Don’t be swayed by cute, fancy labels; if it’s in a clear bottle, ignore the temptation.

• If you’re looking for a higher end olive oil for drizzling on top of crostini, salads, or soups, choose one from a specific region. Olive oil from Santa Barbara will likely be better than oil from the general state of California. Similarly, olive oil from the hills of Siena will likely be more refined than Tuscan olive oil, which itself will be of higher quality than a generic Italian olive oil.

• Smell your oil. If you like the smell of a particular oil, ten you’ll likely enjoy the flavor. Smells like stale crayons? It’s gone rancid, toss it.

• Pay for it: I spend about $16 dollars on a liter of extra-virgin olive oil. Sounds expensive? The only other way you’re going to get Italian home cooking this good is to get on a plane to Italy and find a mamma to invite you to dinner. Don’t skimp on your oil.