DID YOU KNOW WHAT DOES IT MEAN "ANDARE LISCIO COME L'OLIO"?

Did you know that in Italian, we say that something “went ahead as smooth as oil” to indicate a situation going to plan, or occurring without any issue or interference?

It is coeherent with saying that great cooking starts with great olive oil. 

In the Italian kitchen, the “olio buono” is the high quality, extra virgin olive oil, which is kept separately from all the other cooking oils. It is normally used in its raw form for dressings or on bread. It is normally more expensive due to its enormous nutritional benefits and tastes exquisite. Incredibly rich in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, it is believed to be an essential part to a healthy diet. For this reason, it has been subject to counterfeit across the world, as many hope to get a taste of the bitter, slightly spicy condiment at a reduced price. But making extra virgin olive is not a simple or cheap process, as it only uses olives that have not touched the ground, and only uses mechanical techniques.

Additionally, the olives used in the production of extra virgin oil must be milled and processed within a strict 12 hour timeframe. 

There are 500 cultivars (or varieties) in Italy, each with its own flavour, which makes oil tasting just as fun and challenging as wine tasting.

Despite widespread concerns about the likelihood of burning oil (which would make it carcinogenic), the smoke point of olive oil is between 195°C/198°C, which is an impossible temperature to reach in a private kitchen, let alone a restaurant kitchen. This is because it is a monounsaturated fat, rich in oleic acid, which breaks down comparatively slowly if exposed to heat.

At Egro’, we have a dedicated area for extra olive oil where we guide our lovely customers to make the best purchase based on their preference. 

This is our podcast series about olive oil: LISTEN

Or you can come down to Egro’ to learn more.