Nowadays, many people fancy themselves to be artisan chefs, using their kitchens not for food preparation but for culinary art. For these home chefs, one of the first ingredients they dive into headfirst is olive oil, and almost no stone is left unturned in their quest to find the best olive oil for cooking.

The problem they run into is debating whether it is OK to actually cook with olive oil. There is one school of thought that says that heat will destroy the integrity, and that no one should cook with it. Others believe It has been around for thousands of years, and for the countries of origin, cooking with olive oil is as natural as can be. The net result of this disagreement is a home chef that is completely unsure of what to think. All they wanted to do was make awesome food.

Let’s make it easy. In short, yes, you can cook using olive oil, but you have to be smart about how you use it. Moreover, you have to brush up on a little knowledge to make the most educated call on what you’re going to bring into your kitchen.

Here is a little help on how to choose the best olive oil for cooking in your home:

Know Where The Oil is From – It’s important to read the labels so that you know where is coming from. As a basic rule of thumb, you want there to be as little time that goes by between harvest, processing, and bottling. The longer the oil has to travel or go through steps before getting into a bottle can mean degradation of the product, and that is never a good thing.

Harvest Dating – Some years ago, beer manufacturers decided that it was unfair for their product to be judged as being “skunky” simply because a store put out old product. As a way to help the consumer, they decided to add dates to the packaging so that people could see when the beer was “born”, thereby giving consumers a better chance of avoiding old beer. Still others go so far as to remove the product from store shelves. In the name of freshness, look for harvest dates on bottles of olive oil. Keep in mind that the contents don’t age like wine, so knowing a harvest date will give you a chance to know just how long the contents have been sitting.

Keep It Local – As with most things, there is a movement to support local businesses by buying their products. There is greater transparency in the transaction, and you get to know where you products come from. The same goes for olive oil. The U.S. has slowly become a big player on the market, with professional chefs taking notice & requesting domestic product in their kitchen. For the home chef looking to buy a quality cooking ingredient, support local business, and be on the cutting edge of culinary development, this is a no-brainer.

The best olive oil for cooking doesn’t have to break the bank or travel very far. With a little knowledge & a willingness to do some research, you’ll find exactly what you need.

Source by Morris Raymond