Olive Oil For Dummies

Amy Riolo is an author, chef, and Mediterranean expert. She’s also the author of Mediterranean Lifestyle For Dummies and Italian Recipes For Dummies. Simon Poole, MD, is a medical doctor, author, and authority on the Mediterranean diet and lifestyle. He has appeared on the BBC as an olive oil expert and organized conferences on olive oil.

• Introduction 1About This Book 2Foolish Assumptions 4Icons Used in This Book 4Beyond the Book 5Where to Go from Here 5Part 1: Introduction to Olive Oil 7Chapter 1: Exploring the Story of Olive Oil 9Defining the Olive Tree throughout its History 10From wilderness to farm 10From ship to shore 12Shaping ancient empires 12Religious and culinary influences 17Recognizing the New World of Olive Oil 21Groves going west 21Expansion into Asia and beyond 23Olive oil in Africa 23Chapter 2: Understanding Olive Oil Classifications 25Recognizing the classifications of olive oil 26Olive oil categories 26Classification standards 29Defining Other Olive Oil Standards 31Australia 32Naooa 32Oocc 32Pdo/dop 33Igp/pgi 34Slow Food Presidia 35Organic 35Chapter 3: Appreciating the Production Process 37Producing the Best Product 38Tree care and maintenance 38Keeping enemies at bay 39Environmental challenges 39Harvest time 40Processing at the Mill 44Juicing the fruit 45Waste not, want not 46Storing at the mill 47Maintaining “Green” Groves 48Built-in sustainability of olive trees 48Sustainable farming 49Modern mills 50Chapter 4: Explaining Quality and Comparisons with Other Oils 53Recognizing Quality Olive Oil 54Olive oil fraud 54Defective olive oil 56Testing Criteria for EVOO 57Tasting panels and laboratory tests 58Sensory categories 59Comparing EVOO to Other Oils 61What makes EVOO different 61Bioactive compounds in EVOO 62Part 2: How Olive Oil Improves Health 65Chapter 5: Choosing Healthy Fats 67Identifying Different Types of Fat 68Correlating fats to cholesterol and health 69Understanding how fats relate to calories and weight 72Determining the Benefits of Eating Healthy Fats 74Olive oil: A fat for life 75Other foods that contain nutrient-rich fats 76Chapter 6: Incorporating Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Polyphenols 79Understanding Polyphenols 80Plants have a survival instinct 81Polyphenols and inflammation 83Knowing the Extraordinary Polyphenols in EVOO 86Naturally high in polyphenols 86Conditions that effect the levels of olive polyphenols 87Chapter 7: Recognizing Olive Oil’s Role in the Mediterranean Diet 89Focusing on Olive Oil as the Primary Ingredient 90Reflecting on the extraordinary benefits 90Measuring the effects of the diet 95Considering Olive Oil as Medicine 97Ancient olive-oil treatments 97Mediterranean cultural practices 98Chapter 8: Maximizing the Health Benefits of Olive Oil 101Examining the Benefits of EVOO 102The protective power of olive oil 103Discovering the compounds in EVOO 108Tasting the polyphenols of EVOO 111Knowing Your Daily Intake 112Increasing the Efficacy 113Combining EVOO with other nutritional foods 113Having a healthy gut 114Part 3: Incorporating Olive Oil Into Your Daily Life 117Chapter 9: Tasting Olive Oil Properly 119Considering the Flavor Profiles 120Enjoying the flavor 120Understanding flavor features 121Matching taste with health benefits 126Working with the Best EVOO 127Becoming a defect detective 128Taking a deeper dive into EVOOs chemistry 128Chapter 10: Deciphering the Taste of Different Varieties 131Checking Out Varieties of Olive Oil 132Discovering cultivars in different countries 133Blending flavors 142Considering total polyphenol levels 142Beginning to Combine EVOOs with Foods 144Chapter 11: Pairing Extra-Virgin Olive Oil with Food and Wine 147Understanding How to Complement Flavors 148Pairing EVOO with Food 148Matching EVOOs with Wine 151Part 4: Choosing Extra-virgin Olive Oil 157Chapter 12: Buying Extra-Virgin Olive Oil 159Deciphering the Labels 160Nutrition labels 160Legal necessities 162Unnecessary or misleading phrases on labels 163Harvest and “best before” dates 164Acidity and other values 165Getting to Know Your EVOO 167Region of origin 167Telling the origin story 167Health claims on labels and advertising 168Chapter 13: Recognizing Proper Packaging and Storage 171Recognizing a Good EVOO Label 172Looking out for quality indicators 172Having attractive presentations 173Maintaining EVOO’s Quality 175EVOO retail packaging 176Advances in EVOO packaging 178Maximizing storage at home 179Chapter 14: Purchasing, Price, and Affordability 181Prioritizing the Purchase of EVOO 182Comparing affordability: Western diet versus Mediterranean-style diets 182Supporting the cost of EVOO 183Evaluating purchasing options 184Examining prices and value 189Choosing the quality of EVOO 189Understanding the EVOO market 192Getting the Most Out of Your EVOO 193Part 5: Creating Dishes with Extra-virgin Olive Oil 195Chapter 15: Cooking, Frying, and Preserving with Extra-Virgin Olive Oil 197Cooking with EVOO for Flavor and Nutrition 198Understanding the science 199Exploring the cooking methods 200Frying in EVOO 202Preserving Food in EVOO 205Chapter 16: Baking and Pastry-Making with Extra-Virgin Olive Oil 207Swapping Out Butter for EVOO 208Choosing EVOO for Breads and Sweet Treats 210Part 6: Cooking with Extra-virgin Olive Oil 215Chapter 17: Base Recipes 217Chapter 18: Breakfast and Brunch 231Starting Your Day with a Shot of EVOO 232Working EVOO into Your Morning Routine 232Chapter 19: Appetizers 243Chapter 20: First Courses 255Chapter 21: Second Courses 265Chapter 22: Desserts 277Part 7: Diving Deeper and the Future For Olive Oil 287Chapter 23: Enrolling in Tasting/Sommelier Classes and Oleo Tourism 289Tasting at a Whole New Level 290Sampling olive oil in an informal setting 291Approaching EVOO like a pro: sommelier training 291The language of aroma and flavor 292Discovering Oleo Tourism 293Planning your visit to a grove 294Combining travel experiences 295Tasting at the mill 296Chapter 24: The Future of Olive Oil 299Cultivating Better Production and Quality 300Identifying new innovations 300Improving standards and traceability 301Spreading the Great News of EVOO 302Promoting the health benefits of EVOO 303Creating opportunities for further education 304Part 8: the Part of Tens 309Chapter 25: Ten Other Uses for Olive Oil 311Bathing in olive oil 313Removing Makeup 313Glossing and Nourishing Your Hair 314Shaving Oil 314Making Facial Masks 314Treating Your Hair 316Exfoliating Your Skin 316Conditioning Your Hands 317Moisturizing Your Skin 317Cleansing Makeup Brushes 318Chapter 26: Ten Easy Ways to Consume More Extra-Virgin Olive Oil 319Cooking with EVOO 320Drizzling for Added Flavor 320Prioritizing Your Health 321Eating More Vegetables and Salads 321Consuming EVOO throughout the Day 322Substituting with EVOO 322Introducing Children to EVOO 323Exploring New Tastes and Varieties 323Redefining the Value of EVOO 324Continuing Your Journey through Travel 324Appendix: Metric Conversion Guide 325Index 327