When purchasing an artisanal extra virgin olive oil, people tell me completely different ways to store it. While some urge me to refrigerate it, others argue that refrigeration spoils the oil's flavor.

Well, the reputation of Italian products has been suffering lately, and this latest news on olive oil doesn't help. Apparently a counterfeit olive oil ring was busted. They had been exporting "soya beans or sunflower seeds - some of it genetically modified - mixed with beta carotene and industrial chlorophyll" all dressed up as authentic Italian olive oil.

Police arrested 39 people and confiscated 25,000 liters of the fake oil. The authorities say the good news is that proper checks and new labeling laws are working to catch these counterfeiters. However some people in the Italian olive oil industry are worried that consumers will compare Italian products with the recent fiasco of Chinese exports. The prosecutor who ordered the arrests did say that the oil wasn't harmful, but that it was produced in facilities which weren't checked by the health department.

Unfortunately some people are always going to be on the lookout for ways to make a quick buck. All we can do is hope to not get caught up in it, or that it won't hurt us if we do.

He doesn't get much press it seems, what with the new breed of food celebrities these days, but still, David Rosengarten has always been one of my favorites because he always provides very good information. On his site, he has an article about how to shop for olive oil. Unlike some vinegars, olive oil does not age well, so knowing what you are buying, and knowing how to maintain its freshness is important. His tips, in brief:

• Genuine fresh-pressed olive is the best quality for taste, but is difficult to find
• Olive oil always tastes best within a year of its production.
• Always look for the date on a bottle or canister of olive oil - use olive oil by a printed expiration date, or up to a year after a printed "Harvest Date."

As far as storing olive oil, a cool, dark place is good. According to What's Cooking America, refrigeration isn't necessary, but it's okay if you do. The oil will turn cloudy, but will clear again once it warms to room temperature. It doesn't affect the oil's quality or taste.

More on olive oil:
Did you know....olive oil
Tasting olive oil
Extra-virgin olive oil is a natural pain killer
A deabte about the best brand of oliveoil

U.S. olive oil sales are on track to hit $1.3 billion by 2010, according to recent market research. Sales are expected to hit nearly $1 million this year according to Olive Oil in the U.S.

The report, published by Packaged Facts, attributes robust sales of olive oil to health benefits and an increased interest in Mediterranean foods. Among the health benefits that have received scads of press in the past few years are the ability to lower cholesterol and blood pressure. The study also cites the rise of olive oil tasting boutiques, which have helped educate the American about regional varieties. No word on what effect Rachael Ray's mantra, "Just add a little EVOO," has had on sales.

Attention readers who live in the EU: you might want to look into adopting an olive tree. For £60, you can lay claim to one of the 881 trees in the Nudo organic olive grove in Italy and receive all of the produce from that tree. Think about that for a moment and realize that you'll be able to make salad dressings with and dip bread into olive oil from your own tree. You will receive three packages during the year from Nudo. The first will contain a certificate and an information booklet about your tree, the second (in spring) will have 1-3 liters of pressed extra virgin olive oil and the third (in fall) will contain lemon-flavored olive oil and three types of olive oil soaps. Unfortunately, they don't ship outside of the EU or I would be well on my way to adopting one of the 300 or so remaining trees.  

[via A Full Belly]

Tuesday night on The Late Show with David Letterman, Dave had Tom Cruise and Jamie Oliver as guests. All three set about to cooking Thai Laksa (recipe after the jump) and Tom did a very respectable job tossing the scallops while Dave stood about complaining that he wasn't getting to cook. He must have been pretty bored because the next thing you knew, he had taken up a bottle of olive oil and chugged some! He then passed the bottle off to Tom Cruise and Jamie, who also drank. Jamie even drizzled the oil into his mouth to show the audience he was actually downing the oil (At this point I took a moment to remember the time that Paula Deen drank butter). Then, the cooking continued for another few seconds.

Tom felt fine, but Dave remarked, "I don't feel that good. I feel kinda bilious."

Jamie said "What does bilious mean?"

"Full of bile."

[Via Just Jared]

Scientists have discovered that newly-pressed olive oil contains a substance called oleocanthal, which suppresses pain in much the same way as ibuprofen. But don't reach for the olive oil on the bottom shelf at your supermarket - it's only the top-quality extra-virgin olive oil that contains this substance. Researchers believe this could be a big reason why the "Mediterranean diet" works so well - and is another reason to spend your hard-earned money on the good stuff.