"olive oil" news and stories

Virgin? Extra virgin? Or something else entirely?

You never know what you're really getting when you open a bottle of "100% extra virgin" olive oil, but the U.S. Department of Agriculture is hoping to change that with new standards for the green-gold oil set to roll out this fall, the Los Angeles Times reported.

The new rules come at a time when olive oil demand is surging. Americans bought 79 million gallons in 2008, up from 47 million gallons a decade earlier, the paper reported.

There are no federal rules that define "virgin" or "extra virgin" olive oil, Vito S. Polito, professor of plant sciences at UC Davis and co-chairman of the school's Olive Center, a research group, told the Times. As a result, he said, "the U.S. has been a dumping ground for cheap olive oil for years."

Knowing which oils need to be refrigerated can save you hassle -- and money -- as we approach the warmer months of the year.

So simple that its use of the name "recipe" is misleading, this goat cheese doused in a seasoned, herbed olive oil dipping sauce is an exquisite amusebouche. With an elegant simplicity, this dish takes on a casual, comfortable appeal when dipped into and devoured with fresh pieces of baguette or other quality breads.

Vouches blogger the Patent and the Pantry -- who counts the recipe as a cherished holiday tradition -- "the combination of slightly grassy oil, softened garlic and the sharp heat of peppercorns mixed with rich goat cheese is so perfect." In addition to taste and a luscious mouthfeel, the dish boasts one advantage not to be neglected in the busy holiday season: It's easy to prepare ahead of time and assemble for last-minute guests. Simply simmer the seasonings (with the likes of rosemary, coriander and fennel -- oh my!) in oil for five minutes then pour over the cheese and serve. Who knew perfection could be such a breeze?

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At first glance you might wonder if this is some sort of science project. But what it lacks in immediate familiarity, it makes up for in taste -- especially when you consider it's a simple combination of three of any cook's most important ingredients: garlic, olive oil and coarse salt.

For this head of perfectly roasted garlic, blogger The Brown Eyed Baker simply cut off enough of the bulb to expose the cloves, drizzled them with a tablespoon of olive oil and added a generous sprinkling of salt before covering it with aluminum foil and roasting the entire thing for 40 minutes at 375 degrees F.

Great for use in pasta and pizzas and slathered on bread, those who truly love garlic may have a hard time not eating this straight out of the oven. But whatever you do with those golden-brown cloves, don't forget to save the skins for broth!

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Some cooks reach for Sriracha, the ubiquitous Thai hot sauce, in a pinch. Others swear by soy sauce. And then there are those who refuse to reveal (*cough, cough* butter) what made the dish you just demolished delicious. For our part, we've developed a tiny -- OK, midsized -- crush on an infused chili oil, and we need to talk about it.

Sid Wainer & Son's Domaine de Provence pepper-spiked oil is fantastic. A drizzle of the fiery goodness rescues storebought and homemade guacamole alike with a heady, late-blooming heat on the palate. According to owner Henry Wainer, it's also tasty on bruschetta. We plan to carry it on our person all summer -- potentially awkward in the 90-degree swelter -- using guerilla tactics to douse any crustaceans and pork we spy sizzling on the grills of party hosts. (Brooklyn, consider yourself warned.)

Wainer has been equally passionate about the oil since meeting its producer at a dinner in France 18 years ago. Such culinary serendipity, he declares, "enriches the world." Can't argue with that.