For obvious reasons, cooking has been on the rise over the past year and a half. While we miss our go-to restaurants and cafes as much as the next person, we’re looking for easy ways to elevate our home-cooked meals. And what better way to do so than the humble bottle of olive oil; whether you use it to dress a salad, drizzle over pasta, grill salmon, or dunk fresh bread in it, olive oil is a true multitasker.
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However, not just any old bottle of olive oil will do, for not every bottle is created equal. Whether you’re a culinary whiz in the making or simply an appreciator of a good bread and olive oil combo, you deserve the good stuff. Namely, extra virgin olive oil.
Although we’d like to think we’re above slut-shaming olive oil, in this case, extra virgin olive oil (or EVOO) is best. Unlike bottles labelled olive oil, pure olive oil, or light olive oil, EVOO is unrefined and hasn’t been treated with chemicals, making it healthier and richer in flavour than its refined counterparts.
As for which extra virgin olive oil to choose? That depends on what you’re making. Peppery oils make an excellent way to finish seafood; mild varieties are food for sauteing vegetables; while intensely-flavoured, often green-hued EVOOs are the ideal accompaniment to a beautiful sourdough or baguette. Oh, and when perusing the olive oil section, always look for options stored in dark or opaque bottles; exposure to heat and light will make the olive oil go rancid quickly.
To get your collection started, we’ve put together the best olive oils for every culinary occasion.
1. Cobram Estate Robust Flavour Extra Virgin Olive Oil
An Australian-owned and grown brand, Cobram Estate brings top-quality olive oil to supermarket shelves. As the name suggests, this iteration boasts a robust flavour with intense notes of freshly cut grass and nuanced nutty flavours. Perfect for dipping chunks of fresh bread into or drizzling over pasta to serve.
2. Laudemio Frescobaldi Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Produced from olives hand-harvested in Tuscany, Italy, Laudemio Frescobaldi Extra Virgin Olive Oil has a rich, creamy fruity flavour with a touch of bitterness and spicy notes in the aftertaste. A beautiful all-rounder, this EVOO can be used to drizzle over white beans or pasta or saute fresh greens in.
3. Cobram Estate Light Flavour Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Subtle yet complex, this EVOO features delicate notes of apple and ripe fruit with a hint of sweetness on the palette. Smooth and mild, it’s best for cooking light fare like fish, used in baking, or for sauteing vegetables.
4. Bertolli Extra Virgin Olive Oil Originale
Providing that high-quality olive oil doesn’t need to have a premium price to match, Bertolli Extra Virgin Olive Oil Originale can be found on supermarket shelves with a large bottle giving you change from a twenty. While it’s touted as a multitasker, it’s ideal as a finishing oil, with vibrant fruity notes and a mild peppery aftertaste.
5. David Jones Australian Lemon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
A flavoured find for adding a little extra flair to savoury dishes, the David Jones Australian Lemon Extra Virgin Olive Oil is made from Australian-grown olives and lemons, forming a brightly-flavoured fragrant EVOO. Drizzle over fish or use in salad dressing.
Words by John Deckard
Feature image courtesy of Cobram Estate
