PRODUCT CARE AND STORAGE

All olive oils are best kept and stored away from heat and light in a cool, dark place. If you have a place where you store wine, put your olive oil right beside it! Storing olive oil, then, above your stove or in the windowsill is not a good idea because air, heat, and light will turn the oil rancid.

Unlike wine, olive oil doesn’t get better with age, but worse. The best oils are consumed rapidly. If stored well, in a cool, dry, dark place in the appropriate container, your oil will keep for years. It will taste the best, however, in the first year of consumption (especially the first couple of months).

 

If you store your oil in the refrigerator, it will retain its flavor but become cloudy. To serve, bring the oil out and let it warm slowly to room temperature. The clouds should go away.

It’s important to remember that olive oil is best used quickly after opening. A good way to purchase it is to purchase in small amounts or, if you purchase the oil in big drums, share with friends and family, dividing the oil up.