Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
We hope you find these FAQs helpful. If your question remains unanswered, please feel free to contact us for further information.
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How do you calculate shipping?
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What is your return policy?
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What are those odd little cardboard things packed in the box with my order?
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How should I store olive oil?
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Does olive oil improve with age?
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What are the different grades of olive oil?
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What are the health benefits of extra virgin olive oil?
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Which olive oil should I buy?
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Can I cook or bake with extra virgin olive oil?
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What does "first cold pressed" mean?
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What is a single estate olive oil?
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What is a monocultivar olive oil?
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Does the color of olive oil indicate quality?
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What is the difference between early and late harvest oils?
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In which season are olives generally harvested?
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Why is the harvest date important?
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What is the most common olive oil defect?
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Olive Oil Fun Facts
How do you calculate shipping?
We offer FREE SHIPPING on retail orders over $50 to a single address in the contiguous US. All retail orders up to $50 ship for a low $5.95 FLAT RATE in the contiguous US.
The Olive Orchard ships your order using the most cost-effective and expedient way possible, choosing among FedEx, UPS and USPS. All purchases are ground shipped from Columbus, Ohio. Please allow 5 to 7 business days to receive your order.
What is your return policy?
Shop with confidence at The Olive Orchard. If you are dissatisfied with your order for any reason, you may return it within 14 days, in its original packaging, for a refund or equivalent exchange.
What are those odd little cardboard things packed in the box with my order?
They are called ExpandOS, ingenious little paper pyramids designed to cushion and support even the most fragile items during shipping. These environmentally friendly packing pieces are made from 100% post-industrial material and are certified to meet Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) requirements. They are reusable and completely recyclable.
How should I store olive oil?
Because of extra virgin olive oil's high monounsaturated fat content, it can be stored longer than most other oils -- as long as it's stored properly. When choosing your storage location, remember that heat, air, and light are the enemies of olive oil. Store extra virgin olive oil in a dark, cool cupboard away from the stove or other heat-producing appliances. For standard olive oils, refrigeration is an acceptable form of storage. Refrigerated olive oils will solidify and turn cloudy. Returning it to room temperature restores its fluidity and color.
Look for extra virgin olive oil packaged in dark glass bottles, and, ideally, consume it within the current harvest year. The best storage containers for olive oil are made of tinted glass to help keep out light. Porcelain and stainless steel are also acceptable. Containers need a tight cap or lid to keep out unwanted air. Olive oil should never be stored in reactive metals. And stay away from plastic containers as the oil can absorb PVCs.
Does olive oil improve with age?
Unlike wine, olive oil does NOT improve with age. As olive oil gets older, it gradually breaks down, the acidity level rises, and flavor weakens. Extra virgin olive oils keep better because they start with a low acidity level. Lower quality olive oils have a higher acidity level and must be used within a few months.
What are the different grades of olive oil?
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Olive oil from the first pressing of fresh olives by non-chemical, usually mechanical means and without excessive heat. It has less than 0.8% free acidity and no defects.
Virgin Olive Oil
Lower quality than extra virgin, with an acidity level of 2% or less.
Pure Olive Oil -- Light Olive Oil -- Olive Oil
Olive oils that have been refined by using agents such as acids, alkalis, and steam heat to extract as much oil as possible after the first pressing. This process robs the oil of most of its flavor as well as its natural antioxidants. “Light” does not mean lower in calories, but rather light in color and flavor.
Olive-Pomace Oil
The lowest grade of olive oil made from the byproducts of extra virgin olive oil production. Olive skins, seeds and pulp are heated and the remaining oil is extracted using hexane, a solvent. The result, pomace oil, is then put through the refining process, similar to pure or light olive oil. Pomace olive oil is bland and extremely low in antioxidants.
Lampante Oil
Oil with severe defects, usually from bad fruit or poor processing practices. It is not fit for human consumption until it has been refined.
What are the health benefits of extra virgin olive oil?
Authentic extra virgin olive oil is high in polyphenols and tocopherols, well-known antioxidants. The higher the polyphenol levels the more “pungent” the olive oil, and the better the shelf life. Polyphenols naturally decline as the oil ages, therefore maximum benefit is gained by consuming current-harvest olive oil within a year of purchase. Extra virgin olive oils also are high in monounsaturated fats, which have been shown to lower “bad” cholesterol.
Which olive oil should I buy?
It depends on how you intend to use the olive oil. For dipping fresh, crusty bread, we recommend a robust extra virgin olive oil, such as our award-winning Sicilian Extra Virgin Olive Oil. For drizzling on delicate white fish or chicken, try a milder olive oil, such as our Organic Greek Extra Virgin Olive Oil or perhaps a naturally flavored olive oil such as our Lemon Extra Virgin Olive Oil. For cooking, we suggest a medium fruity olive oil that will impart good flavor to the dish. Be sure to choose a high-grade, filtered extra virgin olive oil with very low acidity, such as our Greek Extra Virgin Olive Oil or our Chilean Extra Virgin Olive Oil, which has a relatively high smoke point—better for cooking.
Can I cook or bake with extra virgin olive oil?
Short answer: Yes. But not surprisingly, expert opinions are all over the board on this question. Bobby Flay uses it solely for finishing and drizzling, but Rachel Ray fries, cooks and bakes with it all the time. Most experts DO agree on one thing: You should never heat extra virgin olive oil (or any oil, for that matter) beyond its smoke point. That's the temperature at which the oil begins to break down into toxic free radicals. EVOO's smoke point can be anywhere from 200°F (for some unfiltered oils) to about 450°F (for high quality EVOO with very low acidity). To be on the safe side, The Olive Orchard chooses to use our premium EVOOs for gentle sautés, sauces and baked goods -- and for dipping, drizzling and finishing. For high-heat frying, we tend to stick with grapeseed oil or peanut oil.
What does "first cold pressed" mean?
First cold pressed olive oil is from the first round of extraction from fresh, intact olives. It has not been heated during processing and therefore retains its full nutritional value.
What is a single estate olive oil?
Olives grown on a single farm or estate, and bottled on site, produce single estate olive oil. This facilitates total quality control and certification. When olives are tended, harvested, and pressed by a single grower, you can be assured of an authentic extra virgin olive oil.
What is a monocultivar olive oil?
An olive oil made from a single variety of olive, such as racimo or koroneiki.
Does the color of olive oil indicate quality?
Not at all. The color indicates mainly the level of chlorophyll in the olive when it is picked. Early harvest olive oils, for example, are made with young olives that yield a greener color. Late harvest olives generally produce an oil with buttery, golden hue.
What is the difference between early and late harvest oils?
In general, younger olives produce a more pungent oil with grassy overtones and a robust flavor. Late-harvest olives usually yield a milder, fruity oil with less pungency.
In which season are olives generally harvested?
Late fall is harvest time in the northern hemisphere. The southern hemisphere harvest occurs during our spring. Therefore, the freshest available oils are sometimes from the southern hemisphere.
Why is the harvest date important?
Because fresh is best. Unlike wine, olive oil does not get better with age. The fresher the oil, the more flavorful and healthful it is. Olive oil should be consumed within 18-24 months from the harvest.
What is the most common olive oil defect?
Fustiness—the result of olives being stored too long before pressing, allowing them to begin the very undesirable anaerobic fermentation process. The fermentation can also be the result of storing olive oil in contact with sediment found at the bottom of storage vats. The best olive oils are made from olives pressed within a day of harvest.
Olive Oil Fun Facts
- EVOO is a real word. Added to the dictionary in 2007.
- It takes 10+ pounds of olives to make one quart of olive oil.
- Greece has by far the largest per capita consumption of olive oil worldwide, over 6 gallons per person per year.
- An olive tree can live hundreds, even thousands, of years. The older an olive tree is, the broader and more gnarled its trunk appears.
- If you take a look at your local market, you'll see olives in a rainbow of colors, from green to brown to purple to black, with flavors just as diverse. But all olives actually start out the same: green.
- It takes an average of 3-5 yrs for an olive tree to bear fruit. A function of cultivar, 'Arbequina' and 'Koroneiki' fruit at an early age (about 3 yrs). Other cultivars do not make fruit until they are 5-12 yrs old.
Grateful thanks to Richard Gawel for his comprehensive discussion of everything olive oil. You can visit his website and find him on Twitter @oliveoilguy. Other sources of information include the International Olive Oil Council.
