Life's Too Short for Bad Olive Oil

Summary

Summary of "Life's Too Short for Bad Olive Oil" – The Wirecutter Show

Release Date: July 30, 2025

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Introduction

In the episode titled "Life's Too Short for Bad Olive Oil," co-hosts Christine Cyr Clisset, Kyra Blackwell, and Rosie Guerin delve into the intricate world of olive oils with the expertise of Michael Sullivan, a senior staff writer from Wirecutter's kitchen team. This episode offers listeners comprehensive insights into selecting, storing, and tasting olive oil to ensure optimal freshness and flavor.

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Understanding Olive Oil Quality

Michael Sullivan kicks off the discussion by introducing the HALT acronym—Heat, Air, Light, and Time—which are the primary factors that degrade olive oil (00:34). He emphasizes the importance of protecting olive oil from these elements to maintain its quality.

Michael Sullivan ([00:34]): "HALT is the acronym for it. But heat, air, light, and time are the things that really degrade oil."

Christine Cyr Clisset humorously relates HALT to human aging, highlighting the universal impact of these factors.

Christine Cyr Clisset ([00:53]): "Those just happen to be the same things that make us look old, right?"

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The Importance of Harvest Dates

A significant portion of the episode centers around understanding harvest dates and their role in determining olive oil freshness. Michael Sullivan explains that unlike the arbitrary "best by" dates, harvest dates provide a clear indication of when the olives were crushed, directly reflecting the oil's freshness.

Michael Sullivan ([07:24]): "Only tested bottles with a harvest date... that's really the only guarantee that you know how fresh your oil is if it has the harvest date on it."

He advises consumers to look for harvest dates within the past two years and to use the oil within two to three months after opening to ensure quality.

Michael Sullivan ([07:27]): "You want to use it up within two years of the harvest date... once you open it, you want to try to use it up within two to three months."

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Selecting the Right Olive Oil

The hosts engage in a true or false quiz to assess their olive oil knowledge, with Michael Sullivan shedding light on common misconceptions. They discuss the significance of choosing extra virgin olive oil, understanding labels, and recognizing the quality beyond just the country of origin.

Michael Sullivan ([12:25]): "Extra virgin means that the oil has been lab and taste tested... ensuring it’s free of any defects."

He highlights the lack of mandatory international standards, pointing out that while California has strict regulations, most imported oils may not adhere to the same standards, making tasting crucial for quality assurance.

Michael Sullivan ([13:32]): "California Department of Agriculture... they have some pretty strict laws... but California only makes something like 5% of the oil in the U.S."

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Practical Tips for Storing Olive Oil

Storage practices are pivotal in maintaining olive oil’s integrity. Michael Sullivan advises against storing olive oil near heat sources like stovetops and recommends using dark or tin containers to protect the oil from light exposure.

Michael Sullivan ([23:19]): "The most common issue is storing the olive oil right next to the stove... you want to keep it away from heat and light."

He also debunks the myth of refrigerating olive oil, explaining that it leads to undesirable congealing and potential condensation, which can degrade the oil's quality.

Michael Sullivan ([25:53]): "Refrigerating causes the oil to solidify and can create condensation, which is detrimental."

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Taste Testing: Identifying Rancid Oil

A highlight of the episode is the olive oil taste test, where Michael Sullivan guides the hosts through evaluating different oils. They assess factors like fruity, bitter, and pungent flavors, noting characteristics that indicate freshness or rancidity.

Michael Sullivan ([16:16]): "Rancid oil smells waxy, like a box of Crayola crayons, or has a stale nut smell."

During the tasting, the hosts sample various olive oils, with reactions ranging from appreciation of the fruity and grassy notes to disapproval of waxy and rancid flavors. This segment underscores the importance of sensory evaluation in selecting high-quality olive oil.

Christine Cyr Clisset ([31:17]): "I don't feel any sensation."

Michael Sullivan ([31:45]): "Yeah, it doesn't have that burn. It's flat. Clings to your mouth."

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Expert Recommendations

Michael Sullivan shares his top picks from Wirecutter’s olive oil guide, recommending oils like Bono Sicilia PGI Organic Sicilian Olive Oil for its fruity and buttery profile, and Bertolli's rich taste variant for those who prefer a bold and peppery flavor.

Michael Sullivan ([34:53]): "Bono Sicilia PGI Organic Sicilian olive oil... It’s really good."

Michael Sullivan ([34:56]): "Bertolli is really the bold, peppery, really grassy flavor to it."

He also suggests looking beyond eye-level shelves in grocery stores and exploring online options or specialty food stores to find a broader selection of quality oils.

Michael Sullivan ([27:31]): "Look not at eye level... higher priced oils are often placed above and below."

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Concluding Insights

The episode wraps up with the hosts reflecting on their newfound knowledge and committing to better olive oil practices. Christine Cyr Clisset humorously acknowledges her previous storage mistakes, while Rosie Guerin reaffirms her passion for high-quality olive oil.

Christine Cyr Clisset ([35:41]): "I truly feel that I have now the olive oil walk of shame to do on this show..."

Rosie Guerin ([36:26]): "Extra virgin is king of the hill... ensure you see a harvest date and that it's within two years..."

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Key Takeaways

• HALT: Heat, Air, Light, and Time are critical factors that degrade olive oil quality.
• Harvest Date vs. Best By Date: Always prioritize harvest dates to ensure freshness.
• Storage Tips: Store olive oil in dark, airtight containers away from heat sources; avoid refrigeration.
• Taste Testing: Regularly evaluate olive oil for signs of rancidity using smell and taste.
• Selecting Olive Oil: Look for extra virgin labels, be cautious of blends, and explore various regions for preferred flavors.
• Expert Recommendations: Consider Wirecutter’s top picks like Bono Sicilia and Bertolli for quality choices.

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Notable Quotes

• Michael Sullivan ([07:24]): "Only tested bottles with a harvest date... that's really the only guarantee that you know how fresh your oil is if it has the harvest date on it."
• Michael Sullivan ([12:25]): "Extra virgin means that the oil has been lab and taste tested... ensuring it’s free of any defects."
• Michael Sullivan ([16:16]): "Rancid oil smells waxy, like a box of Crayola crayons, or has a stale nut smell."
• Michael Sullivan ([23:19]): "The most common issue is storing the olive oil right next to the stove... you want to keep it away from heat and light."

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Conclusion

"Life's Too Short for Bad Olive Oil" serves as an essential guide for both novice and seasoned olive oil enthusiasts. With expert advice from Michael Sullivan, listeners gain a deeper understanding of how to select, store, and appreciate high-quality olive oil, ensuring that every drop enhances their culinary experiences.

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For more detailed recommendations and insights, visit The Wirecutter Show's website.

Transcript

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[Michael Sullivan]

HALT is the acronym for it. But heat, air, light and time are the things that really degrade oil. So, so exposing it to the air, the light and then the time, obviously, like the longer you wait, the more likely it's going to go rancid. So that's a kind of an easy way to, to remember, like, oh, what should I be doing with this? How should I be storing this olive oil? That's an easy way to remember it.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Those just happen to be the same things that make us look old, right?

[Rosie Guerin]

Heat, air, light and time.

[Michael Sullivan]

Exactly. Yeah, I guess it applies to us too.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

I'm Christine Cyrclassette.

[Kyra Blackwell]

I'm Kyra Blackwell.

[Rosie Guerin]

I'm Rosie Guerin and you're listening to the Wirecutter Show. Today we're talking about olive oils.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Yes. I love olive oil.

[Rosie Guerin]

I love olive oil, especially in the summer. Especially on like some really fresh veg.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Oh, yeah.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Ooh, yeah.

[Rosie Guerin]

On a super ripe tomato.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Or like when you make your own homemade salad dressing. Yeah, that's good.

[Rosie Guerin]

I recently heard this hot take by a food journalist who said, if you're going to splurge on anything at the grocery store, it should be oil or vinegar. And I kind of subscribe to that. I like being adventurous with taste testing different olive oils.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

That's interesting. I've never thought about the thing that I would spend the most on. Like what? Like, I think about that with a wardrobe like always, shoes. Gotta get the good shoes. But, but yeah, I, I could see that.

[Rosie Guerin]

I have a couple of items that.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Yeah, butter these things that are the fats that you cook with.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Yeah, I like the idea, but honestly, I'm just gonna splurge on like the protein every single time. I'd rather spend my money there, but I get it.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Well, given it is prime tomato season, olive oil is the thing that you want in the summertime. We thought this would be a great time to talk about our olive oil review with our writer, Michael Sullivan, who has been on the show before. He's awesome. He is just A wealth of knowledge. He is going to come on with us today and talk about olive oils, the ones we've tasted, the ones we recommend. But also he's going to give us a real schooling on how to shop for olive oil. So if you're out there in the grocery store deciding what you're going to buy, I think you'll be able to walk away from this episode with a lot of really actionable tips on how to get a great bottle.

[Rosie Guerin]

Yeah. And it turns out one of the ways to identify good olive oil is to taste it. And we're going to do a little bit of that as well.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

That's right.

[Rosie Guerin]

So we're going to take a quick break. When we're back, we'll chat with Michael.

[Kyra Blackwell]

The Wirecutter show is supported by Intuit QuickBooks. Do you own a business that's ready to thrive? It's time to let Intuit QuickBooks take things like unpaid invoices and tracking expenses off your plate so you can take things to the next level. QuickBooks is an all in one business solution that can help with those day to day tasks like invoicing and expenses. Manage and grow your business all in one place. Intuit QuickBooks your way to money. Get 90% off for 3 months. Limited time only terms and conditions apply.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

The Wirecutter show is supported by Rocket Mortgage. Your home is an active investment, not a passive one. And with Rocket Mortgage, you can put your home equity to work right away. When you unlock your home equity, you unlock new doors for your family, renovations, extensions, even buying your next property. Get started today with smarter tools and guidance from real mortgage experts. Find out [e-mail] Rocket Mortgage LLC. Licensed in 50 states. Nmlsconsumeraccess.org 3030 this podcast is supported by.

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[Rosie Guerin]

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[Rosie Guerin]

Time for Pure Leaf.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Welcome back. With us now is Michael Sullivan. He's a senior staff writer on our kitchen team and he's reviewed a ton of kitchen gear for Wirecutter and he joined us last October, actually, to talk about kitchen gear that will last a lifetime or close to it. So for our review of olive oils, Michael researched over 40 oils and tested over a dozen. And he used to work at an olive oil store. So cool.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Michael, welcome back.

[Michael Sullivan]

Thank you for having us.

[Rosie Guerin]

Who better but you?

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Yeah, absolutely. I'm really excited to talk about this with you today, Michael. Just to lay a picture a little bit of what our tastings look like in our test kitchen. We have something about, like, 10 staff writers and editors at this point. And I'm always intrigued when you're doing a tasting. It's like this very serious thing that's going on in the test kitchen. I see, like, a group of people sitting around a table.

[Rosie Guerin]

They're quiet.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

They've got notes in front of them. There's like, little bowls or whatever you guys are eating. And I always like to go in and kind of peek in when nobody's in there. I'm going to admit it, that I'll go in and look in the fridge and see what you guys are testing. And it's like a wall of butter.

[Michael Sullivan]

Or, you know, yogurt or whatever. Yeah.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

And so it's really fun, and you guys do a lot of work, and we're going to talk a little bit about that. But we thought it would be fun to start this episode by you testing our olive oil knowledge just to get kind of a baseline of what we know.

[Michael Sullivan]

Great. Okay. Yes. So I came up with some true or false questions for you. Okay, first one. True or false? Olive oil doesn't get better with age.

[Kyra Blackwell]

True.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

I think it's true.

[Michael Sullivan]

True. Yeah. True or false? Italy is among the biggest importers of olive oil.

[Rosie Guerin]

True.

[Kyra Blackwell]

True.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

True.

[Michael Sullivan]

True. Yeah.

[Nordstrom Ad]

Oh, my gosh.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

We know.

[Rosie Guerin]

Smiling.

[Michael Sullivan]

Yeah, that one. I feel like that was a tricky one. Okay, true or false? It's fine to store your olive oil near the stove with a pour spout. I'm gonna say true. Oh, it's mixed.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Yeah, I'm gonna say true.

[Michael Sullivan]

Okay. It's false. Yeah. You don't wanna keep it near, like, a heat source, so you wanna keep it away from heat. And you want a nice, tight sealing lid on it. You don't wanna keep it open to the air.

[Kyra Blackwell]

So you're saying that bottle that's sitting right by the stove is, like, not a good idea?

[Michael Sullivan]

Probably not the best way.

[Rosie Guerin]

It makes a lot of sense. Cause you just reach for it.

[Kyra Blackwell]

You use it for everything.

[Michael Sullivan]

Exactly. Okay, and last one. It's best to store olive oil in the fridge. False. False. Yeah.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Okay, I didn't answer that one, but I'm just thinking of all the people I know who store their olive oil in the fridge.

[Kyra Blackwell]

I've never heard of that.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

It might be, like, a common thing.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Doesn't it get, like, all congealed like coconut oil?

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Yeah, yeah, it does.

[Michael Sullivan]

Which is why? Yeah, got it. You don't want to do that on the money.

[Rosie Guerin]

Well, I'd like to say I think we have some things to learn. Let's get into it.

[Michael Sullivan]

Okay.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Yeah. So, Michael, first of all, can you tell us how you test olive oils?

[Michael Sullivan]

Typically, for, like, any of our taste tests, we're looking at what's available in national chain grocery stores because we want people to easily find them. And then we also took a stance and only tested bottles with a harvest date. So that's really the only guarantee that you know how fresh your oil is if it has the harvest date on it.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Well, all bottles have a harvest date on them.

[Michael Sullivan]

They will not. So that will really help you narrow down the selection.

[Rosie Guerin]

And by harvest date, we mean the date that the oven was crushed.

[Michael Sullivan]

Yeah, yeah.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Kind of like wine.

[Michael Sullivan]

Well, sort of like wine. Little different. Yeah, wine sits for a while. Yeah, yeah, yeah. For olives, you want to get them crushed and bottled as soon as possible.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Yeah, got it, got it. Is the harvest date different from the best buy date?

[Michael Sullivan]

Yes. So the best buy date is arbitrary. So the harvest date will tell you when exactly those olives were crushed. If it's just a best buy date, you have absolutely no idea, like, when that oil was put in that bottle. Right. Like, it could be old oil, it could be new oil. It could be a mix of both. So that really you how fresh the oil is, and that's really the only way to know. I mean, there's a lot of other things that we'll talk about today, but. Yeah, that's a big one.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Got it.

[Michael Sullivan]

We didn't include any flavored oils. We really wanted to just do plain olive oil. And then we looked for, you know, oils that would have sort of a range of flavors that, you know, you could use them for various cooking applications.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

And what is the actual testing process? Like, when you are all in that room in the kitchen and you're. You're tasting things together?

[Michael Sullivan]

Yeah. Olive oil is sort of a funny one. I mean, I should mention that we're not trained professional olive oil tasters. These testers train for years isolating like, specific defects in the oil, and that's how they're, like, grading it for the.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Sensory part of it, like oil connoisseurs.

[Michael Sullivan]

Basically, sommeliers, small sommeliers. And so we're not that. So we're tasting just, you know, based on, like, flavor and the nuances of that. But we did follow the California Olive Oil Council's guidelines for tasting. So we use these little blue cups that are Tulip shaped and they're dark colored so that you don't see the color of the oil because that's, it's not an indication of quality. So it sort of masks the color so you're not influenced by that.

[Rosie Guerin]

These look like mini. Like sifters.

[Michael Sullivan]

Yeah.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Can you look?

[Michael Sullivan]

Sifters. They look like little brandy, like when.

[Kyra Blackwell]

You have a really fancy whiskey.

[Rosie Guerin]

A little brandy.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Michael Sullivan]

But the tulip shape helps to focus the aroma when you're smelling it. So we use these when we test, which is this is what professional tasters would also use. And then we concealed all the brands as we always do with our taste tests. And then we're evaluating, like the smell, you know, the fruitiness, the bitterness, the pungency, like how peppery that kick you get in the back of your throat when you swallow. Good indication of how fresh the oil is.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

So are you just sipping the oil? You're not like dipping bread into it or something?

[Michael Sullivan]

Slurping it.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

You're slurping it.

[Michael Sullivan]

Yeah. Because you want to sort of move it across your palate. And the oil, we also do test it with bread. After we.

[Kyra Blackwell]

After you slurped it?

[Michael Sullivan]

After we've slurped it, yeah. You know, we always go back and taste the oils again with bread.

[Rosie Guerin]

So, much to my wife's chagrin. I love spending a lot of time in the olive oil section at the grocery store. I'm never quite sure what I should look for on a bottle. So can you walk us through what you should look for when you're going to grab a bottle of olive oil?

[Michael Sullivan]

Sure, yeah. I mean, it is very overwhelming when you're standing in the store and you're like, oh my God, all these bottles. One of the easiest things you can do right away is avoid clear glass bottles. The UV rays will de the oil and that's through photo oxidation. So it's HALT is the acronym for it. But heat, air, light and time are the things that really degrade oil. So exposing it to the air, the light and then the time. Obviously, like the longer you wait, the more likely it's going to go rancid. That's kind of an easy way to remember, like, oh, what should I be doing with this? How should I be storing this olive oil? That's an easy way to remember it.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Those just happen to be the same things that make us look old. Right?

[Rosie Guerin]

Heat, air, light and time.

[Michael Sullivan]

Yeah, exactly. Yeah, I guess it applies to us too. So a clear bottle, you just don't know how that was stored. You don't know where it was stored, how long it's been exposed to light. So it's just. You risk it being already oxidated by the time you open it. So that's an easy one to avoid.

[Rosie Guerin]

A dark bottle.

[Michael Sullivan]

So you want a dark. A tin or a dark green bottle, dark glass. And then I think most people know to look for extra virgin olive oil, but I don't know that everyone really knows what that means. Actually, that should have been a true or false question, but I would have.

[Rosie Guerin]

Gotten that one talk about it.

[Michael Sullivan]

So what it means is that the oil has been lab and taste tested, like I was saying, those professional tasters, and they're making sure that it's free of any defects. And also it can't have any excessive heat applied to it during the extraction. And the use of any sort of solvents or chemicals to extract that oil are prohibited. So it's the highest grade. This comes with some caveats, and I think if you bear with me for a minute, I can kind of like dig into this for a minute.

[Rosie Guerin]

Love it.

[Michael Sullivan]

So there's no national or international agreed upon standard for olive oil. So the USDA has their own guidelines, but they're voluntary for producers, which means it's not mandatory. So an oil that's coming in from another country, that's coming into the United States at the border, there's no one checking it to be like, oh, you know, randomly checking it to make sure that it is indeed what it says on the label, that grade is what it is. Right. California has its own laws. Shocking. Yes. So the California Department of Agriculture, cdfa, they have some pretty strict laws. Actually, they're slightly stricter than the usda. The acidity level has to be lower for the oils that are extra virgin. They're randomly tested by the cdfa. So the producer of olive oil is going to have a random person come and show up and they're going to test the oil to make sure that is indeed what it says it is. But California only makes something like 5% of the oil in the U.S. the rest is all imported. So it's like a huge amount of oil that's coming in from elsewhere. So while their guidelines are really strict, it's not that much oil.

[Rosie Guerin]

So this is for olive oil that's made in California.

[Michael Sullivan]

Yes, and specifically for producers that make 5,000 gallons of oil or more. Wow. Okay. Yeah. Then when we're talking about oils in Europe, they have the ioc, the International Olive Council, and they are an intergovernmental organization. And Setting the guidelines kind of for all these different countries. Right. In Europe. And all of the European Union countries are part of the ioc, but they are not enforcing the laws for the olive oil. That's up to each of the countries that is a member of the ioc. Right. And that's for all of the oils that are sold in Europe. So they're taste tested and they're lab tested. But because the US Is not a member of the ioc, there's not really an incentive to, like, make sure that the best oils are coming our way.

[Rosie Guerin]

So they can export, like, the dregs.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Yeah, they're sending us their junk.

[Michael Sullivan]

Yeah. I mean, in theory. No, they should not be. Right.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Yeah.

[Michael Sullivan]

But.

[Rosie Guerin]

But they. How would we know?

[Michael Sullivan]

Yeah. Right. Now, I should mention, like, the FDA has done random testing. They did about 10 years ago. They were in the D.C. area and they. They grabbed a bunch of bottles of oil from grocery stores and had them lab tested. And they found that adulteration was low, meaning the oils were not cut with seed oils or other. Other types of oil. Okay. They did not do a taste test. So the oils could still be labeled extra virgin, but not be extra virgin, because let's say when it got shipped over here, it was way too hot and it spoiled on the way. But it still says extra virgin on the label. But then you bring it home and you use it, and it's no longer what it says it is. It's a purity versus quality issue. The reason that you do a lab test and a taste test is because the lab test is picking up the acidity level. And then the taste test is picking up all the things you couldn't pick up in a lab. Like, any defects. Oh, it smells like dirty gym clothes or it has, you know, it's briny, or it smells like it's waxy. Like they're picking up all the flaws that you wouldn't be able to determine in a test. So they're done in tandem for that reason.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

If you see extra virgin olive oil on the shelf, what you're saying is that it likely has been processed in a certain way with, like, low heat. It's been lab tested, but you may not know the quality of that oil on the shelf that you're seeing in the supermarket.

[Michael Sullivan]

Right, right. Which is why I think tasting it is so important. And what's frustrating about that, People are like, well, what's the actionable advice? Like, what do you do tasting the oil to make sure that it's not rancid? And if it is, then you can Take it back to the retailer and be like, this is rancid. And they'll give you a refund or a store credit because you really shouldn't be paying all that money. I mean, olive oil is expensive. So like you shouldn't be paying all that money if it's not what it says it is on the label.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

What is rancid oil? How would you describe the flavor of rancid oil?

[Michael Sullivan]

So most often to me it smells like a box of Crayola crayons. It will smell waxy. It'll have just sort of a stale nut smell to it and flavor. It could also be like slightly fermented. Might have like a briny or like sour kind of quality to it sometimes. But I find it's. For me anyway, it's like more often like when I worked in olive oil store, it was more that it had that waxy quality. An old oil will also sort of cling to your mouth. It'll stick to the walls of your mouth and it's kind of, it's gross. But like a fresh oil is actually like quite clean, which is kind of surprising, I think. I think most people be like, you're drinking fat, but it actually, when you swallow it, it is like a very like kind of refreshing, like clean. Doesn have that same effect when you taste it.

[Rosie Guerin]

We'll see about that when we taste it.

[Michael Sullivan]

Yeah.

[Kyra Blackwell]

When you're looking at the harvest date, is there a time period that you would recommend? What's the window?

[Michael Sullivan]

Yeah, so generally in the northern hemisphere, it's the fall and winter harvest. And then the southern hemisphere it'll be spring and summer. So you're looking for the previous harvest date from whatever time you're in. So if we're In July of 2025, right now you're gonna be looking for October, November of 2024.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Got it.

[Michael Sullivan]

If it's an oil from the northern.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Hemisphere, and if it goes beyond that, maybe it's from two seasons ago. Is that too far back?

[Michael Sullivan]

You want to use it up within two years of the harvest date is a good rule of thumb. And then once you open it, you want to try to use it up within two to three months. So I know big families can buy those big three liter tins and they can use it up in two to three months. And that's great. But if you can't do that, like don't be buying these giant bottles. If you can't use it up within. No, you know really well because remember.

[Rosie Guerin]

Olive oil does not get better with age.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Yeah.

[Rosie Guerin]

True.

[Michael Sullivan]

But even if you buy in bulk.

[Kyra Blackwell]

And you don't open them, it's still like not.

[Michael Sullivan]

Well, as long as you're in that. That's sort of that two year window. Yeah, yeah. But generally buy smaller if you can't use it up within that window once you open it.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

So here's the big question. How much does country of origin matter? I feel like there's so much debate. Like, Italy is the best, Greece is the best, Spanish is the best. I mean, is, does it break down like that or does it really even matter?

[Michael Sullivan]

I. I don't like to discriminate based on like a region. I really encourage people to try just all kinds of olive oil from all over and see what they like. It's like wine in a lot of ways. You know, it doesn't age like wine, but it has. There are so many nuances and flavors and there's so many cultivars of olives that can be made and they are in certain regions versus others. And so to limit yourself to like one region, I think is doing yourself a disservice. I think it's really fun. And because it's, it's such a pantry staple, like you're using olive oil, or at least I am all the time, that it's really easy to just buy whatever and try different stuff and see what you like. And eventually you'll kind of figure out like, oh, I really like this type of oil. Or, you know, I like it really bold and grassy and peppery. Or maybe you like it more like fruity and a little more mellow with a subtle pepperiness. So you'll sort of, by tasting a bunch of them, you'll discover what you like. The important thing, country aside, you really want to look for on the label. It should say product of whatever the country is, because that means that the, the olive oil was from that country. Right. If it says imported from or packed in, that just means that the oil was bottled there. Right. And so you know how earlier, the true or false question. Italy is one of the biggest importers. That's because they're also exporting it. But it's bottled in Italy. But it'll say imported from Italy. But if you look on the back of the. It should say, like, where the olives are actually from. It's not bad that the olives are from this other place, but I think it's just like, it's a little bit of like marketing. Same centrifuge. Yeah.

[Rosie Guerin]

Is there any benefit of trying to assure that you're Getting something that's quote unquote, single origin, like where all of the olives are from one place or what's your, what's your feeling about blends? Like. Cause I've seen, you know, olive oil from Portugal plus Italy or something like that, I think.

[Michael Sullivan]

So blends is, it's important, I think to kind of define what we're talking about. So you could have a blend of two oils from two different estates, but you could also have a blend of oils from literally all over the world that are like, like five or six different countries. Those are often cheaper. We're talking about like some of the big grocery store brands do this. They're combining oils from all over the world and you know, you just don't know how long those oils were sitting where, when. I mean, that's why the harvest day is so important. Right. Especially when you have all these oils from all over.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Well, now I feel like I have been doing a lot of things wrong with my olive oil. But just, just to recap, by and large, people should be looking for extra virgin olive oil. If they want the most flavorful, the most kind of complex oil. They want to be looking for that harvest date and it should be within two years. You want to consume it within two years of harvest.

[Michael Sullivan]

Right.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

You want it to be a clear oil in a dark bottle or in a can.

[Michael Sullivan]

Right.

[Kyra Blackwell]

We're going to take a quick break and then when we're back, we're going to talk through how you should be storing your olive oil and we're going to do a taste test. Plus we'll get some of Michael's best secrets for finding a great olive oil out in the w. Be right back. The Wirecutter show is supported by Intuit QuickBooks. Do you own a business that's ready to thrive? It's time to let Intuit QuickBooks take things like unpaid invoices and tracking expenses off your plate so you can take things to the next level. QuickBooks is an all in one business solution that can help with those day to day tasks like invoicing and expenses. Manage and grow your business all in one place. Intuit QuickBooks your way to money. Get 90% off for 3 months. Limited time only. Terms and conditions apply.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

The Wirecutter show is supported by Rocket Mortgage. Your home is an active investment, not a passive one. And with Rocket Mortgage, you can put your home equity to work right away. When you unlock your home equity, you unlock new doors for your family. Renovations, extensions, even buying your next property. Get started today with smarter tools and guidance from real mortgage experts. Find out [e-mail] Rocket Mortgage LLC. Licensed in 50 states. Nmlsconsumeraccess.org 3030 the Wirecutter show is supported by Nordstrom.

[Nordstrom Ad]

The Nordstrom anniversary sale is coming soon. It's a big deal with new arrivals on sale for a limited time. You'll find applause worthy savings on clothing, shoes and accessories, plus great deals on beauty exclusives from top brands. Sale starts July 12, but early access starts July 10 for all Nordstrom card members. Sneak a peek now to build your wish list so you'll be ready. The best deals go fast in stores [e-mail] prices go up. August 4th.

[Michael Sullivan]

Welcome back.

[Kyra Blackwell]

We're here with Michael Sullivan and we're talking all about olive oil. And we covered a lot of the basics for what you should be looking for when you're shopping in the aisles. But now we want to know, Michael, what you think most people are doing wrong when it comes to storing their olive oil at home.

[Michael Sullivan]

Yeah, I think the most common issue is storing the olive oil right next to the stove just because that heat, like when you think about like, oh, for extra virgin, you don't want excessive heat applied to it during production. Right. So then to just put it right next to the stove sort of defeats that whole. And they worked so hard, ideally to.

[Rosie Guerin]

For those of you at home, Michael is making meaningful eye contact with Christine and Kyra.

[Michael Sullivan]

No, I am. That's not a read. That was not a read.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

I keep mine in a clear bottle.

[Rosie Guerin]

With a spout next to yourself.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Fine, I'll change, I guess.

[Michael Sullivan]

But also, you want to try to avoid decanting the oil like in a clear glass bottle or some sort of carafe. I know. And I have a beautiful one that I found at an estate sale and I'm just sort of like, I guess I just look at you. I don't know what I do with you. But yeah, like we were saying, dark glass or tin is best, ideally a tight sealing lid. Avoid pour spouts. I mean, like, you know, restaurants will have them in open, but think about how quickly they're going through that oil. It's like not an issue. And it's best to store it in like a dark cupboard or pantry, like away from heat and light so not.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Directly above your stove.

[Michael Sullivan]

Got it. Yeah. Yeah.

[Kyra Blackwell]

And what about plastic? I mean, even one of the bottles that we recommend, Graza Y, I see it in grocery stores all the time in Bertoli too. Yeah, it looks really cute, honestly. But it's in a green plastic bottle. What's the deal with that?

[Michael Sullivan]

Yeah, so, you know, the experts that I spoke to, they overwhelmingly say that it should not be put in plastic. And I think they're pointing to the fact that it, you know, some plastics are semi permeable, so then there's the risk of oxygen getting in. So they really say to stick to glass and tiny. You know, I think it's hard because so many of the reasonably priced oils in the grocery store, some of them are. Are in plastic. And so, like, we included them in our lineup because we just felt like we needed to, you know, include some of these reasonably priced oils. You know, I think just using them up quickly is. Is probably best advice.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Can we spend a beat talking about why you're not supposed to refrigerate your olive oil? I grew up with a bottle of olive oil in the refrigerator. I don't like how it gets chunky, but I would assume that keeping it in the refrigerator would extend the life of the olive oil and keep it from the heat that could, you know, accelerate it going rancid. So why not keep it in the refrigerator?

[Michael Sullivan]

For one thing, it's impractical because then you. Yeah, like you're saying you have this congealed oil, so when you go to use it, you're like, okay, now I'm waiting for this to thaw and come back to being liquid again. And some people will run it under hot water, which probably not a good idea. Also, the taking it in and out of the fridge can create condensation, which, you know, some experts were saying that that's also obviously bad for it. So you just want to keep it in a cupboard at room temperature. The fridge thing, don't bother. There was also some misinformation circulating many years ago that was like, if you put your olive oil in the fridge and it congeals or it solidifies, that's an indication of quality. And it's. No, it's not an indication of quality because all, you know, each oil will have a different density, and they're gonna. They're gonna solidify at different temperatures. And only a lab test and a taste test can determine the quality of the oil.

[Kyra Blackwell]

What's the most surprising thing that you found during your testing?

[Michael Sullivan]

You know, I think when we made the decision to only include oils that have a harvest date, I thought there would be fewer than there actually were at the grocery store. And some of the big brands like Bertoli is one of them that I was actually really surprised by.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Which Is one of our picks, right?

[Michael Sullivan]

Which is one of our picks. Yeah.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

I mean, that's surprising to me. Like, we tasted all these sort of fancier oils, what I would consider more expensive fancier oils. But Bertolli did well against these other oils, right?

[Michael Sullivan]

Yeah, it did. Which was surprising, you know, but it has that bold, peppery, really grassy flavor to it, which was appealing.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

So I want to know, if someone is in a grocery store, they don't have access to the oils that we recommend in our guide. They want to buy a nice oil. What are some tips for finding something good?

[Michael Sullivan]

If you're in a grocery store, like Whole Foods or somewhere, you often want to look not at eye level. So like above and below is where a lot of higher priced oils will be. Or any product really, for that matter. Like, a lot of you'll notice if you go to like Walmart or wherever. Like all the white label products are all eye level. That's called the strike zone. And it's all strategically placed for the consumer. So same applies to olive oil. You'll often find like at the bottom, you know, some. Some more interesting oils. Not like the major brands that are at all the chains.

[Rosie Guerin]

That's why my toddlers are always picking the oil.

[Michael Sullivan]

Yes, they have champagne taste, but yeah, that's like a good thing. You can also look online too, if you don't have a specialty food store. A lot of specialty food stores, if you have one in your area, will have maybe a better selection. If you live in an area where you don't have access to stores like that, you could go online and just do a little bit of research. A producer that's very transparent online and like shares their lab results. Wow, that's like a pretty. They're not hiding anything, right? So I think that's a good indication of. Of a quality producer.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

What's your favorite mail order brand? Give us the inside scoop.

[Michael Sullivan]

So one of my favorites is Fat Gold and they're actually based in California. They're moderately priced. It's just like reliably good. And it's so flavorful, robust. And I just. It's one of my faves. And we'll actually be trying some today, so.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Ooh, I'm very excited.

[Rosie Guerin]

Okay, Michael, you brought some oils for us to try. Let's taste test. Unfortunately, the process is to swirl, sniff, slurp, and then swallow.

[Michael Sullivan]

Great. Yay.

[Rosie Guerin]

Which is just. Just horrifying.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Horrifying to do on air.

[Rosie Guerin]

So this is number one.

[Michael Sullivan]

Yes, this is number one. So, okay, so first hold it in Your hand. And there's, like, a little lid for these sometimes. Or you could just use your hand. You just want to, like, swirl it in your hand and just sort of, like, warm the oil a little bit. Just makes it easier to smell. And then this is quite a picture.

[Rosie Guerin]

We are holding these little tulip glasses and swirling them with our palms over the tops.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Delicious.

[Rosie Guerin]

And then you knock your nose.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

You don't like the smell? I love the smell. I feel like I'm in Italy.

[Michael Sullivan]

It just smells grassy. Yeah, very grassy. Yes. I feel like I'm at a farm. All right. Yeah. So now. So when you slurp it, you just slurp it and slurp it across your. Be noisy. I know. It's a weird sensation. Yeah.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Oh, my God. That's so weird.

[Rosie Guerin]

We're losing Kyra.

[Kyra Blackwell]

You guys, I don't think I can do this two more times.

[Rosie Guerin]

I really did not like the experience of it in my mouth, just drinking oil. But the after of it, the way that the flavor diffuses on the palate and really kicks you in the back of the throat. That's so nice.

[Michael Sullivan]

It is very fruity. And this isn't even the most. Yeah, green apple, definitely. Yeah, yeah.

[Rosie Guerin]

So that's number one. This is olive oil.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Number two, we're swirling, we're warming.

[Rosie Guerin]

Let's get the nose in there.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Oh, wow.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Yeah, I like this one better. It's not grassy dirt smelling like fruits.

[Rosie Guerin]

Like light fruit. Maybe a little herby.

[Michael Sullivan]

Yeah, definitely getting herbs on this. Yeah.

[Rosie Guerin]

So swirl, sniff, slurp, swallow.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

I'm slurping.

[Kyra Blackwell]

I didn't hear you.

[Rosie Guerin]

Go on.

[Nordstrom Ad]

That was the.

[Michael Sullivan]

Okay, okay, so bit. But this one's, like, very bitter. Yeah.

[Kyra Blackwell]

It's like. I can handle this one.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

This one isn't doing anything for me.

[Michael Sullivan]

Oh, really? Maybe because you already hit me.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Maybe because it already hit me.

[Michael Sullivan]

Yeah.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

I don't feel any sensation.

[Michael Sullivan]

Oh, really? Slurp it, like, across your tongue. Yeah, yeah.

[Rosie Guerin]

Oh, my God. Because this is. This is spicy on the tongue and in the back.

[Michael Sullivan]

Pepper. Spicy like black pepper. Yeah.

[Rosie Guerin]

The other thing to say about this one is it's very thick. It's. In terms of viscosity.

[Michael Sullivan]

Yeah, yeah. It has, like, a buttery quality to it. Yeah.

[Kyra Blackwell]

But it's not, like, clinging to my mouth.

[Michael Sullivan]

No, no.

[Kyra Blackwell]

The last. Last one kind of was.

[Michael Sullivan]

Oh, really? Yeah, yeah.

[Rosie Guerin]

Number one. Tasted more oily.

[Michael Sullivan]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. This has a buttery quality to it. Yeah.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

This is very mild to me. It tastes bitter.

[Michael Sullivan]

Yeah.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

And I feel a little bit of a burn.

[Michael Sullivan]

Oh, Interesting.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Nothing. Like that first burn. That first.

[Michael Sullivan]

Yeah.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Sometimes like.

[Michael Sullivan]

Whoa. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Okay. This is number three.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Okay.

[Rosie Guerin]

And cap it and warm it.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Swirling. We're warming. We're swirling. And I'm gonna sniff. Whoa. That's almost, like, waxy to me.

[Michael Sullivan]

Yeah. Remember what I was saying earlier? Oh, no.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Is that like a little essence of crayon? I think it's like a red crayon.

[Michael Sullivan]

It really does. Isn't it wild? It smells like. Like it's like wax and cardboard.

[Rosie Guerin]

Yeah, it smells old. Just like, old.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Is it safe? This is the rancid one.

[Michael Sullivan]

Yeah, yeah.

[Rosie Guerin]

Swirl, sniff, slurp, and swallow, guys.

[Michael Sullivan]

Oh.

[Rosie Guerin]

Just coats your mouth.

[Michael Sullivan]

I know. It's a different. I don't like that Michael sensation is.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

I don't like if you were like, you just played an off note or something. Yeah, like, it's like.

[Michael Sullivan]

Yeah, it doesn't have that burn. It's flat. Clings to your mouth. That's been sitting in my window for about a month with a loose lid on it in a clear glass jar.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

In preparation for this day.

[Michael Sullivan]

In preparation for this day, this is.

[Kyra Blackwell]

What it would taste like if you just drank straight vegetable oil.

[Michael Sullivan]

Yeah. Yeah. It has that sort of. So it's, like, lost all of it. Yeah.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

And the lingering flavor is just not pleasant.

[Michael Sullivan]

So number one was fat gold, and it's their oil that's made from Arbequino olives. And the second one was also fat gold, but it is from Frantoio olives. And that was the bitter, spicy one. I just got this shipment in, so I was like, oh, this'll be fun. I think it's nice because, you know, the olives. Some of the grocery store brands aren't gonna have the type of olive, so I thought it would be interesting for you to try, like, like, a specific type of olive cultivar. So. And then the last one was my little jar of gross oil. Clear jar.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

What are some of the. These are not picks.

[Michael Sullivan]

No. Yeah.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

What are some of the picks that we have in our guide that you really love, that you've been using since you. Since you did this guide?

[Michael Sullivan]

Yes. Okay, so for one that's, like, really fruity and buttery, that's really good with fish, or like a lighter salad dressing? Maybe a salad dressing that has fruit in it. I really like the Bono Sicilia PGI organic Sicilian olive oil. That one's really good. We all really like that one. It's not going to be as pungent and bold as some of the others. Like, if you Want something more bold? Bertolle is like, really? We tested the rich taste one. That's what they call it, the rich taste. So it's just like the bold, peppery. So there's a blend of a bunch of olives, but that's like a. Going to be the more, like, grassy, bold one. But, yeah, those. That's like, kind of. Those are like the two extremes of the spectrum. And then also the Graza, that one's also going to be a little more bold and peppery. Yeah.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Love it.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Michael, what's the last thing you've recently bought that you've really loved?

[Michael Sullivan]

Oh, so this is kind of nerdy, but. So I do a lot of sewing, but I just bought these. These antique buttons. I'm laughing as I'm saying this. Cause I sound like such a dork. But they're like portraits of these very fabulous women. They're like a hundred years old, and they have little portraits, and one of the women is wearing a big jaunty hat. So anyway, I'm gonna put them on a shirt that I'm gonna make.

[Kyra Blackwell]

I love this.

[Michael Sullivan]

Where did you find them, the World wide web?

[Rosie Guerin]

Wwe?

[Michael Sullivan]

No, I got em on ebay.

[Rosie Guerin]

Michael, thanks so much for joining us.

[Michael Sullivan]

Thank you so much.

[Rosie Guerin]

Another great epis with Michael Sullivan.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

I mean, when are we gonna have him back again? He's so great.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Yeah, he better not bring any more olive oil around me.

[Rosie Guerin]

Yeah, to be fair, we don't want to drink any more of his olive oil.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Lovely man.

[Rosie Guerin]

Lovely man.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Please don't ever make me do that again.

[Rosie Guerin]

Y', all, what are you all taking away from this episode?

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Well, I truly feel that I have now the olive oil walk of shame to do on this show where I need to admit that I've been keeping my olive oil in a clear bottle with a spout near the stove because it's super convenient. And I guess I'm gonna have to stop doing that when I get.

[Rosie Guerin]

For shame.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Yes, for shame. For shame. And I think because of the way I've been storing my oil, I will taste it when I get home to make sure it hasn't gone rancid.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Wow, you're brave.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Yeah.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Yeah. I'm just gonna assume that my olive oil is bad, and I'm just gonna buy a new one. No need to taste it.

[Rosie Guerin]

What are you gonna get?

[Kyra Blackwell]

I think I'm gonna get the Bertolle, because I definitely seen that in every grocery store I've ever been to.

[Rosie Guerin]

So very accessible.

[Kyra Blackwell]

I think I've decided that I'm not going to be an olive oil person. It's just I'm happy with whatever works and it's cheap.

[Rosie Guerin]

I feel like this conversation validated the fact that I am an olive oil person and will continue to be. I'm taking away that extra virgin is king of the hill. That's what you look for. The designation you look for when you know you want to have something that is that real authentic olive taste. And then the other thing to look for on the bottle. Harvest date.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Yeah.

[Michael Sullivan]

Yeah.

[Rosie Guerin]

Really trying to ensure that you see a harvest date and that it's within two years that you're consuming it from harvesting.

[Kyra Blackwell]

And not to be confused with the best by date.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Right.

[Rosie Guerin]

Not to be confused with the best by date.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

And older is not better here.

[Rosie Guerin]

Older is not better. We're not aging like fine wine. If you want to find out more about Michael's reporting, you can check out our show notes and our website. That's it for us. Thanks so much for listening.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Bye bye. The Wirecutter show is executive produced by Rosie Guerin and produced by Abigail Keel. Engineering support from Matty Mazziello and Nick Pittman. Today's episode was mixed by Katherine Anderson. Original music by Dan Powell, Marian Lozano, Alicia Ba Itup and Diane Wong. Wirecutter's deputy publisher is Cliff Levy. Ben Fruman is Wirecutter's editor in chief. I'm Christine Cyrclassette.

[Kyra Blackwell]

I'm Kyra Blackwell.

[Rosie Guerin]

And I'm Rosie Guerin.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Thanks for listening.

[Michael Sullivan]

It's. Yeah. If you're not used to trying it. The reaction was just like people like choking in public in the store and you're like, oh my gosh, are you okay?

[Nordstrom Ad]

The Wirecutter show is supported by Nordstrom. The Nordstrom anniversary sale is coming soon. It's a big deal with new arrivals on sale for a limited time. You'll find applause worthy savings on clothing, shoes and accessories, plus great deals on beauty exclusives from top brands. Sale starts July 12, but early access starts July 10 for all Nordstrom card members. Sneak a peek now to build your wish list so you'll be ready. The best deals go fast in stores [e-mail] prices go up. August 4th.