The age-old question: can you actually taste the difference between expensive extra virgin olive oils and their more budget-friendly counterparts? This exploration involves four culinary experiments, comparing a neutral oil, a mid-tier extra virgin olive oil, and a premium, top-shelf extra virgin olive oil – a bottle some might even call the “Ferrari” of olive oils. These experiments include a leafy greens dressing test, a warm pasta salad, roasted vegetables, and finally, a chicken cutlet test. The goal is to put cooking theory into practice and uncover some surprising results.
Before diving into the tasting, it’s crucial to understand why we add fats to food in the first place. There are five primary reasons: introducing the aroma molecules of the fat, introducing the taste of the fat, enhancing existing fat-soluble flavor compounds, improving mouthfeel, and serving as a cooking medium. When evaluating olive oils raw, the aroma and taste are paramount. This raises two key questions: what influences the flavor of extra virgin olive oil, and what do these different flavors actually taste like?
Just like coffee beans or wine grapes, the flavor of olive oil is affected by various factors, including the country of origin, the olive varietal, the olive’s maturity at harvest, storage conditions, processing methods, and filtering techniques.
Olive oil flavor chart
Younger olives typically yield less oil, resulting in a higher cost. They possess a more vibrant flavor profile with prominent top and middle aroma notes, often accompanied by a slightly bitter and spicy sensation due to polyphenols. Mature olives, on the other hand, produce more oil, thus lowering the cost. Their flavor profile is generally mellower, lacking the same intensity of bitterness, spice, and vibrancy.
For this experiment, two distinct extra virgin olive oils were selected: an everyday cooking oil and a finishing oil intended for raw applications. The first experiment involved a simple leafy greens dressing test. A basic vinaigrette was created using each oil and vinegar, then tossed with leafy greens. The primary aim was to discern the difference between the neutral oil and the olive oil vinaigrettes, and to determine whether a distinction could be made between the mid-tier and premium oils. The results showed a significant difference between the neutral oil and the olive oils, but the distinction between the two olive oils was less pronounced, primarily a matter of personal preference.
Olive oil salad dressing
The second experiment featured a pasta salad with a more complex flavor profile. Spices were added to the dressings, and the salad included pasta, vegetables, grilled chicken, and feta cheese. The question was whether the olive oil’s flavor would still be discernible amidst the other ingredients. The olive oil flavor was still noticeable, but the nuances between the two olive oils were harder to detect. The neutral oil allowed the other flavors to shine through more prominently.
The third and fourth experiments focused on how heat affects the flavor and aroma of olive oil when used as a cooking medium. Roasted Brussels sprouts were tossed in each oil and cooked in a high-heat oven. Surprisingly, the olive oil flavor was barely perceptible, masked by the strong taste of the Brussels sprouts. This suggested that using a neutral oil for roasting and then drizzling with a finishing oil afterwards might be a more cost-effective approach.
Roasted brussels sprouts with olive oil
The final experiment involved shallow frying chicken cutlets in each oil. While there were initial doubts after the roasted vegetable experiment, the higher volume of oil used and shorter cooking time offered a different set of variables. The results were surprising. The premium olive oil’s flavor was clearly discernible in the fried chicken, offering a unique taste experience. However, the difference between the neutral oil and the everyday cooking olive oil was minimal.
Fried chicken cutlets
These experiments demonstrated that while it’s possible to distinguish between expensive extra virgin olive oils, especially in raw applications, the necessity of owning both an everyday cooking oil and a finishing oil is debatable. For the average home cook, a good quality everyday extra virgin olive oil may suffice. The key takeaway is to consider the purpose of adding fat to a dish and choose the oil that best complements the other ingredients and desired outcome.
