Tasting olive oil properly is the best way to tell a great one from an ordinary one. Professional tasters follow a simple routine, and you can do the same at home in a few minutes. What you need A small glass for each oil (a wine glass or shot glass is fine) A slice of apple and a glass of water to cleanse your palate Two or three different olive oils to compare How to taste olive oil in 5 steps Pour: about a tablespoon of oil into the glass. Warm: cup the glass in one hand and cover it with...

Organic olive oil costs a little more, so is it worth it? Here's what the organic label actually means, how to check it, and what it does and doesn't tell you about quality. What does "organic" mean for olive oil? Organic olive oil comes from groves farmed under organic rules: no synthetic pesticides or fertilisers, with farming practices that protect the soil and wildlife. Every business in the chain, from grove to mill to bottler, is inspected by an approved organic control body. How to...

Picual is Spain's most widely grown olive variety and one of the most important in the world. Picual olive oil is known for its robust, green flavour, pronounced bitterness and peppery finish, and it is naturally high in polyphenols. What does Picual olive oil taste like? Aroma: fresh-cut grass, tomato leaf, green fig and olive leaf Taste: robust and green, with clear bitterness Finish: peppery, sometimes strongly so Why is Picual so high in polyphenols? Picual olives are naturally rich in...