This here, it’s about that olive oil. That stuff they say is good for you. Well, I heard a thing or two about it, so let me tell you what I know.
That Extra Virgin Stuff
They say there’s this extra virgin olive oil. Sounds fancy, huh? It’s supposed to be the best kind. Like, top-notch. They say it ain’t messed with. No heat, no nothin’. Just squeezed outta them olives. They call it unrefined. Sounds like somethin’ my old man would say about me, unrefined! But for oil, it’s a good thing, I guess.
- Extra virgin olive oil is the best, they say.
- No heat used to get it.
- Just pure olive juice.
This extra virgin olive oil, it’s got a strong taste, I hear. Depends on where them olives come from, what kind they are. Some folks like it, some don’t. I reckon it’s like moonshine. Some batches are good, some… not so much. You can use the same amount as other cooking oil. It’s all oily, ain’t it?
Plain Old Olive Oil
Then there’s just regular olive oil. Now, this one, they mess with it. They use heat or somethin’. They clean it up, make it taste different. It ain’t as strong as that extra virgin stuff. Probably better for folks who don’t like a strong olive taste. This kind of olive oil, they call it refined. Sounds like they put it through some fancy schoolin’.
- Regular olive oil is cleaned up.
- They use heat to make it.
- It don’t taste as strong.
What’s the Big Deal?
Now, why all this fuss about olive oil? Well, they say it’s healthy. Got some good stuff in it. Keeps you from gettin’ all clogged up, I reckon. But the extra virgin is better, they say. It’s got more of them good things in it. That plain olive oil, they take some of the good stuff out when they clean it up. It has the good fat, MUFA, but less of the other healthy stuff, like poly-what’s-it and something called carotenoids.
- Olive oil is supposed to be good for you.
- Extra virgin has more good stuff.
- Regular olive oil loses some good stuff when it’s made.
Cookin’ with Olive Oil
Now, I heard you ain’t supposed to cook with that extra virgin olive oil when it’s real hot. It starts smokin’ and whatnot. They say it’s got a “smoke point.” Sounds like somethin’ you’d see down at the ol’ mill. Anyways, when it gets too hot, it ain’t good no more. Best to use that for drizzlin’ on your salad or somethin’. Regular olive oil can take the heat better, I reckon.
- Don’t cook with extra virgin olive oil when it’s super hot.
- It’ll start to smoke.
- Use regular olive oil for high heat.
Which One to Use?
So, which olive oil should you use? Well, that depends. If you want the healthiest, go for that extra virgin olive oil. If you don’t like a strong taste, maybe the regular olive oil is better. And if you’re cookin’ somethin’ real hot, don’t use that extra virgin. It’ll just make a mess. If you want that good olive taste in your food, use the extra virgin olive oil. If you just want some oil to cook with, the regular stuff is fine.
I think both olive oil and extra virgin olive oil are good. It just depends on what you need them for. I remember my neighbor used to make this olive oil cake. It was pretty good, I reckon. She used that regular olive oil, not the fancy stuff. Said it was better for bakin’.
More Olive Oil Talk
Olive oil is made from olives. You know, them little green things. They grow on trees. I seen ’em once when I went to visit my cousin in California. They got olive trees everywhere out there. They mash them olives up and get the oil out. That’s how they make olive oil. It’s been around for a long time, I reckon. Folks been usin’ it for ages.
Some folks say olive oil is good for your skin, too. You can rub it on your dry patches. I tried it once, but it just made me feel greasy. Maybe I used too much. I reckon it’s better for eatin’ than wearin’. There’s different kinds of olives, too. Some are green, some are black. They all make olive oil, but the taste is different. I like them black olives on my pizza. But I ain’t never tried makin’ olive oil outta ’em.
I still use lard for most of my cookin’. It’s what I know. But maybe I’ll try that olive oil more often. If it’s so healthy, maybe it’ll keep me kickin’ for a few more years. You never know, maybe that extra virgin olive oil is the secret to a long life. If you see them olives, you just squeeze them, and you get olive oil. It’s like magic, ain’t it?
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