Is cold-pressed olive oil better?
Usually, yes. “Cold-pressed” refers to the technique used to extract the best oil from the olives. To get the highest quality oil, the presser cannot use any heat. To accomplish this feat called cold-pressing, quality oil producers crush their olives with stone wheels (millstones, or pietre in Italian). Although other methods may work more quickly and yield more oil, the friction caused can damage the quality and flavor of the oil. Cold-pressing is one sign that a producer is trying to make a good oil. But as with the “extra virgin” label, there are oils labeled “cold-pressed” made from mediocre olives that aren’t particularly flavorful. So the name alone is not enough. The bottom line, again, is how it tastes. 3. How long can you store olive oil? Olive oils’ most pernicious enemies are heat and light. As a rule, extra virgin olive oil can generally be stored for about a year as long as it is kept in a relatively cool, dark place, but not in the refrigerator. Be sure to stay away from
