All About Olives and Olive Oil

If you're stocking up your pantry or just looking for a snack buying olives and olive oil can be overwhelming.  Michael Symon's here to explain everything you need to know.

All About the Olive Oil

Michael says there are lots of varieties of different oils and even more uses for them. Unfiltered extra virgin olive oil is the king of olive oil, never put it on the heat because it will kill the delicious fruity flavor; it’s a great finishing oil. Regular filtered extra virgin olive oils will still have good flavor with a little less grassiness. Olive oil blended with canola oil is a great oil to cook with and you still get a little fruity flavor. Finally, straight canola oil is always a good oil to cook with because of its high smoke point.

All About Olives

Michael says the best way to find an olive that you love is to taste it! Sicilian olives are brilliant green and brined, they have a nice bright flavor that is a little tart. Kalamata olives are almond shaped Greek olives that are rich, fruity and a little acidic. Moroccan Olives are not cured in brine; they’re cured in a little salt and extra virgin olive oil, not quite as pungent.