Not all olive oil is created equal!

At Mrs. McGarrigle’s, we take great care in selecting which oils to bring into our shop. We only
pick our very favourites to sell to the public, and if you’ve seen our olive oil stock, you’ll know
we have a lot of them! We love olive oil as much as we love mustard.

We also know it can be tricky to choose which oils to take home when faced with a wide
selection. So, without further ado, here are a few of our favourites and our guide to olive oil! (Click the product names in bold to view each oil in our online store).

Itaca Lemon-Infused Extra-Virgin Olive Oil – This is a natural infused EVOO obtained by
pressing fresh lemons and high-quality olives together. Adds a wonderful zip to all your dishes.
use a drizzle of this infused oil on salad, pasta, fish, chicken, asparagus, green beans, avocados,
seafood and white beans.

Galantino Affiorato – Galantino is a highly respected estate extra-virgin olive oil producer
from Puglia, Italy. They have received numerous international awards for their high-quality oils,
including the Coq d’Or.

Affiorato EVOO is produced in limited quantities according to a centuries-old method of hand-
skimming small quantities of oil that naturally rise to the surface of the olive oil paste before the
cold pressing process. Delicate and fruity with herbaceous notes and an almond finish. Ideal with fish, seafood, white
meats, salads and delicate dishes. Delicious drizzled over Burrata cheese.

Oro del Frantoio – Extra-virgin olive oil produced at Garda Lake, Lombardia, Italy.
This oil has a powerful aroma of olive with hints of tomato, artichoke and almond. It is made
with 100% Italian olive varieties (Pendolino, Leccino and Frantoio olives). Excellent quality and
price point for everyday use in all your favourite dishes.

The quality and taste of olive oil depends greatly on several factors: 

Country of Origin: Different climates and ‘terroir’ means there are nuanced differences in olive
oil flavours. Spain, the world’s largest producer of olive oil, tends to produce yellow oil with a
buttery taste. Italian oil tends to be greener in colour and has a herbal, even grassy, flavour, often
with almond undertones. Greek olive oil also has that grassy flavour but tends to be milder than
Italian oil.

Processing: Thousands of years ago, olives were crushed with heavy stone presses, with the
resulting oil filtered through straw mats. Today, the process of making olive oil is far more
sophisticated and utilizes three techniques: grinding, malaxing (mixing), and centrifugation
(spinning at high speed). Lower-quality olive oil is cleaned or ‘refined’ by adding heat and
chemicals during processing. Extra-Virgin olive oil is unrefined and cold-pressed, healthier and
tastes better.

Olive Oil (Refined) – vs EVOO, refined is the lowest quality olive oil, cleaned with heat and
chemicals. Often it is blended with Virgin or Extra-Virgin olive oil to improve flavour. The heat
and chemicals used in the refining process also remove most of the healthy properties of olive
oil. This is typically the second or third pressing of the olive.

Extra-Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)– We only carry EVOO! EVOO is produced without chemicals
or heat. According to the IOC, if the olive oil is fruity, has no defects and has an acidity level
that is less than or equal to 0.5%, it is graded as extra-virgin. Because it is processed without heat
or chemicals, extra-virgin olive oil is high in antioxidants and polyphenol. It is typically more
flavourful and great to drizzle on food.

Freshness: Olives are technically a fruit; like all fruits, they age and spoil after being picked. Oxygen and
light are the two main factors that cause olives to spoil. Ideally, olives should be processed
within 24 hours of being harvested to produce the best-tasting oil.

Fraud: Believe it or not, trade in impure, mislabelled olive oil is big business. Globally, the sale
of ‘fraudulent food’ generates $50 billion in revenue annually (even more than the sale of illegal
drugs!). Bogus Extra-Virgin olive oil has been on the radar of the law for years; in 2019, the
Canadian Food Inspection Agency increased its powers and cracked down on olive-oil imports.
At best, fake food cheats consumers out of value and money, but at worst fake food can be fatal.
In 1981, 600 people died, and 300 more were permanently injured consuming degraded,
reprocessed, and deliberately mislabelled oil in Spain. The best way to purchase olive oil is
either directly from the manufacturer or through small resellers who take a great deal of care and
time in selecting their olive oil for resale.

Do you have a favourite olive oil? Tell us! We love hearing about olive oil and producers we
may not have yet discovered. Answer in the comments below!