Storing olive oil is very simple: keep it stored in a sealed container away from heat and light. This is easier said than done if you use a lot of olive oil in the kitchen. Often a bottle of olive oil is kept on the counter, near the stove. This is certainly handy, but is not good for the oil as it exposes it to both heat and light. Our preferred approach is to keep a small, opaque and pourable container near the stove filled with your olive oil and store the rest of it away from heat and light. Fill up the smaller container as needed.
Olive oil has many uses in the kitchen. Filtered oil is best for cooking with because it has fewer solids floating around in it which encourage oxidation and lower the oil’s smoke point. Some swear by the taste of unfiltered oil and report that it gives more flavor and provides better health benefits than filtered oils because you are consuming more of the naturally occurring polyphenols in an unfiltered oil. Let your own research and taste be your guide in which oil you choose.
The smoke point for olive oil is about 365F so it works just fine for sauteing and frying. Olive oil is not a neutral oil and will impart its own flavors to the foods you cook in it.
Choosing an oil for your salad or for dipping good bread into totally depends on your preference for flavor. Some oils are soft and fruity while others are fully of grassy pungency that will make you cough if you’re not careful! Some oils will work very well with other ingredients while others might dominate the flavors too much. We suggest tasting several oils to find the one that is right for you.