Greek Olive Oil: Eat It, Cook With It, Drink It, Put It On Your Skin, Slather It On Your Hair – It’s A Gift From The Gods
Greek olive oil is the best olive oil in the world. And, if you didn’t already know, I’m Greek. That does not make me biased, it just means I have first hand experience with Greek Olive Oil beyond what you find at the super market. You see our family in Greece grows olives. Those olives then get turned into rich, divine, green-hued, olive oil goodness. I have had Italian olive oil and Portuguese olive oil and even olive oil from Mexico – but NONE can compare to the full-flavor and acidity of Greek olive oil. It has a richness and color and full flavor that you have to experience. My Yai Yai (that’s grandma in Greek) always used Pegasus Olive Oil in the 3L tins(no longer available on Amazon, but they now carry the 3 liter tins of Terra Creta, YAY!). After they were empty, she’d cut the top off the tin, punch a few holes in the bottom and OPA! instant planter. (I so wish I had a photo of her terrace to show you!) I digress.
What Makes Greek Olive Oil So Good?
The trees, the water, the sun, the people, I duuno – it just tastes better. Maybe it’s because Greece dedicated 60% of it’s cultivated land to growing olives – they must be good at it (and they have been doing it FOR-EVER).
I look for a green (opposed to yellow) olive oil. The color comes from olives that are still green and provide a much sharper, a bit peppery, olive oil with full flavor. I have no problem spending a little more for good Greek olive oil. This is the olive oil you drizzle onto salads, use in pestos, slop up with bread. I love adding a touch to my Tuscan White Bean Dip. I don’t cook with it – heat makes it loose it’s delicate flavors. For cooking, I use reasonably priced Italian olive oil. You want good food? Then you need good ingredients – just look at some of my salads (which are only Greek Olive Oil worthy).
Okay. Now I want to eat a salad. You too? Let’s continue. We can go have salad after we finish this post. Seriously, I’m gonna go have a salad.
Which Greek Olive Oil?
I pick up the Terra Creta Extra Virgin Olive Oil from my local HEB grocery store. If you can’t find Greek olive oil in your local market, ask them to order it or find one in your price range on Amazon (they really do have everything). This should help get you started…(I don’t know why non-greek oils are showing up, but just focus on the Greek olive oils, m’kay?)
Uses For Greek Olive Oil
I use my Greek olive oil for all kinds of things other than eating it. I use it for hair oil, body oil (mixed with other oils like coconut oil and vitamin E oil), sugar bath scrubs, and facial cleaning. I figure, being Greek and all, that this is the oil of my people, so it must be good for the body of the people. You can always use other olive oils for these applications if you want. And honey, if you’ve never tired making your own sugar scrub with olive oil, coconut oil and white or brown sugar, well sugar, go whip up a batch. Just put the dry ingredients in a bowl and add oils until they are a tad bit more than moist. I will be posting some awesome body scrub recipes, hair masks, and talking all about the oil cleanse method soon – and they all use olive oil!
To Make A Long Story Short (too late!)
You can’t go wrong with Greek olive oil. I promise. It’s the oil of the gods. Try it. You’ll thank me, you foodie, you.
Have you ever used Greek olive oil? What’s your favorite brand?
PS – I’m totally freakin’ impressed with myself and my ability to take yummy lookin’ photos with my iPhone! See Mom, photography wasn’t a “useless thing to minor in”. Shhh. Don’t tell her the iPhone does all the work.
PPS – WTF is Kraft Dressing doing in my little amazon thingy up there? (at least it was last time I checked) It’s suppose to be showing “Greek Olive Oils” to help you guys out if you live somewhere remote, like Bald Knob, Arkansas. Real place folks, been there. Was scared. Left real fast.
PPPS – No offense to the good people of Balk Knob, but that Scottish Inn ya’ll? It’s scary. (I was only 20 at the time, and couldn’t afford to stay somewhere nicer. BTW, have the filled the pool yet?)