Too fresh olive oil?

I'm in Jerusalem, and a friend gave me a huge jar of just-pressed olive oil. It's cloudy, with a peppery finish. I was told it will clear up and the flavor will mellow out with a bit of time, but I can't find any info about aging olive oil on line. Any thoughts would be most welcome.

Melusine
  • Posted by: Melusine
  • November 21, 2011
  • 2412 views
  • 4 Comments

4 Comments

pierino
pierino November 21, 2011
I agree with Surly Dave (mostly) on this one. I've watched olives being pressed into oil in Umbria. The aroma is intoxicating. Italians are finicky about the freshness of their oils---especially those knuckleheads up in Liguria. Where I disagree is in "cutting" the oil. Olive oil has a low smoke point, so just deal with it.
 
boulangere
boulangere November 21, 2011
I agree with the sage advice not to worry about the cloudiness. Enjoy the abundance!
 

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Surly D.
Surly D. November 21, 2011
Cloudiness has more to do with the filtration of the olive oil in the pressing process. But don't let cloudiness or color dampen your estimation of your oil. As for aging, olive oil has a shelf life. As it gets older it loses flavor, nutrition, and can eventually even get rancid. It is fat, after all. Store it in a cool and dark place. If it tastes too strong for your tastes, try cutting it with another healthy choice oil. Also, cut it for cooking at temperatures below 375F ... Don't use it for high heats.
 
Kristen M.
Kristen M. November 21, 2011
According to this Wikipedia article, it does sound like the initial cloudiness will settle eventually -- but that there are a lot of positive characteristics of this extra fresh olive oil that chefs are playing with too. If I were you, I might try experimenting with it as is in the meantime -- drizzled in small doses over soups or salads, maybe. Sounds delicious! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloudy_olive_oil
 
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