Wine Vintage chart • Oil & Vinegar Serrano Ham Back to index

You won't find here, the chip shop favourite "malt vinegar". What you will find is wine vinegar, either red or white. Plus a whole range of speciality vinegars to add a variety of flavours to your dining.

Olive oil is used extensively throughout cooking in Spain, as well as for salad dressings. Don't be amazed to see the Spanish dribbling olive oil onto their toast instead of butter. Fresh toast, good quality olive oil and a sprinkling of salt - delicious!

Olive oil is categorised as follows:

The top of the range is Aceite de Oliva Virgen (Virgen Olive Oil) which is a totally natural product, without having gone through any process which could lessen its properties. "Extra" on the label indicates the oil to be of an extra high quality and taste.

Aceite de Oliva Refinado (Refined Olive Oil) does not have the full flavour of the virgin olive oil.

Aceite de Oliva (Olive Oil) is a blend of virgin and refined olive oil.

All of the above oils are suitable for all purposes.

The % figure on the label indicates the level of acidity. The better quality oils have lower acidity levels.

Aceite de Oruja is an inferior oil not normally used for anything but deep frying.

As with vinegars, there are now lots of "flavoured" oils in decorative bottles, with garlic and herbs immersed in the oil or just laced with a hint of them

The production and processing of olive oil is regulated by the institute which controls the official Denominations of Origin, as with wines.

In the villages, some small growers still press their olives to produce oil for their own family consumption.