Vinegars and Oils

The most important components in any salad are the acidic elements (usually vinegar) and the oil or fat. Extra virgin olive oil is usually the favorite oil and has many nuances depending on where it was made, what kinds of olives were used, the age of the olive trees, how ripe the olives were when they were pressed into oil, and the age of the oil itself. Because of the antioxidants extra virgin olive oil contains, it doesn’t turn rancid as quickly as other oils. While very fine oils are the price of a good bottle of Burgundy, even the inexpensive brands found at the supermarket are of excellent quality, especially considering that a generation ago extra virgin olive oil was almost impossible to find in the United States.