extra virgin olive oil

As we all learned from the Butter or Margarine Quiz, olive oil is a much healthier alternative. Butter is bad for your heart since it is high in saturated fats, and most margarines are made from hydrogenated oil so they contain trans fats which raises your cholesterol.

OK back to olive oil — what's the difference between virgin and extra virgin? Is one healthier than the other? What about refined olive oil? Does refined mean better? Is one better suited for cooking?

Extra-virgin olive oil comes from the first pressing of the olives. It contains no more than 8% acidity (oleic acid), and is said to have a superior taste. Extra-virgin olive oil has higher levels of Vitamin E, Vitamin A, chlorophyll and magnesium. Contrary to popular belief, heating it will not cause it to lose its health benefits, it will only lose flavor.

Want to know about virgin olive oil and which one is best to cook with? Then read more

Next week it's my dear friend (I've known her since the fourth grade!) Emily's 26th birthday. She comes over to my house practically everyday, and aides me in my culinary experiments and party plans. Six months ago, when we were whipping up dinner in my kitchen, she said to me, "For my birthday, will you get me a chic olive oil pourer?" At the time, she was coveting my fun olive oil holder, a gift from a Spanish exchange student from the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. I laughed and said I would get her one for her half birthday since it was a few days away.

However, Emily preferred the gift for her 26th birthday to allow me enough time to find an incredibly cool olive oil holder. I just remembered this conversation today and with her 26th less than a week away, I am on the verge of an anxiety attack. Readers, please help me!

I need you to scour the internet for the most artistic, creative olive oil pourers and add them to the Yum Market. Having a stylish olive oil elevates the level of your kitchen from that of recipe rookie to domestic diva. Over the past year Emily's skills as a cook have improved tremendously and it's time I reward her with an awesome olive oil holder. Tag your finds with Olive Oil Pourer. If you stumble across a must have accessory to pair with the pourer, don't hesitate to save it in the Yum Market with the same tag. I can't wait to see all of your amazing finds!

Don't know much about the Yum Market? Take a quick glance at geeksugar's guide that explains how to save on TeamSugar.