Olive oil lovers rejoice—this is the only cookbook you need! From grove to table, and from Italy to California, discover the many flavors of extra virgin olive oil with an olive oil sommelier as your guide.

Extra virgin olive oil is a foundational ingredient, but we often overlook its impact—especially when it comes to flavor. Let olive oil sommelier Emily Lycopolus lead your EVOO journey: start with the basics—what makes an oil extra virgin? how is it even made?—and then explore the art of cooking with it through the expansive flavors of different oils. 

Because olive oil is anything but neutral: spicy, bitter, fruity, floral, nutty, herbaceous, buttery, vegetal—a wealth of flavor awaits! Emily dedicates one chapter to each oil flavor, with tips on how to spot them in stores, and provides a range of recipes for how to cook with them. After falling in love with olive oil at her husband’s family grove in Italy, Emily has taken her background in chemistry and deep love of food to dedicate herself to EVOO—and it’s all in this book.

• Discover EVOO around the globe: Travel to Italy, Greece, Spain, and California with stunning photography and profiles that show the diversity of olive groves, and fascinating insights into innovative producers around the world.

• Cook for every meal with 80 recipes: Eat breakfast through dessert (with a drink along the way) with Mediterranean Diet–friendly dishes (like Spelt Berry Salad and Olive Oil–Poached Halibut) and surprising oil flavor choices (fruity for Lemon Chicken Ramen Bowl, spicy for Dark Chocolate Mousse).

• Host your own tasting party: Invite friends over to try some professional tasting techniques, find your favorite oils, and learn which ingredients they pair with best.

• Understand olive oil like never before: No other book explores the diverse flavors of EVOO, backed by on-the-ground research, tasting tips, insider knowledge, and delicious recipes!

As accessible as it is comprehensive, The Essential Extra Virgin Olive Oil Cookbook is an incredibly researched, food-forward companion for anyone who loves and wants to learn more about their favorite oil.

Olive oil lovers, rejoice—this is the cookbook for you! Discover the many flavors of EVOO, plus 80 recipes for cooking with your favorite oil.

Extra virgin olive oil is a foundational ingredient, but even if we use it every day, we still might not realize its full impact on a dish’s flavor. Let olive oil sommelier Emily Lycopolus guide you through the incredible world of EVOO: start with the basics—what does “extra virgin” mean? How is it even made? What makes it a healthy staple of the Mediterranean Diet?—and then move on to understanding the range of flavors that occur within different oils. Fruity, buttery, nutty, floral, herbaceous, vegetal, bitter, and spicy—olive oil is anything but neutral! Dedicating one chapter to each of these flavor profiles, Emily shares tips on how to taste olive oil and spot different flavors in stores—and then provides a range of recipes for the art of cooking with them.

After falling in love with olive oil at her husband’s family grove in Italy, Emily took her background in chemistry and deep love of food to devote herself to EVOO—gaining her sommelier and professional olive oil taster credentials along the way—and it’s all in this book:

• Discover EVOO around the globe: Travel to Italy, Greece, Spain, and California with stunning photography and profiles showcasing the diversity of olive groves around the world, along with fascinating insights into innovative producers.
• Infuse flavor into every meal with 80 recipes: Eat breakfast through dessert with an Olive Oil–Washed Martini along the way! Try Mediterranean Diet–friendly dishes like the Spelt Berry Salad and Olive Oil–Poached Halibut. You’ll also find recipes that showcase the oils’ many flavors, from fruity for a Lemon Chicken Ramen Bowl, to herbaceous for Rosemary Roasted Radishes, to spicy for Dark Chocolate Mousse, and more.

• Host your own tasting party: Invite friends over to try some professional tasting techniques, find your new favorite oils, and learn which foods they pair with best.

• Understand olive oil like never before: No other book explores the diverse flavors of EVOO, backed by on-the-ground research, tasting tips, insider knowledge, and delicious recipes!

As accessible as it is comprehensive, The Essential Extra Virgin Olive Oil Cookbook is an incredibly researched, food-forward companion for anyone who loves and wants to learn more about their favorite oil.