Olio Nuovo ('new oil" in Italian) is like an extra extra-virgin olive oil. In Italy and California, when the olives are harvested and crushed in late October/early November, a special tasting is held and the growers select a blend from these first pressings to bottle up, unfiltered, and sell immediately as olio nuovo. (Normally, the oil is held in tanks for a few months to allow the sediment to settle and the flavor to mellow.) Much like Beaujolais Nouveau, the seasonality and limited availability of this delicious oil are a cause for celebration.

Read on for what makes Olio Nuovo so special and a few tips on how to cook with it. More

I first made cookies using olive oil two Christmases ago, when we were hosting a vegan family for the holidays. They were a traditional Greek cookie that's shaped into twists and spirals, making for a beautiful display. They were so delicious it led me on a hunt for other olive oil cookies: More

This might be an idea you're already familiar with, but sometimes those fancy bottles of olive oil just call to me from their supermarket shelf, begging to be purchased. If you're splurging this holiday season, be sure to know how NOT to use them! More

Olive oil — designed specially for kids. That's the idea behind PequeOliva.

When I was at the Fancy Food Show in New York last spring, I met a representative from the Spanish company producing PequeOliva, an olive oil formulated specially for children.

So of course I asked him why — why make a special olive oil ostensibly designed just for children?

Here's what he told me. More

Q: I'm in need of an olive oil recommendation. I want to try my hand at making olive oil gelato, and I've read that fruity oils make the best gelato. But I'm not well-versed enough in oils to know what to buy. Does anyone have specific brand recommendations for an oil to use in olive oil gelato?

Sent by kristinapp More

Can you imagine Italian food without olive oil? No, we can't either — it's so integral to the cuisine! Here's a look back at some of our favorite posts on green, golden, delicious olive oil — from favorite brands to olive oil cakes to a discussion of how much you should expect to pay for a bottle. More

I feel that a good finishing olive oil is an essential element of the pantry — especially right now, in the summertime, when fresh vegetables, warm from the farmers market, need nothing more than a drizzle of fruity olive oil to bring them to the table. Here is my current favorite olive oil, an organic selection from Katz in California. More

Q: Do olive oils really expire? I have two great bottles at home, and being single, and not home often, they have passed their expiration dates printed on the bottle. I'm still using them, as they don't smell any different.

Are they still safe, or should I get new ones? And if they are bad, what's a good way to dispose of leftover olive oil?

Sent by Rose More

The eggs in the picture above all come from the same carton, and the same farm. They are not like the eggs one would find in most grocery stores. First off, they are different colors and sizes. Some are, well, egg-shaped and some are longer and more oval. Some have smooth surfaces and a few are slightly rough and have little bumps. They are uneven and unpredictable, and I love them for that. More

We have given you mayonnaise recipes with olive oil in the past — this sort of mayonnaise is delicious, and healthier too. We have been noticing that food manufacturers are getting in on this kind of mayo; witness the Kraft mayo above. They're not alone, though. Have you been noticing this trend in mayonnaise? More