Green Table Blogger, Alexandra Guarnaschelli, provides some pretty useful tips to consider next time you’re out olive oil shopping. To wit: olive oils labeled “first cold pressing” or “extra virgin,” are worth more money because they’re difficult to make and taste the best. However, you don’t need to douse everything you cook with EVO—just use it for raw food preparations and alongside ingredients that won’t overpower it. Use cheaper stuff like canola oil when doing any high heat cooking because olive oil has a lower smoking point. And “light” olive oil, “pumace” olive oils and “pure” olive oil are all a crock—don’t waste your money on them (instead why not blow it on a bottle of wine and/or a week’s supply of lattes?).
If you want to cut the cost of fancy flavored olive oil, then just DIY. Here's a recipe for rosemary and parsley flavored olive oil.
Debunker’s verdict: Some olive oils are better than others—spend accordingly.