The secret to getting restaurant-quality olive oil for dipping bread is to learn about labeling. First, stick with extra-virgin olive oil. Trickery from olive oil companies means it’s not guaranteed to be great, but it’s always the best option. You also want to find bottles that list the “harvest date,” or “pressed on,” for the olives, not just the use-by date, as that level of transparency is a good sign your olive oil hasn’t been cut with other oils. Labels from independent quality organizations like the California Olive Oil Council are another good sign. Finally, make sure you get a bottle that hasn’t been on the shelf for more than 18 months, and try to use it within 60 days of opening it.
Once you have some good olive oil you can also mimic restaurant dipping oils by infusing your oil with extra flavor from herbs and spices. Dried herbs like oregano, rosemary, and basil are the most popular and lend a nice brightness to olive oil without changing the taste too much. To infuse olive oil, just heat your oil in a pan over low to medium-low heat, add your spice mix, and lightly simmer for 20 minutes. Then, let it cool to room temperature and transfer to a non-reactive bottle for storage. That extra hit of flavor may be just what you are looking for to recreate your favorite bread dipping oil at home.
