Olive, Oliver, Olivia, Oil.

Does Olive Oil have virginity too? I know how to stay a Virgin but how do you stay Extra Virgin ?
So what is Extra Virgin Olive Oil? *Here's a Chart 

Difficult to absorb? *Let me give you a hand

Olive looks likes this, it's Green in Color. Turn Black when ripen naturally/artificially

Whole Olive -> Crushed -> Filtered out other particles = OLIVE OIL
Extra Virgin, Virgin, Pure, Pomace are just different Method of Extracting Olive Oil

However in Malaysia , you'll usually see these 3 Musketeers!
1) Extra Virgin
2) Pure
3) Pomace

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

- Extra = First Pressed = First round of Olive getting Crushed!
- Virgin = Cold Pressed = No Heat is Applied *Healthier, Higher antioxidant
- Greenish in Color
- Suitable for Non Heat Cooking like Salad

Extra Virgin Olive Oil = First Cold Pressed 
- Most Premium

Virgin Olive Oil
- Cold Pressed remains from First Pressed

Pure Olive Oil

- Extracted with Heat from remains of First Pressed Olives
- Not as Flavorful as Extra Virgin
- Yellowish in Color
- Suitable for Cooking

Pomace Olive Oil

- Extracted with Heat from all the Leftover of Extra Virgin & Pure Olive Oil
- Very low Quality
- Suitable for Cooking
- I would call Pomace Olive Oil, Sisa-Sisa Baki Olive Oil !

Olive Oil should always be stored at Cool & Dark Place *Batman's Cave would be suitable
- Do not expose to Sunlight
or
- Do not keep it next to your Stove since it's hot

Baking Soda & Baking Powder

Some people asked me why their Cake/Biscuit/Scones have a Soapy after-taste?

It's because of Baking Soda.
So for you to not taste Soap again, Please continue reading!

People use Baking Soda & Baking Powder to Lift-up/Lighten Cake
- Both are Chemical leaveners. *Yeast is Life Leavener.
- It's to leaven your cake *Otherwise it would be very dense.

Baking Soda

- It's Alkaline
- React with Acids like Buttermilk, Acidic Juice, Cocoa Powder, Brown Sugar, Cream of Tartar
When using Baking Soda make sure:
1) There's an Acid component
2) The Acid component must be sufficient to fully activate all the Baking Soda *2g Baking Soda should need about 240ml Buttermilk, 5ml Lemon Juice/Vinegar, 5g Cream of Tartar
Otherwise it'll result in Soapy Aftertaste.

Here's what'll happen you mix Baking Soda with Acid. *Skip to 1.05

Baking Powder

- Baking Soda + Acids = Baking Powder
- Requires Water to start the Reaction
- Double Acting/Action means it will Activate twice *For a better result
1) When you Mix into the Cake Batter *React with Water
2) When you Bake it  *React with Temperature

Baking Powder expires quickly in our Humid Climate
- It will lose it's Leavening Power

- Make sure to keep it air tight*Can last about 6 months once opened
- If you have a Baking Powder sitting in your shelf for a while, Mix it with some Hot Water to check it's still working or not. *It should bubble up, otherwise buy a new bottle

Keep on Baking and Improving your skills, so one day your partner might be like Homer Simpson.
P.S: Here's some other pretty amazing uses of Baking Soda

Sugar

You have been introduced to Sugar since you were born, your Mum fed you breast milk (contains Lactose/Milk Sugar). So if you are addicted to sweets right now, you could blame your mum for that.
"Warning: Before you blame your mum, please think of the consequences of getting kick out from home"

Do you know :
1. Sugar are extracted mainly from Sugarcane & Sugar Beet.
2. Your Cereals are packed with Sugar?
3. Soft Drinks taste horrible without Sugar?
4. Without Sugar , Chatime, Gong Cha, Old Town White Coffee, Coca Cola, Pepsi, Secret Recipe wouldn't exist?

When I just started my journey in the Culinary World, I'm often confused between the types of Sugar.
I'm not sure What is it ,What's the purpose of it, and Of course I screwed up many times because I used the Wrong Sugar for the Wrong Purpose It's like trying to murder someone with a Spoon

Here's a Breakdown of the Type of Sugar
All sugar are Brown when they are extracted, it turned White because they remove the Brown Molasses.
Brown Sugar = White Sugar + Molasses

Sugar comes in different Size for different Purpose

Castor & Fine Granulated Sugar

- Castor Sugar is finer than Fine Granulated Sugar
- Castor Sugar is 0.1-0.3mm, Fine Granulated Sugar is 0.3-0.5mm
- Do Not use any other type of sugar when you are making Buttercake, Cupcake or Muffin *Otherwise it will turn out to be dense
- The size of Castor & Fine Granulated Sugar are very suitable to introduce alot Air into the Butter when Creaming. * Lighter Cakes
- Very suitable to make Caramel with it due to it's ability to dissolve well

Icing Sugar

- It's 0.01-0.1mm
- Due to it's very fine particles, it absorb moisture real quick, Therefore it contain some Corn Starch to prevent it from Clumping up together.
- Mainly use when quick dissolving of Sugar is needed
- Decoration Purposes : Cake Icing, Dusting on Cakes like Donuts

Brown Sugar

- Color depends on the amount of Mollases it contains, the more Mollases the Darker & more Moist it is.
- Has a deeper flavor than White Sugar
- It's used to produce Chewy type of Cookies
- It can also be used to make any Desserts
- I personally like to add Brown Sugar with Coffee!

Gula Melaka/ Palm Sugar

- I can't leave this out because it's called Gula Melaka *Malaysia Boleh!
- It's the Dark Syrup that you get in your Cendol & ABC
- Extracted from Palm Sap
- Gives a very nice & complex flavor
- Often used in Thai Cuisine.


Honey

- Made by the hardworking Bees using nectars from flower 
- After all that hardwork, we Steal it from them for our own Pleasure.*We are all Sinners!
- You can use Honey for many purpose but my favourites are Honey Mustard & Honey BBQ Sauce
Warning: Whenever you see Bottles of Honey without Label being sold, do not buy it. They would try to sell to you by telling you it's Wild Honey but it's Not!
One more thing, most of the honey being sold in supermarket are Ultra-Processed/ not so Natural after all!

Maple Syrup

-I'm a big fan of South Park I used to sing this song alot when I was younger, how about you?
- Extracted from the Sap of Maple Tree
- Has a very unique taste that goes real well with Pancakes & Waffles
- It's very expensive *Strong Canada Currency Vs Weak Malaysia Currency
- Pay attention to the label when buying Maple Syrup, make sure it's not Artificially Flavor/ or Maple Syrup Flavor .*Otherwise you would be buying a Fake Maple Syrup

It's True! Without Honey or Sugar, your Lemonade would taste like Crap.However too much Sugar could sometimes be bad for you !