MORSELS.(Food / Spotlight)

Byline: Marty Meitus News Food Editor

Getting olive oils straight

With all the kinds of olive oil on the supermarket shelves, what should you buy? Here's a look from the North American Olive Oil Association:

* Extra-virgin olive oil. This comes from the first cold pressing of select olives, a chemical-free process without refining. Extra-virgin olive oil is about 1 percent acid, offers the widest variety of flavors and aromas and is usually more expensive than other types.

* Virgin olive oil. Also a first-press oil, with a slightly higher level of acidity.

* Olive oil. This is a blend of refined olive oil and virgin or extra-virgin oils.

* ``Light'' or ``mild'' olive oil. This is refined olive oil blended with some extra-virgin. It is not lighter in fat or calories but may be useful for some cooking purposes, since it is lighter in color and flavor.

A general rule: You can cook with olive oil, but after food is prepared, season or drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil for its fuller flavor.

Deep-fry foods in light olive oil because it has a high smoking point that will get the foods golden brown with less risk of burning. - Associated Press

A variation on yellow

In 1904, George F. French introduced his upstart yellow mustard as mild enough for salad dressings. In fact, the original name of his mustard was French's Cream Salad Mustard, according to The Food Chronology, and it soon claimed to have outpaced sales of all other mustards combined. But no mustard can rest on its laurels forever. Introducing French's Sweet Onion, yellow mustard with real (real, in this case, means dried) onions already in it. The taste is pleasingly sweet and would be good - here's a revelation - on hot dogs. Wow, I think I'm on to something here. - Marty Meitus

A culinary top 10

Fran McCullough selects the year's top picks in recipes from books, magazines, newspapers and the Internet for the 2001-02 version of her annual cookbook, The Best American Recipes. Based on her research, she has categorized a top-10 list for the year in food: 1. Comeback of the year: souffles; 2. Herb of the year: mint; 3. Spice of the year: cardamom; 4. Vegetable of the year: beets; 5. Technique of the year: fish cookery; 6. Fruit of the year: plum; 7. Drink of the year: dark rum; 8. New ethnic cuisine of the year: Southeast Asian; 9. Tool of the year: spice spoons designed to fit into spice jars; 10. Addiction of the year: caramel. I can unilaterally say that all her choices were a revelation to me.

- Marty Meitus