For something we use every day, olive oil is remarkably misunderstood. Should you cook with it? Is greener better? Does cloudy mean artisanal? And what about that peppery cough? After 30+ years in Tuscany and training as an olive oil taster, I've heard them all. For the final chapter of our olive oil series—at least for now!—let's bust 10 of the biggest olive oil myths.

Great olive oil deserves more than bread. Just like wine, different oils have different personalities—and the secret is matching their intensity to the food. Delicate oils can lift fish and fresh cheeses, while bold, peppery Tuscan oils shine with beans, grilled meat and hearty soups. From tomatoes to gelato, once you start pairing olive oil with food, a whole new world of flavour opens up.

Why do Tuscan olive oils taste so different? Much like wine, it starts with the varieties. Frantoio brings elegance, Moraiolo intensity, Leccino softness and Pendolino a helping hand with pollination. Add blending and harvest timing, and the possibilities multiply. Once you discover that olives have personalities of their own, you'll never think of olive oil as simply "olive oil" again.