What better day to appreciate the versatility of olive oil than on National Extra Virgin Olive Oil Day? With a history that can be traced back over five thousand years, olive oil not only is appreciated by chefs and culinary experts around the world but also has a multitude of uses, from health and beauty to religious and spiritual applications.

EVOO is my go-to for anointing, especially when working with folks who have allergies to strong scents and manufactured essential oils. Because I use it a lot in my cooking, it's always fresh and at the ready in my kitchen for whatever I need. It's easy to infuse herbs into olive oil, whether you wish to add flavor or use the oil for non-culinary metaphysical purposes.

Olive oil is also a primary tool in Italian folk practices for determining whether someone has had the evil eye (malocchio) cast upon them. Water is placed in a dish and some oil is poured on top of it. If the oil stays separate, there's no curse. If it mixes with the water, then evil is afoot and blessings must be done to remove the curse.