FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
HOW DO I KNOW I AM GETTING “THE REAL THING” WHEN THERE IS SO MUCH QUESTIONABLE OLIVE OIL ON THE MARKET?
One of the easiest ways to feel confident about the olive oil you purchase is to know exactly who produced it, where the olives were grown and when the oil was made.
My Greek Basket is the exclusive North American distributor of oils produced by The Olive Temple, a family-owned olive estate and mill in Ancient Olympia, Greece. We do not conceal the producer behind a private label.
Eligible Olive Temple products carry a unique QR code connected to the producer’s MyID traceability system. By scanning the code, you can access detailed information about your particular oil, which may include its harvest date, geographic origin, certifications, laboratory analyses, awards, food-pairing suggestions and recipes.
This level of transparency allows you to learn not only what is inside the bottle, but also where it came from and how it was produced.
IS YOUR OLIVE OIL FROM THE NEWEST HARVEST?
Yes. The olive harvest takes place once a year, generally during the fall. We are currently offering extra virgin olive oil from the Fall 2025 harvest.
Because quantities from each harvest are limited, the harvest year may occasionally vary by product. The applicable harvest information is displayed on the product page and can also be found through the product’s traceability information when available.
HOW IS YOUR OLIVE OIL DIFFERENT FROM OTHER OLIVE OILS?
Taste is ultimately personal, but we believe the character, freshness and transparency of our oils make them exceptional.
Our extra virgin olive oils are produced by The Olive Temple from olives grown on the family’s own land in Ancient Olympia. Because the olive groves and mill are under the same ownership and located close to one another, the olives can be brought to the mill and processed within hours of harvesting.
Several of the oils we carry are produced from distinctive local olive varieties, including the rare Tsabidolia variety found in the Ancient Olympia region. The oils have received numerous awards at international olive oil competitions and are regularly evaluated through laboratory testing.
The Laurel & Flame Premium Olympia PGI Organic and Laurel & Flame Fresh Tsabidolia Organic extra virgin olive oils are also USDA-certified organic.
Most importantly, our customers can see who produced the oil, where it was made and when it was harvested rather than relying on a label with little information about its origin.
IS WATER ADDED DURING THE EXTRACTION PROCESS?
Some olive mills add water during processing to increase efficiency or assist with separation. The Olive Temple uses a waterless extraction process and does not add water to the olive paste during production.
Avoiding added water helps preserve more of the olive’s naturally occurring aromas, flavors and valuable compounds.
ARE ALL OF YOUR OLIVE OILS CERTIFIED ORGANIC?
No. Our Laurel & Flame Premium Olympia PGI Organic and Laurel & Flame Fresh Tsabidolia Organic extra virgin olive oils are certified organic.
Our other olive oils are not currently marketed as certified organic. However, they are produced by the same family-owned estate and mill with a strong commitment to responsible agricultural practices, careful cultivation and clean production methods.
Whenever an oil carries an official organic certification, that information is clearly stated on its product page.
IS YOUR OLIVE OIL COLD-PRESSED?
Our oils are cold-extracted.
Although “cold-pressed” is the term most consumers recognize, most modern extra virgin olive oil is produced through extraction rather than by a traditional hydraulic press. To qualify as cold-extracted, the temperature must remain below 27°C, or approximately 80.6°F.
The Olive Temple processes its oils at approximately 21–22°C, or 70–72°F, helping preserve their aromas, flavors and naturally occurring beneficial compounds.
HOW IS YOUR OLIVE OIL PACKAGED?
Packaging varies by collection and bottle size.
The Laurel & Flame extra virgin olive oils are presented in opaque glass bottles designed to protect the oil from light. Selected bottles are also packaged in protective presentation tubes, making them especially suitable for gifting.
Our OLYMYTHOS extra virgin olive oils are offered in protective tins, while our co-extracted flavored olive oils are packaged in dark glass bottles.
Please refer to each product page for the exact bottle, tin and outer-packaging details.
HOW DO I KNOW THAT YOUR PRODUCT CLAIMS ARE TRUE?
Transparency is central to the way we select and sell our products.
We clearly identify The Olive Temple as the producer of our Greek olive oils rather than placing the oils under an anonymous private label. Our website includes information about the Karabelas family, their olive groves, their mill and their agricultural and production practices.
Many products also include access to traceability records, certifications, laboratory analyses and award information through the producer’s MyID system.
We also encourage travelers visiting Greece to experience the estate in person. Through our Travel Greece and agritourism services, visitors may have the opportunity to visit The Olive Temple in Ancient Olympia, meet the people behind the products and learn how the oils are cultivated and produced.
WHAT IS BLUE AEON? THE PRODUCTS IN THIS COLLECTION DO NOT APPEAR TO BE MADE IN GREECE. HOW DOES BLUE AEON RELATE TO MY GREEK BASKET AND THE OVERALL CONCEPT OF YOUR STORE?
Blue Aeon is My Greek Basket’s own collection of natural household, personal-care and wellness products. The products are created and made by us in the United States; they are not presented as Greek-made products.
The collection grew directly from the inspiration behind My Greek Basket.
As our owner’s, Victoria, love affair with Greece developed, she became increasingly fascinated by the country’s healthy, clean and mindful way of life: its simple foods, its close relationship with the land and what she often thinks of as an “organic by default” approach to everyday living.
Around the same time, she learned about the world’s Blue Zones—places associated with unusual longevity and quality of life. One of these is the Greek island of Ikaria, sometimes described as a place where people “forget to die.”
She was also seeing a growing desire for a cleaner and more environmentally responsible lifestyle in highly industrialized countries, including the United States. Many people want to understand the ingredients they bring into their homes, reduce unnecessary chemicals and make more thoughtful choices for themselves and their families.
Blue Aeon was born from the idea of bringing a little of that Blue Zone spirit into everyday life.
The collection includes products such as natural tooth powder, laundry powder, soaps, facial oils, hair oils and body-care products. They are made in small batches with carefully selected ingredients and a focus on simplicity, transparency, sustainability and purposeful formulation.
While Blue Aeon is not a collection of products imported from Greece, it is deeply connected to the philosophy of My Greek Basket. My Greek Basket began as a celebration of Greece, but its larger purpose has always been to share a more thoughtful Mediterranean-inspired way of living—one that values quality over excess, respects the natural world and finds beauty in simple, well-made essentials.
Blue Aeon is our own expression of that philosophy for the home and family.
ORDERS AND SHIPPING
WHEN WILL MY ORDER SHIP?
Orders placed before 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time typically ship the following business day. Orders placed after 12:00 p.m. typically ship within one to two business days.
You will receive a shipping confirmation as soon as your order has been prepared for shipment.
HOW CAN I TRACK MY ORDER?
Once your order ships, you will receive a shipping confirmation email containing your tracking number and a link to follow the shipment.
Please allow some time for the carrier’s tracking system to update after the shipping confirmation is sent.
WHAT SHOULD I DO IF TRACKING SAYS “DELIVERED,” BUT I HAVE NOT RECEIVED MY PACKAGE?
Carriers occasionally mark packages as delivered shortly before they actually arrive. We recommend allowing until the end of the delivery day and checking your mailbox, parcel locker, building reception or mailroom, and any secure locations around the delivery address. Please also check with household members or neighbors who may have accepted the package.
If you still cannot locate it, contact the carrier directly using the tracking number and ask for additional delivery details. The carrier may be able to confirm where the package was left or initiate a search.
You may also contact us at support@mygreekbasket.com with your order number, and we will assist you in reviewing the shipment.
WHAT HAPPENS IF MY PACKAGE IS LOST?
If your package has stopped moving in transit or appears to be lost, please contact us at support@mygreekbasket.com with your order number.
We will review the tracking information and, when appropriate, contact the shipping carrier or initiate a missing-package inquiry. Once the carrier’s investigation is complete, we will work with you on the appropriate resolution.
WHAT SHOULD I DO IF MY ORDER ARRIVES DAMAGED OR I RECEIVE AN INCORRECT ITEM?
Please contact us as soon as possible at support@mygreekbasket.com. Include your order number, a description of the problem and, in the case of damage, clear photographs of the item and its shipping packaging.
Please keep the damaged product and all packaging until we have reviewed the issue. We will take care of the problem and provide instructions regarding a replacement, refund or other appropriate resolution.
RETURNS, CANCELLATIONS AND EXCHANGES
WHAT IS YOUR RETURN POLICY?
For health and safety reasons, food products cannot be returned.
Most unopened and unused non-food products may be returned for a refund or exchange within 30 days of purchase. Return eligibility may depend on the type and condition of the product.
Before returning anything, please contact us at support@mygreekbasket.com with your order number so we can review your request and provide return instructions. Products should not be sent back without first contacting us.
CAN FOOD OR PERSONAL-CARE PRODUCTS BE RETURNED?
For health and safety reasons, food products cannot be returned.
Unopened and unused personal-care products may be returned within 30 days of purchase. Because we cannot resell personal-care products once they have been opened or used, opened products are not ordinarily eligible for return.
However, your experience with our products matters to us—especially because Blue Aeon products are made by us in small batches. If you experience a problem with a product or are unhappy with your purchase, please contact us at support@mygreekbasket.com with your order number and a description of the issue. We will review the circumstances and do our best to find an appropriate solution.
Products that arrive damaged, defective, leaking or incorrect will, of course, be addressed separately from our standard return policy.
CAN I CHANGE OR CANCEL AN ORDER AFTER PLACING IT?
An order may be changed or canceled as long as it has not yet shipped. Please contact us as soon as possible at support@mygreekbasket.com and include your order number.
Once you receive a shipping confirmation, your order has already been prepared for shipment and can no longer be changed or canceled.
PRODUCT CARE AND NATURAL VARIATIONS
HOW SHOULD I STORE OLIVE OIL?
Olive oil has three principal enemies: heat, light and air.
Store your olive oil in a cool, dark place away from direct sunlight and heat sources such as a stove, oven or radiator. Always close the bottle or tin tightly between uses to limit its exposure to air.
Olive oil does not need to be refrigerated. In fact, refrigeration may cause it to become cloudy or partially solidify, although this does not mean that the oil has spoiled.
HOW LONG DOES OLIVE OIL REMAIN FRESH AFTER OPENING?
When stored properly, olive oil should remain at its best for up to approximately six months after opening.
For the best flavor, aroma and nutritional qualities, keep it tightly closed and protected from heat and light—and enjoy it regularly rather than saving it only for special occasions.
WHY MAY A NATURAL OR SMALL-BATCH PRODUCT VARY SLIGHTLY IN COLOR, TEXTURE OR SCENT?
Our owner often compares small-batch production to a cake she has been baking from the same recipe since she was 12 years old. Even when the recipe remains unchanged, the finished cake may vary slightly because ingredients, room temperature, humidity and other conditions are never exactly the same.
The same is true of handcrafted natural products. Natural ingredients can vary slightly from one harvest or batch to another, and our products are made in small batches rather than by highly automated industrial equipment. As a result, you may notice minor differences in color, texture, aroma or appearance.
These natural variations are not defects and do not affect the intended quality or performance of the product.
HOW SHOULD I CARE FOR MY PESTEMAL OR BEACH TOWEL?
Machine wash your pestemal or beach towel in cool or warm water at a temperature no higher than 40°C, or 104°F. Because washer temperature settings vary, choose a gentle cool or warm cycle rather than a high-temperature or sanitizing cycle.
The manufacturer advises that these textiles may be tumble dried. We recommend tumble drying on low heat or, whenever convenient, line drying. Pestemals dry naturally very quickly, and air drying helps minimize possible shrinkage while preserving the fabric and fringe.
Do not use bleach. If your pestemal has knotted fringe, avoid washing it with garments that have hooks, open zippers or other hardware that could catch on the threads.