topic Re: Olive Oil ? in Kitchen

Olive Oil ?

Bobbieg — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 19:33:42 GMT

I just bought Bertolli Olive Oil, what is the best to use, there is o much different ones to choose from, I wanted it for dipping and cooking, but wanted a good one, did I choose right?

Re: Olive Oil ?

Sunnycorle — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 19:35:40 GMT

You just want to get extra virgin olive oil for dipping. I get the Whole Foods 365 brand and always enjoy it.

Re: Olive Oil ?

Bobbieg — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 19:39:37 GMT

Yes, I did get extra virgin! Now I'm happy, thanks

Re: Olive Oil ?

Deadeye Daisy — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 20:20:29 GMT

Don't use an extra virgin olive oil for cooking. Smoking point is too low, among other things. Heating extra virgin olive oil can destroy it's flavor.

If you want great olive oil for dipping, adding to an already cooked dish for finishing or adding to a salad, get a really good tasting extra virgin olive oil. Taste it - if it doesn't taste extremely fresh and properly 'fruity' and even 'peppery', it won't be good as a dipping and finishing oil.

For cooking, pick a 'lighter' olive oil.

Most of the Extra Virgin olive oil brands sold in supermarkets are sub-standard and don't meet the qualifications for EV. Star, Colavita, Bertolli, Carapelli, Filippo Berio and Pompeian aren't the greatest.

Kirkland Organic, McEvoy Ranch and California Olive Ranch are about the best you will find from the US. They beat many of the imports. Also, if you have a Trader Joe's, their Kalamata Extra Virgin is excellent. Whole Foods 365 Extra Virgin Italian is also very good.

When we stay in Italy, Spain and Greece in small villas or walkups with kitchen facilities, they always provide at least two and sometimes three kinds of olive oil. One lives near the cooktop to denote it's for cooking. Second usually near where you prep veggies. Third is on the table with several kinds of vinegars.

Re: Olive Oil ?

boby — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 20:25:02 GMT

Last time I was in Williams-Sonoma they had an olive oil tasting bar. That may sound a bit over the top, but at least you knew what you were paying for.

Re: Olive Oil ?

camochef — Wed, 12 Mar 2014 05:06:13 GMT

Extra virgin olive oil has a low smoking point and is not recommended for frying or most cooking. It is good for dipping and to use on salads, but you can still use it for cooking by mixing it with an oil that has a higher smoke point such as grapeseed oil , safflower oil, or peanut oil for example.

Sidebar: The United States alone uses more olive oil than the entire world produces each year. Not saying the olive oil industry is the most corrupt out there...but it certainly ranks high on the list.

Bertolli is not one of my favorite brands but you'll gain a better knowledge of oils with experience.

Enjoy

Camo

Re: Olive Oil ?

PamelaSue72 — Thu, 13 Mar 2014 00:05:19 GMT

I agree about Whole Foods 365 virgin olive oil for sauteing. I've also used Trader Joe's virgin olive oil, for both sauteing and for when I'm making pizza and bread doughs. TJ's extra virgin is wonderful for dipping and for salads and such.

Grapeseed is excellent, either mixed with olive oil or on its own for sauteing.

I was reading about the olive oil industry and how what we think we're buying doesn't come close to what we're actually getting. Trader Joe's was on the list of good oils as is Whole Foods 365. IMO, you can't go wrong with TJs. And it's not expensive at all.

Our closest TJs is about 50 miles away, so I might get there once or twice a year. I'll buy two 33 fluid ounce bottles of each extra-virgin and virgin and keep the bottles in a dark place (in my pantry cabinet). I use up the bottles in about a year, so the oil is still OK.

Re: Olive Oil ?

nunu4u — Tue, 10 Jun 2014 04:30:26 GMT

There have been articles on olive oil adulteration..apparently its widespread. Costco olive oil was one of the pure ones.

Re: Olive Oil ?

nunu4u — Tue, 10 Jun 2014 04:33:28 GMT

From one article on Slate this year ,"approximately 69 percent of the olive oil for sale is doctored" The oil is cut with soybean oil and sold as pure virgin olive oil. From Whole Foods, only the California 365 is pure, according to this article.

Re: Olive Oil ?

aubnwa01 — Tue, 10 Jun 2014 04:54:54 GMT

I'm on my 2nd bottle of Trader Joe's California Estate Extra Virgin Olive Oil & it's pretty good & works well for my needs, but I don't claim to be a connoisseur of olive oil.

Re: Olive Oil ?

Cardamom — Tue, 10 Jun 2014 11:17:47 GMT

Extra virgin cold pressed. I like Trader Joe's. It's from Italy and was $3. I noticed more expensive ones that said first cold pressed. From watching Josie Maran's presentations of Aragon oil I get the idea but this $3 oil is fine for me since it's not going on my face. . For $3 more you can get TJ's organic OO.

Re: Olive Oil ?

Nickname1 — Tue, 10 Jun 2014 13:48:02 GMT

Check out Dr. Oz's olive oil test.

Re: Olive Oil ?

Nightowlz — Tue, 10 Jun 2014 21:44:17 GMT

I found California Ranch Olive Oil at Wal-Mart today for about $8 for 16 oz bottle. I have not found any other brand worth buying around here. I was surprised they had it. We don't have a TJ or Costco or Whole Foods.