Olive Oil Questions, Options, Favorites

[Susan in FL]

It seems like one of those things for which some people refuse to give a "favorite," but do you have a "current favorite" EVOO? Do you use EV for everything? If not, what and what brand are you using for cooking, or when not EV? Do you have an everyday or standard olive oil, that you keep on hand as a staple, besides the most premium olive oils?

I'm expanding my knowledge, use, and tastes of olive oil, and am interested in your discussion. Do you do olive oil tastings, or belong to anything like an olive oil of-the-month club? Who has several different olive oils on hand for use depending on the foods? What are they?

Last, but not least for those of us who don't have the greatest variety available from local sources, which online ordering sources come highly recommended?

[tammylc]

I use both EVOO and canola for everyday cooking. EVOO mostly, unless I'm making a recipe that specifically calls for vegetable oil, or for which olive oil would just add competing flavors - I usually use canola for Indian, for example. And I need canola on hand for baking.

In terms of brands, I'm just about to switch over to Colavita for everyday, after reading a recommendation of it in Zingerman's Guide to Good Eating.

My good olive oil is I Lecci. I use it for salad dressings, dipping bread, and the occasional low temperature cooking application where EVOO quality is important (like gambas y ajillo).

I'm lucky to live in the same town as Zingerman's. They always have at least 3 or 4 oils out for tasting, and you can ask to taste anything in the store, so it's a good way to find an oil you like. And to answer your last question - they do do mail order...

www.zingermans.com

[iain]

I'm interested in knowing if people use grades other than EV for cooking. I've been told by numerous people that EVOO can be too overpowering when used for sautéing, etc. I disagree. I should note, however, that I don't use the fancy stuff. Right now I have a bottle of Bertoli, I think.

I do use a more neutral oil for sautéing as well - usually canola - for situations where I just don't want the EVOO flavor.

edited to add canola

Edited January 13, 2004 by iain (log)

[Mottmott]

I try to keep the Spanish Nunez evoo on hand and use it for most everything. I like it because it's organic according to what I've read. And while it is evoo, I think it is more neutral than many others - or maybe I'm just used to it.

Because of the many negative things I've read, I've given up using canola when I need something really neutral. Instead I use grapeseed oil, which I've read has similar health properties to olive oil. And as it is pricy if you're deep fryinging, you can go to peanut oil which aso appears to be one of the less harmful oils.

[APPS411]

For everday cooking I use Vigo spanish EVOO. I bought a gallon of it not too long ago for a decent price and it's pretty good.

For finishing I buy in small quantities and try a different brand every time I run out. There are so many good ones out there I hate to limit myself by choosing just one. Right now I think I have some homemade stuff that someone gave me.

[Chad]

Colavita is a great everyday EVOO -- and it has the benefit of being readily available. My current EVOO is Lucini, which I like quite a bit and use for just about everything.

Chad

[Nick]

I've been using Colavita for a couple of years. It's the best that's on the shelves of the supermarkets here in Maine. I've been using Lucini for better stuff as that's available at a speciality place. I use EVOO for everything except fat frying - use canola for that.

[Jensen]

I usually have two types of olive oil: Bariani and Colavita. The Colavita is the "second line" oil, while the Bariani is my favourite. It's not terribly expensive (around $50 for a gallon) and, although it is available at some stores, we buy it at the local farmer's market.

I don't know how it compares to "good" olive oils but I love the taste of it.

[Squeat Mungry]

I use Colavita as well for everyday cooking: sauteing, pasta sauces etc. For salads, grilling, 'finishing' or drizzling, I keep a bottle of the wonderful, organic McEvoy, which I buy at their store in the San Francisco Ferry Plaza building.

The McEvoy oil is beautifully fragrant with a peppery finish, and is locally produced at their ranch in Petaluma, just north of here.

[JPW]

I, too, frequently use Colavita.

My current fave though is one I get at Trader Joe's. I'll have to check the name when I get home, but it is the Greek oil made from 100% kalamatas.

[halcyongolf]

I, too, frequently use Colavita.

My current fave though is one I get at Trader Joe's. I'll have to check the name when I get home, but it is the Greek oil made from 100% kalamatas.

The greek oil is good, however stay away form the trader joe's brand which is mediocre at best. The Santinori (sp) brand at TJ's is very good for the price as well.

[fresco]

We have a 17-litre tin from the family farm in Greece of our local butcher. You can get less expensive stuff by the litre at the grocery store, but you can't get anything near as good for the money.

[DaleJ]

Please forgive me if I have posted this on a prior olive oil thread.

My "good" oil is from Le Case Gialle, an agriturismo near Montefalco, Umbria. The proprietor, Mauro Colonna, won the national organic olive oil competition in 2002 (over 3,000 entrants). I am currently on my second "six pack" and even though its now over a year old it still sings. BTW, he sells it for ten euro per 750 ml bottle and it costs about the same to ship it here.

[Malawry]

Jim Dixon's Bettini olive oil is really good. Fresh-tasting, an excellent dipping or finishing oil.

I use the big bottles of Bertolli sold at Costco for more pedestrian EVOO uses.

[MichaelB]

I shudder to think about how many 3 litre tins I go through a year. Presently in the house, I have:

Iliada (Greek, I suspect it is the one several if you have referred to) in 3 litre

Olio Beato in 3 litre

J. Leblanc in 750 ml

Piccolo Molino, Dolce Verde in 750

mas de gourgonnier in 750. This is the "Oh, my God" olive oil as far as I am concerned. It was a Christmas gift from a very good friend -- very small production, very allocated.

[Richard Kilgore]

My everyday EVOO has become Lucini, since one of the chains sells it for 2/3 of what the specialty stores charge. A very nice oil with a peppery finish. My best oil right now is Goccia Umbra.

I use Canola oil when I don't want the olive oil taste.

[Susan in FL]

I've been using EVOO for almost all everyday cooking, too. If not, I get picky about what kind of oil I use... soybean, peanut, canola, or etc. depending on what I'm cooking. I don't do much baking and use whatever is called for in a baking recipe.

Thanks for the links, everybody. I plan to try those olive oils that were unfamiliar to me. My current good EVOO is Ariston Reserve, Greek. I love it! Whatever its style is, that's the style I like best right now. It is fruity and smells divine. If any experts know more, to teach me how to describe this, I would welcome the info.

Iain, so far I also disagree about not using EV for sauteing, etc. I use EV, and usually for everyday use, cooking, it is Bertolli (fruity not "delicate") or Colavita. Has anyone had good experience regularly using grades other than EV for cooking?

I also like grapeseed for a neutral oil.

I tried Vigo once and maybe it was a bad bottle... I didn't like it. I did like Lucini OK for everyday. I've been trying to decide what would be a good 3 litre size to buy. MichaelB, are those in 3 litre tins that you mentioned other grades or EV? The "Oh, my God" type sounds like one to try for sure.

[bloviatrix]

For everyday EVOO I use the Fairway house label. If I just want plain OO I go with Bertolli. But I also keep canola and peanut oil for certain things.

[MichaelB]

MichaelB, are those in 3 litre tins that you mentioned other grades or EV? The "Oh, my God" type sounds like one to try for sure.

Those are both EV. I usually keep a 3 litre of neutral olive oilin the house also but ran out a week or so ago and have not replaced it yet.

I have not opened my personal bottle of mas de gourgonnier yet. I have used bottles owned by others within the last year or so. Just smelling it is like taking a 30 second vacation to Provence.

[babka]

does anyone else run into problems with rancidity with the good stuff? I try to buy small containers b/c, even following all the rules (out of light, tightly closed, etc.), I find that the oil is markedly degraded a couple of weeks after opening, and tilting towards nasty after a month.

[budrichard]

We always have a 3l can of Colavita EVOO and pay about $20US/can. There is some acidity but for most uses it suffices. Have experienced no quality or degradation problems. -Dick

[forever_young_ca]

I am addicted to Golden Olive Eleni, an organic EVOO from Greece. I buy it locally in Vancouver, but it is available I think on this web site http://www.basiloliveoil.com.

It is not my "cooking" olive oil, but used for salads, drizzling, etc.

In 2002 it won the silver medal at the LA County Fair and in 2003 the Gold Medal. I don't know if this is a big deal fair or not, but the EVOO is wonderful. I think I read a few months ago that West is using it as well now.

[howard88]

I found the Kirkland brand of EVOO sold at Costco to be superior to others for my taste. It is an excellent buy but not available at all times. For everyday cooking I keep a pouring bottle on my counter of half EVOO and half straight olive oil combined.

[Carlovski]

I usuually get 1L tins of the unfiltered Arbequina (Probably spelt that wrong!) oil produced by Belazu look here - it does well enough for me, decent enough to use for most purposes, and affordable enough (And I like the tin!). I tend to use groundnut for most frying purposes.

On saying that, I am a bit of a sucker for picking up interesting looking bottles in any Deli I walk into.

[hillvalley]

I only have OO in my house. For every day use I have Trader Giotto's EVOO. The good oil I am using right now is an organic olive oil called Olio Beato.