ISO: reasonable $ EVOO in Vancouver

[eatrustic]

What's your go to e. v. olive oil? The one you use every day, the one that doesn't have to be locked up with the truffle oil and 25 year old Balsamic?

For the last few year I've been buying an excellent olive oil that Stiles Wine Importers brought in with their containers of wine and sold through their family shoe store (of all places) Kalina's on Commercial. Alas they are no longer bringing it in and at $12. a liter it was an excellent everyday oil.

So what do you recommend for about the same price point (or a bit more) that has a nice fruity flavour that works well for sauces and dressings?

[canucklehead]

For good everyday oil that has enough fruit for dressing use - I have always liked the Costco Oil. It's identified as Tuscan and has a nice green flavour but cheap enough to use for cooking.

In the States - the Costco Oil that I bought was bottled in glass bottles and harvest dated (not up here in Canada though). Dated oil is something that I don't see with anyother large scale seller. I have friends who deal with Costco buyers - and they are picky mofo's.

[Sonja]

Gourmet Warehouse sells a very good spanish e.v. olive oil (two bottles @ $12.00) that is excellent for everyday cooking. Santa Barbara has very reasonable e.v. oils in large sizes. I like the dark Colavita oil for everyday use. They sell it in 4 different sizes.

[shelora]

Our everyday oil is Emma, first cold press x virg. Packed in Italy. I can buy litre bottles at Oxford Foods in Victoria anywhere between 5.99 - 8.99, depending on the sales.

The fruity ness never overpowers, is just right.

When in Vancouver, I can pretty much depend on Santa Barbara or even Norman's up the street for a good deal on quality olive oil.

I love the concept of buying olive oil at the shoe store. That's a great story.

Shelora

[Ling]

I believe Saffron on W. 4th has dispensers where you can get reasonably-priced (and good quality) olive oil in "bulk".

[inanimate]

my roommate taz asks

I was wondering if there is any places in Vancouver where you can taste

the olive oil before you buy it? Probably one of those places that bulk

imports it and pours you off a bottle although it does not have to be.

I enjoyed places like "check your oil" in Amsterdam that has such a

setup:

http://www.trendystyle.net/culinair/restau..._olijfolie.html

Just like a wine tasting you can learn about the origin of the oil and

give it a taste next to other ones. This makes it much much easier to

discover that you like (or what is good).

[eatrustic]

As Ling had mentioned, Saffron on 4th near MacDonald sells a variety of oils in bulk (with a variety of containers to pour into) that I'm pretty sure you can taste. They are on the more expensive side though, if I recall.

Whole Foods sells a couple of pour your own oils as well and they let you taste pretty well everything.

[2roost]

CostCo - Kirkland Signature, 2 Litres for $10.99 and it is just fine for everyday use. I keep a couple of small bottles of premium oils around for serious drizzling as well currently 1 Italian and 1 Californian (Sciabica Mission Spring Release - which is really good).