What is your favourite Olive Oil?

[VeraBlue]

Anything that is less than 25 dollars!

 

[boufa06]

Yes I know. So do Greeks prefer the more golden oil made from riper olives or the earlier, greener,grassier ?

Tuscan oil is known to be very peppery and green. Why is Tuscan oil so raved on about?

cook, I couldn't answer for all Greeks but just for myself. As in any large group, there will be all kinds of tastes and preferences. There is quite an appreciation of EVOO from green olives which is called 'Agoureleo' meaning 'unripe oil.'

About Tuscan oil, is 'peppery' a hyped term for bitter? As for the raving, who is doing it? By this, I do not mean that there is something wrong with Tuscan EVOO but the way it's said it sounds as if EVOOs have fan clubs or even groupies for whom EVOO is about all there is in life. Again, there is no offence meant. I am however, a bit irked from the heavy-handed marketing hype. Question in point: Is Tuscany EVOO always of the same type? No variations in character result from factors such as year-to-year growing conditions, time of harvest, soil makeup from region to region within Tuscany etc?

 

[karadekoolaid]

Olive oil, cook, is a question of taste.Some like it green, others like it yellow; some enjoy the fruity flavours, others prefer something a little more acid and peppery.
What I have perceived over the last few years is the emphasis on "Extra Virgin Olive Oil" with everything. That does not seem to be correct, to my point of view. I'm sure the Italians, and the Spanish, and the Greeks and the Morrocans, for example, do NOT use EVOO for everything, but perhaps straightforward olive oil, or even oil made from the olive must. It reminds me of the "Sundried Tomato" fad a few years back. Sundried tomatoes with everything!!
What ever. Thanks to you all, I'm now immersing myself in the subtleties of olive oil. Any more suggestions are very welcome!

 

[Loprraine]

A bit late, Clive, but here;s my thoughts. We go through a lot of OO, so when I see Bertolli on sale, I buy it. But, I was recently given a bottle of EVOO from Greece. Marketed by www,oliviers-co.com I believe they have an outlet here in TO. The one I was given is Rafteli, from Lesbos. Here's what they say about it:

The mill belonging to the Rafteli - Protouli family isa located to the south of the aegean island of Lesbos, in the coastal region around Plomari. Inheriting a thousand year old tradition, this family nonetheless does not hesitate to keep only the best of it's past to be able to achieve progress. Cultivated at an altitude of between 400 and 600 metres, Kolovi olives are always harvested by hand, but presed in a modern mill. Their juice is unctuous and aramotic, with notes of artichocke and tomato.

Other than the EVOO my sister has brought back from Sicily from her family's vineyards, this is the most incredible oil I've had yet! The taste is exquisite.

 

[Robt]

Tuscan oil is known to be very peppery and green. Why is Tuscan oil so raved on about?

"Cause it can taste so good. The truth is that there are many tastes in olive oils as in other foods. I prefer the ones I like and you will have your preferences. To label either as "Wrong" would be foolish, even if I do love those grassy peppery full Tuscan oils.

edit: I just found out that the first Tuscan pressings are coming into the US now, this is the '06 crop.Yes it should be very grassy--I'd rather call it green tasting but by this time next year a bottle bought now will still be good but have little of that grass left, nor much of the pepper.

 

[Aria]

Must be EVOO. The Wal Mart brand is fine. $7+ . Many others on the shelf are fine too.

 

[Sararwelch]

I like Stonehouse brand olive oil. They also have great flavored olive oils, including lemon, orange and garlic.

 

[TexanFrench]

Clive, you might want to check this out:

Huile d'olive tourisme oléïcole visite de moulins à huile d'olive culture oliviers huile d'olive

It's a website hosted in Nimes, showcasing olive-based agriculture in France, Spain and Portugal. You can take tours of the areas, sample the olive products, make contact with the local farmers...

P.S. Don't know why the link screwed up. It's terra-olea.org.

 

[Uncle Bob]

We buy/use Pompeian out of habit........

 

[karadekoolaid]

Must be EVOO. The Wal Mart brand is fine. $7+ . Many others on the shelf are fine too.

Thanks a lot for the thoughts, but there's no way I can import Walmart Olive Oil for distribution here. It has to be an "unusual" brand!
There's nothing wrong with the shelf brands - I frequently use Bertorelli, Coricelli, La Española, Monaco, Romulus, etc., etc..

The whole point is to find something different, not presently commercialized.

 

[Poppinfresh]

For just regular cooking, I use Bertolli (or wahtever's on sale/cheapest...usually Bertolli). I just don't notice THAT much of a difference between them to really care about what type I use, so long as it's extra virgin.

However, there are some dishes I make that are really centered around the olive oil in some way shape or form...at which point i pull out my "special" bottle--a company called "Manni's". I paid over 250 dollars for this bottle, so I'm quite careful with it. I don't treat it with the same reverence I have for that bottle of...by now I guess it's 106 years old...balsamic vinegar, but not far off of it.

 

[Candocook]

For once, I'm going to ask a serious question.

Having just experienced 2 Xmas bazaars, I was left with the distinct feeling that everyone looks for something NEW. 3 items were particularily successful; a hot garlic sauce, an Indian condiment called Kasundi, and a neat little concoction I called "Christmas Chutney"!
Next year I want to import some decent, but not TOOOOO expensive, Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Most decent brands here sell at about $10 a bottle (500cc, 750cc or 1lt), but it's always the same old stuff; El Gallo, La Española, Monaco, Colavita, Di Cecco, Bertorelli. I want to find something different. It could be a little more expensive, it could just be a little out of the way ( Turkish or Greek, for example). Project for this year, then - learn all about olive oil.

And that is where you can all help, with your vast experience in things culinary. Any suggestions, ideas, thoughts, brand names that you love?

Clive, you might go to La Tienda's website and take a look at their Spanish olive oils. I order from them (they are in VA) and their products are excellent. I have just ordered some of their OOs. You may be able to find them direct from Spain.
Personally I love the French oils and they are not at all common to find. Do a search for Mausanne des Alpilles and see if you can find an olive oil mill. Theirs is excellent.

 

[karadekoolaid]

Thanks, Candocook! Every road shall be explored!

 

[Jeekinz]

I use Lio oils. You can dip and cook with them. I originally bought a bottle because it looked nice 6-7 years ago. Now I just get the gallon tins and refill my oil bottles as needed.

:: LIO :: The Art of Olive Oil

 

[Half Baked]

Clive, I received a 4 bottle case (different flavors) of Alejandro & Martin for Christmas and it is excellent. I was going through their website and and it seems they sell wholesale and will send you samples. My DIL probably bought it from Williams Sonoma or some such store.

Alejandro and Martin - Exquisite Olive Oils Online

 

[stinemates]

Olive Oil is something I hold dearest to my heart, living so close to San Francisco and being able to buy such good dipping bread!

On the night's I don't feel too guilty, I get my collection from around the world. I am particularily in to First Cold Press Extra Virgin Australian Olive Oil right now, It's very mild and slightly fruity, which is very exciting. I purchased it from Trader Joes, and it was around $8 for the 500ml bottle.


As I am sure you have heard, but it bears repeating, for dipping and salad dressing oil, you can never go wrong with any First Cold Press Extra Virgin oil, no matter what the origin. A small plug for a local supplier, Stonehouse (Stonehouse California Olive Oil Company, Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegars) Sevillano is the best California Olive Oil i've had!