Mono or Multi Varietal Olive Oils & Origins?

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I will pay closer attention to origin when I buy EVOO.

I usually just grab the cheapest 1 litre bottle at my favourite Greek grocery store. They seem to carry mostly Italian, Spanish, and Greek EVOO. I do have a spreadsheet where I write comments. The only one we found offensively bitter was from Loblaw's and was packaged for them in Italy. It's called Bella Tavola.

I don't usually pay more than $6 or $7 for a litre of perfectly nice EVOO.

I bought a 500 ml of organic EVOO once, on special, for about $12. It wasn't very nice at all, but I hadn't started my spreadsheet, so I don't remember the name or origin.
 
A litre of real evoo cannot be had for a bargain price. But as there are no standards for evoo in the USA, much reprocessed, deodorized, and mixed oil is sold as evoo. Buyer beware.

Will what's out there poison you? No. But even well know brand names have been found guilty of padding their evoo/

Remember Pure and light olive oils have been chemically extracted from the mash of the early pressings, as are seed oils. Perfectly good to fry in but so is canola, much cheaper.

Real evoo, gives a tug on the cheeks, and a slight tickle or burn to the back of the throat. It should be fruity but not sweet.
 
A litre of real evoo cannot be had for a bargain price. But as there are no standards for evoo in the USA, much reprocessed, deodorized, and mixed oil is sold as evoo. Buyer beware.

Will what's out there poison you? No. But even well know brand names have been found guilty of padding their evoo/

Remember Pure and light olive oils have been chemically extracted from the mash of the early pressings, as are seed oils. Perfectly good to fry in but so is canola, much cheaper.

Real evoo, gives a tug on the cheeks, and a slight tickle or burn to the back of the throat. It should be fruity but not sweet.
All I'm looking for is an olive oil that tastes like a 'tasty' olive and, if I'm feeling extravagant,
I 'm willing to use it to make a sauce / mayonnaise for seafood.
At $0.50+ per tablespoon, one can rationalize selectively using some of the more expensive EVOOs.
 
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Speaking of languages, maybe Margi or Luca can explain how a food (mortadella) was named something that is spelled like the words morta and della.
I wondered this, too. The Wikipedia explanation sounds the most plausible to me. Traditionally, the pork filling was ground to a paste using a large mortar (mortaio) and pestle.

Another theory, close to this one, says that mortadella has been made since ancient times and comes from the Latin mortarium, which refers to both the vessel itself and the "product of grinding or pounding".

So, either way, it appears to come from the same root as "mortar," not "death".
 
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EVOOs: In Spain

Good Morning,

Firstly, there is such a vast array of olive oils in Spain ... The Carbonell which is quite popular and is fairly reasonably priced at Euros 4 for a Litre.

PLEASE REALIZE, 1 Euro is like $1.00 to us, in other words, we do NOT think, of converting the money ... a dollar is a Euro dollar ... we are paid in Euros and function in Euros --- I have never thought, how much is this in Dollars ! I have not lived in the USA since the 1992 so it is useless to think in these terms.

The Testaccio, Karlos Arguiñano 100% Hojiblanca ( to die for and go to heaven ), Dauro ( divine ), La Boella Tarragona Premium, Arzuaga, Castillo de Canena, Cortijo Suerte de Alta 100% Ecological,, Cladivm and La Organic Oro Mallafré Almenara Premium are all very fine EVOOs.

Personally, I like 100% Hojiblanca olive variety because it is a perfect pair for salads, and NOT heavy ...

Then, Carbonell for for sauté-ing ... Not heavy or over powering ...

100% Arbequina Borges for roasts and stove top dishes ...

In Italia, I prefer to use Italian EVOOs however, they are much more expensive than Spanish ones ...

Have lovely Sunday.
Great Posts.
Grazie.
Margi.
 
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I have not seen ANY olive oil available in the USA for a modest $5.35 per litre. Does the 4 euro include a VAT? It's perhaps comparing apples to oranges, but from what I have observed the price of my favorite coffee beans (5.5 EUR including a 7% VAT for 250 g) is similar to the cost ($13 per pound @ $1.30 per EUR))of comparable beans in the USA. Many jobs paying $100,000 in the USA seem to pay about €80,000 in industrialized countries.
 
Good Afternoon Bill,

We do not pay Vat ( tax ) on food ...

I pay 3.89 Euros for Carbonell which I use to sauté ... Borges, is 4.99 Euros ...

A 500 gram box of Barilla pastas range from 1.37 Euros to 2.50 Euros depending on type ... Cannelloni are more expensive than Linguini or Fettuccine.

I have been here so long, that I just do not do currency maths any more -- as it does not matter, since I had made the decision to stay here, for my profession.

Good Post.


@ Steve,

Now a mortar denotes pounding and crushing in a mortar ... correct translation ... in ref to Mortadella ... olives, pork and spices ... to create this charcuterie product ... Good research Steve !

I can check in Italian --- as it is an Italian product dating back probably to the Inquisition --- and update on the history for you both.

Have a nice Sunday.
Margi.
 
Buonasera, Bill,

As I had told Steve, a few replies up;

IVA or VAT ( In English ): I am a European National / Dual Nationality, thus, do not pay IVA tax ( sales tax ) on food.

I am pleased to hear that you have enjoyed the Hojiblanca ... Which brand did you purchase ? You mentioned, you spent $60 USD on Olive Oils ...
What did your buy ?

Have lovely Monday,
Ciao. Margi.
 
Buonasera Bill,

Sorry, looks like this is an old thread that has been brought back active ...

Hojiblanca: which brands have you purchased ? Have you tried any that I mentioned ?

Look forward to hearing from u,
Ciao, Margi.
 
This site was set up by a good friend of mine 11 yrs ago to cynically exploit the self aggrandizing foody. The oil is brought in in large drums and decanted into twee bottles that look good on the kitchen shelf, note the language used to describe these products.The key for him is the huge profit he makes by just decanting the oil. On Hvar my wifes family has about 200 trees, in Kalamata my friend has about 1000 trees. On Hvar the majority of the crop goes to the Coop the rest is turned into oil that is used for frying, baking, salads, as a sauce for fish and meat, mixed with egg yolk as hair conditioner, poured in your ear to get rid of wax etc.
The Gift Of Oil: Buy Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Balsamic Vinegar, Pasta and Sauces Online
 
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Bolas,

Thank you for your interesting topic stretch about Croatian Olive Oil ...

Quite a complex and challenging Football Match between Spain and Croatia, last night ! Did you catch the match ?

Kind regards,
Ciao, Margi.
 
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