Fake Olive Oil.

[caseydog]

Finishing vs cooking calls for two very different olive oils, IMO.

For cooking, I use a good quality California olive oil that is on the light side. For finishing, I want a peppery EVOO that is not a blend.

I went to a store in NYC once that let you taste olive oils in tiny cups. It was a lot like a wine tasting. Of course, the ones I liked the most were stupid expensive, but as a drizzle on a finished dish, the price would be justified.

For cooking, I have actually switched to avocado oil over olive oil. The flavor is very neutral, and the smoke point is much higher.

If you are more interested in finishing, and you are in or near a big city, I'd look for a place where you can taste some oils, and pick one you like.

CD

 

[blissful]

What are your recommendations for good-quality olive oils? I'm mostly interested here in finishing vs. cooking. Dressings, drizzling over pasta, bread, etc.

https://freshpressfarms.com/collections/all
I've ordered fresh pressed sunflower oil, it was fresh and wonderful but their forte is olive oil types.
(some of them available on amazon)

 

[dragnlaw]

I oten get notices from Food Republic. One of their articles was about oils and one of the points they made was many professional chefs used Kirkland brand oil in their kitchens. But I imagine that they also used fancier olive oils for finisheing.
I frequent an Olive Oil dispensary for finishings. For most cooking I use Avocado Oil for it's blandness as they (dispensary) recommended. The tiny bottles I get are horrifically expensive. I like the ones on the more peppery side compared to their more popular one.

 

[Meryl]

Over here, we follow this simple rule, to avoid disappointments:

A good bottle of Evo oil, produced in Italy from Italian olives, should cost at least 10 euros per litre (about 10 dollars?) and the label MUST carry all the information about its origins.

To be certain, I sometimes buy my evo oil directly from the oil mill, costs about 12/13 euros per litre.

 

[dcSaute]

the issue is usually "good" olive oil being diluted with "garbage" by crooks.
notes: """good""" being "extra virgin olive oil" = aka EVOO.

first consider, it is "extra virgin olive oil" that has been the main target for crooks - commands the highest prices - produces the max profit for crooks.
lower grades have lower "standard" commercial prices and crooks can't really make any money off faking that.

adulterated EVOO was rampant for imported EVOO to USA until 'the government' caught on - adulterated European EVOO is fairly rare now-a-days in USA. but not in Europe . . .

there are multiple technical grades/standards for EVOO.
repeated lab test do not support repeated "panel / sensory / tasting" tests.
then ., ., . California invented its own "standard"
bottom line: no one has yet found repeatable standards - aka chemical analysis - that factually "defines" really-good-EVOO"

there are multiple Mediterranean countries producing olive oil. one cannot rely on "country" as a quality marker , , , , because . . . badda bing! . . . crooks fake that.

larger organizations ala Kirkland one should think can be trusted to ensure the source/origin and quality of the olive oil "as labeled"
past that - more simple, look for the California "certification" unless you have the option to personally do a 'tasting'

 

[pictonguy]

I've been buying the same brand for a few decades from a producer in Sicily called Frantoi Cutrera from gourmetwarehouse.ca and it's around 39.00 for 750ml. It has all the qualities I expect at this price and it does taste amazing, but of course that an individual thing.

I don't use this for cooking. I generally use a decent EVOO for cooking when I want to use an olive oil, which is quite a bit but other than that I'll use butter or tallow or a combination and I also use duck fat, lard, coconut oil and avocado oil.

 

[jennyema]

I use Evoo for most everything. Peanut and avocado for some things.

I like Spanish and Greek olive oils.

I used to buy the big bottles from Fairway in NYC. They bottled oils from all over the world under their name and had a tasting bar. But they discontinued this as they ran their businss into the ground. Im on my last bottle now ...

 

[Meryl]

Olio Zollo – Maestri Oleari dal 1949

www.oleariazollo.com

This one's guaranteed. Take my word for it. They do international deliveries all over the world.

 

[Meryl]

We usually produce our own Evo from our olive plantations, but last Autumn, olive harvest was "next to nothing", so no oil production at all! .

 

[Badjak]

Sometimes I wish I had all your choices ...

Standard oil here is soy or other veg. 5 litre jerry cans

I use sunflower or olive oil for most.
I just discovered a shop that has reasonably priced Spanish and Lebanese olive oil. And peanut oil.

I actually have been at an olive oil tasting thingy once. It felt wrong, dipping some baquette in olive oil and tasting like that, but it was great.
I do it at home occassionally, olive oil, garlic pestled and mortared (Catalan aioli), but with a bit of chile. Awesome with freshly baked bread

 

[Laura.B]

I'm too much foodie person, but recently I've turned to healthy lifestyle and trying to loose weight. I'll definitely try this one