# Favorite Olive Oil



## shel (Dec 20, 2006)

Good olive oil is such a wonderful thing. Here in the San Francisco area we are blessed with being able to get innumerable brands and types, and over the years I've tried many, many oils. Although some shops have oil out for tasting, there's no way all the oil that they stock can be tasted. So, with the idea of trying some new oils, perhaps you can post which oils you like and why, and perhaps even add some "tasting notes."

Shel


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## shroomgirl (Aug 11, 2000)

hmmmm....like wine the nuiances make olive oil special ......green fruity is probably my favorite and hardest to find.
I've got a few gems around now and will taste them side by side in the next couple of days and give you the results.
MacEvoy's (sp?) has some good ones, they are in CA.


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## shel (Dec 20, 2006)

I enjoyed the McEvoy that I tried, but it was a couple-three years ago. I just picked up a bottle of Arbequina oil from Spain the other day. I've had oil made from that type of olive before, but not this particular brand. IIRC, the label said that it's acidity was .3, or .03 - very low - which is my preference.

hel


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## mikelm (Dec 23, 2000)

You're close enough to check out a local, handcrafted oil:

Bariani Olive Oil 
9460 Bar Du Lane Sacramento CA 95829 
916-689-9059 (phone & fax) 
email: [email protected]

They show up at most Farmers Markets in Walnut Creek (every Sunday year-round) and have some very nice oil.

Mike


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## cookie jim (Apr 24, 2007)

Hi shel; I use Bertoli e.v. for everything. Ive been using it for 30 years so maybe I'm just used to it. I like the nose as well as fruity flavor. I can find it in any market around the country and is reasonably priced. I should add that you sparked my interest and will try something different as soon as I finish my last 3 gal..lol...good cookin...cookie


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## allie (Jul 21, 2006)

I've been following this thread with a lot of interest. I've never seen many olive oils available where I am forced to shop. Bertolli is always available so I'll give it a try. I don't remember what brand I've been using but it's not a very expensive one. I only use it for sauteing and it's regular olive oil, not extra virgin. Since I'd like to make some vinaigrettes for the first time, I need some good evoo.

Just a little anecdote that happened to me a few years ago:

BTW, you don't want to ever break a bottle! When I worked in a grocery warehouse, I set a pallet of cake mix on top of a pallet of olive oil that looked full on top. Well, it wasn't so my pallet of cake mix shifted and ended up busting a case of the olive oil. OMG, what a mess that was to try and clean up! The fork lift was sliding around like a car on a sheet of ice and I couldn't get off or I'd slip and get hurt. It was hilarious and took me a long time to live that one down. lol


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## mattfin (Apr 16, 2007)

I am a proud Italian, and if my relatives ever got word I was saying this, I would be excommunicated. The best olive oils are the ones from Spain. Greek olive oils are thin on flavor, and Italian oils tend to go towards the grassy taste with a peppery finish. But Spanish oils have big, robust olive flavors. 

I was in the town of Olivas (how appropriate) in Spain and bought a bottle of oil that was there local "generic" kind. No, I don't recall the name, and I doubt you could get it here anyway. It was about the single best bottle of oil I have ever had. I have looked for oils from this area of Spain ever since, but with little luck...

Laudemio - from Tuscany - is a very peppery olive oil, but is about the best example of an Italian oil as can be found.

McEvoy is very nice for a Californian oil. They are growing by leaps and bounds, and not at all undeservedly.

As a gift, I was recently given a bottle of Australian Olive Oil - from a company called "Kangaroo Paw" (as in the flower). It has a nice, smooth finish with a hint of pepperyness. I just wish the olive flavor was a little bolder - but it is quite nice.

And I have also tried Giulianno Hazan's line of oils and vinegars - A&H brand. The olive oil was thin and totall uninteresting, but the red wine vinegar they make is the single best I have ever had. 

Hope this all helps!


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## jannie (Mar 17, 2007)

I just bought a bottle of Arbequina at my neat little market a couple of blocks from home. Tasting it straight I wasn't too excited but dipping it with Whole Foods 365 basalmic and wow, the combination really sharp, funny but tasting that basalmic alone, it seemed a little softer than I thought I would like but using it in a ceaser dressing made with buttermilk instead of eggs it's pretty good too, but dipping, the combination :crazy:really hit my yummy button.
Jannie


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## notoriouslyken (Sep 27, 2006)

I am an Italian as well, and they don't offer a huge selection around my grocery stores, but the best bang for the buck is the Goya. I never tried it until The Washington Post had an olive oil review and rated that as one of the better oils.


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## notoriouslyken (Sep 27, 2006)

I found the Washington Post's comparison:


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## dr. zoidberg (May 22, 2006)

I second that..... Bertoli's


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## mannlicher (Jan 8, 2006)

In all honesty, I don't see any meaningful difference between brands of Olive Oil. A good quality, first pressing oil will do for me what I require in cooking. The brand is not as important as some make out. 
I don't know if the same pretensions abound in discussing Olive Oil as with wine, but I have always felt folks make way too much out of small distinctions, the most subtle of nuances, and over wrought descriptions.
That said, I usually buy Bertolli extra virgin, in the large jugs.


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## shel (Dec 20, 2006)

I'm goping to hit the farmers market in berkeley today or next week and will look for them. I think I tasted their oil a few years ago. In any case, I'm down to only two bottles and need to replenish my supply ....

The oil can be found at many other places as well: Bariani Olive Oil

Shel


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## shel (Dec 20, 2006)

Using OO for cooking is only one way to use the oil. Using it as a condiment, for dipping, for adding flavor to a dish - like drizzling it on certain salads, crostini, etc., the nuances become a lot more clear. There are so many variations that, for many of us, we'll have several varieties and brands on hand.

IAC, it's not only the brand of OO that matter but type of olives used and how they've been pressed and treated. I think you're missing out on some wonderful taste experiences if all you use is Bertolli.

Shel


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## shel (Dec 20, 2006)

Indeed! There are many wonderful Spanish olive oils. In one of the "gourmet" shops around here they sell three bulk oils, one from Italy, one from Spain, and one from California. They always have some of each out for tasting. A lot of people prefer the Spanish oil over the Italian ... of course, that's just between those three bulk oils, but it shows how nice a good Spanish oil can be. The shop carries about forty different olive oils, covering a wide range of tastes and prices.

A good, inexpensive oil is made by Sagra - a lot of people I know like it. I certainly enjoy it, and for years it was my "go to" oil untill I decided to try some others. Even Trader Joe's has a couple of good oils ;-))

Shel


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## shroomgirl (Aug 11, 2000)

finally.......got a pen and paper, sat down with the three evo's on the counter and took notes.....

1) Tibvrtini Novello, hand rake used to pull olives from trees during the Fall Harvest. Roman Campagna
light in color, light/dense fruity, then grassy then at the back of your throat slightly peppery.

2)Nunez de PRADO, family estates crop.
Baena, Spain
unfiltered
Green strong grassy flavor, followed by an olive note

3)Laudemro
Frescobaldi
Tuscan
dark green/gold, strong olive, then peppery followed by grass


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## drive (Aug 11, 2006)

I don't like olives and by olive oil I can smell and taste the olives. I never buy that again.
At home we have diet oil at the moment.


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## shel (Dec 20, 2006)

What the heck is that?!

Shel


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## shel (Dec 20, 2006)

Thanks, shroom .... very useful.

Shel


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## shroomgirl (Aug 11, 2000)

must be pam or liquid margarine? wrong thread for sure.


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## shel (Dec 20, 2006)

Checking the on-line calorie counter (Calorie Counter Database ), it seems that liquid margerine has about 34 calories per tsp while olive oils has about 39.

Shel


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## shroomgirl (Aug 11, 2000)

you gotta know what side of the issue I'm on......butter, olive oil, rendered lard....no manmade chemicals in my fat please.
I've been watching Julia Child's dvd's of her earlier shows and she is using cream, butter unstiltingly, combos of olive oil and butter.....gotta love it! She's one of my all time favorite teachers.

Shel, it was interesting doing a side by side tasting of the oils, funny how they had similar elements that came through at different times with different strengths.


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## shipscook (Jan 14, 2007)

Great list shroomgirl, thanks.
Unfortunatly here we have a good, small selection. I used Bertroli for years, but now our Safeway has a house brand that is excellent. I use Extra Virgin and Light, use little butter unless the recipe needs that flavor, never developed a taste for it, sorry Julia!
Did taste some Spanish oils at a shop in Seattle, heavenly!!
Thanks again,
Nan


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## davidyoung (Jun 29, 2007)

If you want to try a fresh lovely olive oil I got one from Andronico's in San Francisco it is called Evooroo (Australian olive oil) at $9.99 it was such great value for an excellent olive oil. The problem with most Spanish and Italian oil producers is they send all their crap oil here. Much of it is rancid and I would guess not extra virgin, they do produce some good oils but they keep it


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## shel (Dec 20, 2006)

You're painting a generalization with a pretty broad brush. Maybe you're just shopping in the wrong places ....

Shel


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## davidyoung (Jun 29, 2007)

The fact is most people would not know if EVOO was rancid or not and the producers know it. You only have to read most of these comments by chefs or cooks to realise that very little is known.


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## joyfull (May 24, 2006)

I could kick myself for not reading this thread before picking up more olive oil..
I have always used the regular as I find the EV oil a bit on the strong side for my tastes.

But I'm always up to retrying especially after reading all the good things you all say about using a 'good' EV olive oil..
So, I bought myself what I thought was a 'good' EVoo.. A 250 ml. bottle of Filippo Berio organic, cold pressed, extra virgin olive oil that was on sale for 8 bux..

Have to say this bottle turned out to be the most vile tasting oil I've ever purchased!

I made up a mixture of fig balsamic vinegar, bit of chopped garlic and fresh herbs, plus this EVoo for basting vegi kabobs that I wanted to bbq..

It was horrid, I had to toss the whole mixture and remake it with my regular olive oil..
I don't know if just this brand of EVoo, but even the aroma of it was nasty..
All I can think of is that perhaps I ended up with a bottle that had been sitting on the shelf for too long, (why no best before dates on oil by the way?) but it's really ticking me off that I've wasted 8 bux on something thats going into the trash!


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## davidyoung (Jun 29, 2007)

Lesson 1
Filippo Berio EVOO was recently judged one of the worst on the supermarket shelves. If you want to at least have a fighting chance of purchasing a half decent EVOO do not buy oil that is in a clear bottle. There are 4 main factors that deteriorate olive oil, they are heat, water, air and the worst one of all LIGHT. Light kills the polyphenols (all the anti oxidants)and speeds up the rancimat time (causing rancidity).
It’s funny Bertolli has come up with a great new product to stop this problem, a can! Why not just put it in a dark bottle? Because it's twice the cost.


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## joyfull (May 24, 2006)

Yes I saw that on nortoriouslyKENs post. Unfortunately I did not check on ratings before buying the Filippo Berio brand..
I just assumed since it was organic, and cold pressed it would be a good oil.. My mistake for sure..

It was in a very dark green bottle though.. I suppose that was the one good thing in their favor..

And, this is just a wonderment here.. If the light kills the polyphenols and causes rancidity, why are most olive oil cruets one sees in the shops made of clear glass then??


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## davidyoung (Jun 29, 2007)

Cruets are for show, it wouldn't be much of a show if you couldn't see the star attraction would it!


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## shel (Dec 20, 2006)

Hi, I found some today at the big Berkeley farmers market and bought a medium-sized bottle. I'm really looking forward to trying it.

Mrs. Bariani (perhaps) was there explaining the differences in the two styles she makes and offering tastings. She's clearly very proud of her olive oil. There were a couple of "regulars" at her stand as well, both extolling the joys of the oil ... Had you not reminded the forum of Bariani I may not have been as anxious to try it. Thanks!

Shel


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## mikelm (Dec 23, 2000)

Shel said...

*I'm down to only two bottles and need to replenish my supply ....*

Boy, that is really panic time! 

Know just how you feel. 

We get the TJ's "First Lady Reserve," an unfiltered Italian EVOO. It's quite good and reasonably priced- about $6 for 17 oz.

We have used regular OO - certainly not EVOO - to fry potatoes, which are delicious. We call them "Greek Fries."

I have read on various "expert" OO sites that the "Pomace" grade is the dregs of the OO business and should be avoided at all costs. Anybody have any more input?

edit:

Saw Shel's posting on the Bariani oil while I was typing the above- hope it lives up to my memories. We ordered some after we got back from Walnut Creek several years ago. It came to about $65 for 3 liters with shipping, so we haven't had a lot of it lately! And since then, our daughter has moved from WC to Pittsburgh (which is not noted for its olive oil) so we may not see a lot of it in the future.

Mike


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## free rider (May 23, 2006)

I use 365 brand. I can't remember why I stayed with that one after trying many others. Could have been that it was that the taste was better, could have been my budget, could have been that I got tired of remembering which brands I'd tried and which not.


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## mikelm (Dec 23, 2000)

What the he!l am I doing up at 3AM?

Guess that's GMT- I hope.

Mike

nighty-night


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## shel (Dec 20, 2006)

Be careful with TJ's oils. Many of them are packaged to look like they're Italian in origin, but reading the fine print shows only that the oil was packed or shipped from Italy, and that the origin was elsewhere. Of course, TJ isn't the only company that does that. I've not seen "First Lady Reserve" here.

It is quite good. I sampled some at the farmers market before deciding which of the two styles I wanted, and when I got home I opened the bottle and tasted some "straight." Good stuff - I liked the later press better than the earlier press. I also like the idea that Bariani puts the harvest and bottling dates on the bottle, and that the oil is local and made by a family owned business.

Shel


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