327976 Fri Sep 22 03:20:13 -0700 2006 27 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 1894086 I just wanted to know where I could get some of your favorite olive oils for everyday everything use. I like a stronger "olivey" taste to my olive oil so should I avoid virgins? What does that imply? I'm a newb at this so I just wanted to be pointed at the right direction. I just want a bottle of great olive oil from somewhere I can get to--Trader Joes, Whole Foods, other large chain markets, etc. Thanks for the suggestions! Fri Sep 22 03:20:14 -0700 2006 21477 mstinawu 1 1894099 Trader Joe's! Cheap and good. Extra vergin olive oil is a little "grassier." I don't know if that's what you mean by olivey. You'll want to avoid light olive oil, which is more like a neutral oil (canola, corn, vegetable). Plus, if you buy something at TJ's or Whole Foods and hate it you can return it, no questions asked. Fri Sep 22 03:30:06 -0700 2006 1894086 11577 Pei 1 1894247 I like Colavita Fri Sep 22 06:13:52 -0700 2006 1894086 10426 shaebones 1 1894274 I adore the greek olive oil sold at Trader Joe's. Greek olive oil is a bit stronger and more distinctive in flavor than your standard Italian stuff... but it adds such nuance to your dishes. Especially since many of your guests may not be familiar with Greek olive oil and will be so curious trying to put their finger on what it is that makes your salads, etc. just a little bit different... Fri Sep 22 06:39:37 -0700 2006 1894086 11504 amandine 1 1894571 I'd say that an Extra virgin olive oil is more likely to have a stronger flavour and taste more like olives. Now, to answer your question: For cooking, I quite like Colavita as Shaebones suggested. Carapelli isn't bad either. For cold uses or finishing a light sauce, I like a greek olive sold as "Silver Leaf". It is carried at a local organic and natural foods store (Big Carrot in Toronto) and they have an experessly organic pressing as well as their standard pressing which is uncertified. Fri Sep 22 13:55:06 -0700 2006 1894086 24055 Atahualpa 1 1894612 For cooking, I usually use Colavita or WF's 365 brand extra virgin olive oil. Fri Sep 22 14:17:55 -0700 2006 1894086 10985 MMRuth 2 5136726 I agree with MMRuth, these are my everyday brands. I've used these two for at least 10 years. Wed Oct 28 05:22:18 -0700 2009 1894612 222865 FoodChic 1 1894669 Of the readily available EVOO (the TV foodie we all love to hate has made me feel stupid when I use that abbreviation) supermarket brands, I like Colavita as well. I also like the somewhat more assertive flavor of Ariston, a Greek oil that's sold in refillable bottles (i.e., large bulk container and you bring your bottle back for a refill) under the brand name Ariston in some of the "gourmet" farm stands. (And the Ariston balsamic sold the same way is pretty good as well.) Fri Sep 22 14:41:14 -0700 2006 1894086 10207 FlyFish 1 1894746 For cooking, I like the big 3 liter jug of the 365 Whole Foods brand. For supermarket olive oil, I'll second or third Colavita. For salads &c, I like to try a lot of different ones. Whole Foods has some reasonably priced organic ones that are pretty good. I don't think I've ever tried the Greek oil, but now I'm intrigued! Fri Sep 22 15:05:08 -0700 2006 1894086 41708 Mill City Modern 2 1894774 Do you happen to know how much the 3-lt WF 365 brand costs? The two WF near me are generally free-for-all zoos so I only go if it's significantly worth it. (Good EVOO at a reasonable cost would be worth it.) Fri Sep 22 15:18:09 -0700 2006 1894746 11175 The Ranger 3 1894779 If the three litres is the big metal can, the last time I bought it I think it was around $20. Fri Sep 22 15:19:46 -0700 2006 1894774 10985 MMRuth 4 1894786 Yes, it's the huge metal can and it's around$20. Fri Sep 22 15:22:58 -0700 2006 1894779 41708 Mill City Modern 3 1895039 The other thing I like from WF is their Canola Mayonnaise - I make my own sometimes as well, but even my DH who is particular about his mayonnaise, likes it as well. I find that their 365 brand products are good value - also the bottled Italian sparkling water - at $.89 a litre, it's much cheaper than Pellegrino. Tend to go to WF at non-peak times a do a quick soup of their staples that I like. In NY, I also find that their prices for dairy products are very good. Fri Sep 22 16:38:22 -0700 2006 1894774 10985 MMRuth 1 1895202 Thanks for all the suggestions. I do actually use Colativa at home for cooking and sauces. The Greek olive oil does sound intriguing--I will try it out on my next stop to Whole Foods. =) Fri Sep 22 17:27:46 -0700 2006 1894086 21477 mstinawu 1 1895671 For sauteing and high heat cooking, I generally use regular olive oil and any type will do (Currently using Goya.) But my Extra Virgin Olive Oil of choice is Frantoia. It's Sicilian, it's pretty expensive, and it is hands down the best. Very fruity. I am not brand loyal about many things but I always buy Frantoia. I have been cooking for years and it is definitely the best olive oil, IMHO. Fri Sep 22 20:01:57 -0700 2006 1894086 40624 vvv03 1 1895677 I really like Zoe from Spain for the characteristics you say you enjoy. It is fairly cheap, especially if you buy the 3 ltr. size. Fri Sep 22 20:06:00 -0700 2006 1894086 18205 mattrapp 2 1897078 As I've said before, Zoe makes more than one EVOO. The one from cornicabra olives has a powerfully peppery aftertaste which may not suit your needs. Sat Sep 23 16:32:30 -0700 2006 1895677 10156 Steve 1 1896275 Costco's house Kirkland brand is surprisingly OK for cooking. I'd use something finer for salads or to dress small plates, though, where you're tasting the olive oil directly. Sat Sep 23 00:28:06 -0700 2006 1894086 23430 Mr. Cookie 2 1896298 I'm a Kirkland fan -- I'll (generally) purchase Kirkland products over name-brand products because of the quality products I've experienced. But the Kirkland olive oil was just one of those products that I can't stand; it tasted of plastic. I ended up returning it. Sat Sep 23 00:39:58 -0700 2006 1896275 11175 The Ranger 1 1899307 Which Costco olive oil did you buy? Apparently there are more than one kind. Last month (for the first time ever), I bought a liter of the Kirkland Signature limited quantity EVOO from the Tuscany 2005 olive harvest. It sells for under $11 and I think the flavor is very good--good enough to use on most everything, which really surprised me. It was clearly marked with the origin of the olives, where it was produced and the harvest date -- that's what convinced me to buy it. I doubt if I would like the more generic Costco olive oil. I'm always experimenting with new EVOO's. One I liked recently was Oil of Paicines grown and produced in the CA Central Coast area. Sun Sep 24 23:37:02 -0700 2006 1894086 13787 Moka 2 5126075 The current Kirkland Signature is 2008 harvest. Absolutely the best. I tasted it for the first time shortly after returning from my prior trip to Italy (Nov 2008), where I tasted quite a few right-off-the press oils. It is definitely the real thing. BUT keep in mind: freshly pressed EVOO only lasts for about 6 months. After that window, it becomes a more regular EVOO ( not bad, but not special ). I wouldn't recommend any other olive oil from Costco. Fri Oct 23 14:13:24 -0700 2009 1899307 28703 RicRios 1 1902010 Interesting this has come up as I was talking yesterday, with my Italian friend and cooking teacher about olive oil. She said she looks for three things...Extra Virgin, First Cold Press, and oil from Italy. She uses Kirkland for everyday. (The oil that comes in two large plastic bottles packaged together). I found that interesting as my husband does most of the cooking and has been using that oil for a long time. I always thought he bought it because it was reasonable (cheap). Wrong!! Also, if you want a fabulous taste treat try Moulin "Jean-Marie Cornille" Olive Oil. It is available at Kermit Lynch and I believe Traverso's. I read about it in The Provence Cookbook by Patricia Wells, page 27. We love it on Acme Bread, toasted, with fresh tomatoes or goat cheese or whatever. It is expensive, but a large bottle and so worth it. Tue Sep 26 01:03:02 -0700 2006 1894086 42334 Cerise 37 2 5126044 You should tell your cooking teacher that "oil from Italy" these days means about the same as "car from America". Read under "Mix and Match" http://cooksillustrated.com/tastetests/overview.asp?docid=9812 Mr Taster Fri Oct 23 14:02:01 -0700 2009 1902010 17579 Mr Taster 1 4527788 If you want a WOW olive oil, try toribethorganic from the etsy website. I have never tasted such a great flavor in any olive oil. Sun Mar 22 13:16:25 -0700 2009 1894086 276494 Ezzi 1 5124401 I'm not that into Carapelli, but they do have an olive oil labeled as Carapelli Nobile, made with "olive pulp". I'm no expert, but I find it tastes pretty nice by itself, some other brands I find a little acrid when tasted alone. Thu Oct 22 21:28:23 -0700 2009 1894086 1118475 dshadoe 1 5126013 "Everyday everything use" is extremely broad. Different oils burn at different temperatures and therefore have different uses. www.cooksillustrated.com recommendations rarely steer me wrong, and their olive oil picks are no exception. For tossing in salads and other "raw" applications, look for Columela extra virgin. it has a full, beautiful, fruity flavor but it is hard to find and a little pricey at about $20. (I got my first bottle from amazon, and subsequently found it at a local Italian deli). When I can't get to the deli or don't feel like spending that much, I've found success with Trader Joe's Santorini extra virgin olive oil. Avoid cooking with extra virgin as it burns at a very low temperature. For cooking and sauteeing (not high heat applications), Da Vinci 100% pure olive oil can be found at some supermarkets (I've gotten it at the small family-owned supermarket chain How's Markets in LA, but I can't find it at any of the big Safeway conglomerate type supermarkets.) The stuff is extraordinary... a full, beautiful fruity flavor almost on par with an extra virgin. None of the other standard supermarket oils like Filippo Berio, Bertolli, etc. come anywhere near it (though Colavita comes closest). NOTE: this is not "Da Vinci Extra Virgin" which is found all over the Safeway style megamarts.... it is specifially called "Da Vinci 100% Pure" Mr Taster Fri Oct 23 13:50:45 -0700 2009 1894086 17579 Mr Taster 1 5126122 For everyday stuff, I get a huge container of Bertoli at Costco. I also babysit a doggie whose owner goes to Italy for work and he brings me back nice olive oils as a thank you for watching the dog, so I use those for vinaigrettes etc. Fri Oct 23 14:32:12 -0700 2009 1894086 158016 cassoulady 1 5126898 I also like the WF 365 brand for everyday use, Pompeeian is decent also, don't like it in dressings, though. Fri Oct 23 23:11:25 -0700 2009 1894086 1118728 DallasChowChick