Brands of olive oil

[Cindy]

Do you have a particular brand of olive oil that you would recommend? I often see a recipe that says "good quality olive oil" and I always choose extra-virgin, but I've wondered if one brand is better than another. Any opinions on this?

[Ed]

Cindy,

I use Carapelli. I think it's a good brand all right, but so are many others, like colivita.

Colivita had an ad in CL that told about Extra Virgin, Light, Mild etc. and what each was used for, I really liked that. At the time I was using only Extra Virgin, (A cheap brand which is probably O.K. too. If you like the flavor I say go with it), and I appreciated knowing what the other "weights" were used for.

However, try as I might I could never remember what the different ones were used for, I had to always keep that Ad handy.

Well Carapelli puts the recommended use right on the label, so It's much easier for me to remember. For instance on the bottle of mild Olive Oil it says "Sauteeing & Baking" & on the Mild Olive Oil it says "Sauces & Pasta". I don't remember what the other bottles say, but when I'm in the Kitchen and open up the cupboard it's real easy to use the right "weight" of Olive Oil.

Since learning this I tend to use more Light Olive Oil than the others, because I guess I do more sauteeing with it than some other things, but I still use the others too.

I think spending a little time looking at the labels and the different kinds as well as brands, in the Olive Oil section of your grocery store will be helpful, it is for me.
But then I do like to shop liesurely, and look things over pretty good.

Ed

[Ohioan]

Cindy, I'm particularly fond of Bertolli extra-virgin olive oil, both for salads and for cooking.

Phoebe

[This message has been edited by Ohioan (edited 09-17-2000).]

[Pat58]

Bertolli is my favorite, too, Ohioan. It is better not to use the extra virgin for pan cooking because you waste the flavor. (I still like extra virgin for roasting vegetables, though.) I use the Bertolli Classico in my non-stick cookware, and save the Extra Virgin for salad dressings or a quick drizzle over pasta. They have a new version, "Gentile al Palato" (gentle on the palate) which is wonderful in marinated salads or just drizzled over a salad with a dash of balsamic and black pepper.

[MrsReber]

Another vote for Bertolli! I can usually get a big bottle on sale at my local grocery store. The big cans last me a while. I love the extra virgin and use it on all kinds of stuff, especially with the Good Seasons zesty Italian dressing!

[Natasha]

Seems to be Bertolli all around. As Pat said, besides the regular extra-virgin oil, you can now get one called Gentile al Palato (gentle to the palate in Italian) that is more delicate than the regular one.

You can also visit www.bertolli.com (http://www.bertolli.com) for more info and a few recipes.

[This message has been edited by Natasha (edited 09-17-2000).]

[Beth]

I use Bertolli Extra Virgin too, and I usually get it in large jugs at a warehouse store.

[Carolyn]

Ihave tried a number of brands and always come back to Colavita Extra Virgin, first pressed cold for everything which needs an olive oil flavor. (I was interested to note that one of my friends who spent two years in Italy will use only Colavita.) For recipes in which the olive oil taste is not necessary I generally use safflower or canola oil.

[cookgirl]

I love Colavita, which is usually what my selection process brings me to.
My selection process: Buy the greenest thing I can afford!

[Lisa D]

Hi all! I have been confused in the past about olive oil, extra-virgin, light etc. This article on the foodtv web site was helpful so I thought I would pass it on. I like to use Bertolli, for a good product that won't break the bank.
Lisa

Olive Oil:
Pressing tree-ripened olives extracts a flavorful, monounsaturated oil that is prized throughout the world both for cooking (particularly in Mediterranean countries) and for salads. Today's marketplace provides a wide selection of domestic olive oil (most of which comes from California) and imported oils from France, Greece, Italy and Spain. The flavor, color and fragrance of olive oils can vary dramatically depending on distinctions such as growing region and the crop's condition. All olive oils are graded in accordance with the degree of acidity they contain. The best are cold-pressed, a chemical-free process that involves only pressure, which produces a natural level of low acidity. Extra virgin olive oil, the cold-pressed result of the first pressing of the olives, is only 1 percent acid. It's considered the finest and fruitiest of the olive oils and is therefore also the most expensive. Extra virgin olive oil can range from a crystalline champagne color to greenish-golden to bright green. In general, the deeper the color, the more intense the olive flavor. After extra virgin, olive oils are classified in order of ascending acidity. Virgin olive oil is also a first-press oil, with a slightly higher level of acidity of between 1 and 3 percent. Fino olive oil is a blend of extra virgin and virgin oils (fino is Italian for "fine"). Products labeled simply olive oil (once called pure olive oil) contain a combination of refined olive oil and virgin or extra virgin oil. The new light olive oil contains the same amount of beneficial monounsaturated fat as regular olive oil...and it also has exactly the same number of calories. What the term "light" refers to is that--because of an extremely fine filtration process--this olive oil is lighter in both color and fragrance, and has little of the classic olive-oil flavor. It's this rather nondescript flavor that makes "light" olive oil perfect for baking and cooking where regular olive oil's obvious essence might be undesirable. The filtration process for this light-style oil also gives it a higher smoke point than regular olive oil. Light olive oils can therefore be used for high-heat frying, whereas regular olive oil is better suited for low- to medium-heat cooking, as well as for many uncooked foods such as salad dressings and marinades. The International Olive Oil Institute recommends using pure olive oil for frying, since the flavor of extra virgin olive oil tends to break down at frying temperatures, making the added expense a waste. Olive oil should be stored in a cool, dark place for up to 6 months. It can be refrigerated, in which case it will last up to a year. Chilled olive oil becomes cloudy and too thick to pour. However, it will clear and become liquid again when brought to room temperature.