So what is a good quality olive oil?

[Romandub]

So many recipes call for a "good quality olive oil" and I have no idea what makes something a good quality oil. Can you share your favorite brands of "good quality" olive oils?

[bbenedict]

Someone asked the Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten, the same thing. Below is her answer. We use this olive oil when we can get our hands on it.




What is “good” olive oil?

I use Olio Santo olive oil from California which is available at Williams-Sonoma and specialty food stores. I think it's light and flavorful and a perfect all-purpose oil for cooking, salads, and dipping bread.

[annagins]

You might consider taking an olive oil tasting class at Central Market. They're usually taught by Chef Paul and one of the foodies (Jane -- the olive oil guru). The class is conducted almost the same way as a wine tasting, where you are given numbered circles to place your 7 plastic cups, each of which is filled with a different olive oil. Jane and Paul discuss the olive oils and lead you through a tasting. They also make 5 or 6 dishes, so you have more for lunch than oil!

My favorite oil, which you can purchase at CM or on-line, is a Greek olive oil called Morea which retails for about $9. My second favorite is Iliada. Both are made from kalamatas, so they have a little bit more flavor and aroma.

I also like the 34 Degrees New World from Australia. It has a fruity, apple quality that works well with salad dressings. And fourth on my list is Castelas Baux de Provence which (obviously) is French. It is excellent, but expensive, due to an olive blight in France. A bottle cost about $39.99.

For an every day cooking olive oil, I use either Colavita or Central Market's Organic Italian, which has a peppery, grassy, herbal taste.

[Middydd]

I like the 365 brand of olive oil from Whole Foods, it tastes good, is not very expensive and the label looks nice on my counter.

I've also never gone wrong with any of the olive oils I've bought from Trader Joe's, can't remember the brands, though.

[blazedog]

I ditto the Trader Joe suggestion especially for my purposes as I don't generally use olive oil as the sole flavoring agent -- I use it for just about everything in which oil is needed. That said, I don't use any oil in large quantities and there are always other prominent flavors in my foods besides olive oil.

If I were dipping something just in olive oil, perhaps I would spring for the really expensive stuff but for my purposes "good" means the stuff that isn't peddled at the supermarket as the stuff I use is cold pressed and extra virgin.

[bobmark226]

Except for the price, maybe, I don't like TJ's at all. I've used both the regular and the "Trader Giottos" and didn't care for either. They tasted musty and peculiarly off, which shouldn't be the case for a store with a lot of turnover. I think it's very much a matter of personal taste and trial and error. I can't even tell you the name of the one I'm using now (but know it when I see it) from the neighborhood supermarket and will report back after looking. It may even be the very common Monini.

Bob

[green1]

I have been using the Olio Santo olive oil for years. I use it for everything. Williams-Sonoma carries it. I have not tried any from TJoe's yet.