I use extra virgin olive oil for some cooking - where taste matters, but never knew what to look for.
Several years back, we did a taste test of brands and styles found in my grocery, and settled on one that was good, but they no longer stock it. Now I need to look for a new one but still have no idea what to look for, so what do you look for?
I used “Philipo Berio” brand robusto. I don’t know if that’s considered good but it tastes good to me and has a reasonable price. My grocery still carries the brand but not robusto and the other styles don’t have as much flavor.
Apparently robusto is not a thing, since no other brand uses that nomenclature, so what can I look for to find one with a strong flavor? How can I find a “good” brand without spending a lot? Is there a price sweet spot, like with wine?
It should be green in color. It should have a date on it so I know it’s not been in a warehouse for a year. It should be using olives grown somewhere between Spain and Turkey †. It should be in an air tight container. It should be in a non clear bottle or in a tin. It should say it’s cold pressed. It should say it’s first press.
Some will say that it should gel if you put it in the fridge. Some say it shouldn’t gel if you put it in the fridge. The fridge gel test is a myth that doesn’t offer any usable data on purity or quality.
† there are some fine examples from California but you are going to pay extra for that.
You use whatever you like, and what tastes good for you. If you’re concerned with authenticity of the source, just search around a bit.
Honestly, you really only want to use olive oil in certain recipes where the flavor actually comes through, or raw. Ignore all the terrible recipes sites that use it in EVERYTHING. Don’t use it for frying anything, for example. It’s got a low smoke point, and you want a more neutral oil with a higher smoke point for such things.
Also, Costco’s more expensive olive oils are pretty good.
Buying olive oil is tough, the industry is rife with oils that don’t contain what they say they are. Look for where it was Made in (not Imported from) and check for a bottling date to make sure you aren’t getting old oil.
See if you have an olive oil store in your area, these places buy in bulk and then bottle it for you so you should have the chance to taste the options. A specialty food store would also be an option, they are at least likely to know their product and can guide you to a choice that fits your preference.
Check online and see if there is a store in your area that does classes/demonstrations.
I was in a place yesterday and they had a pot of oil and a stack of bread out for people to try.
I like the Colavita brand EVOOs since the fresh olive oil taste is pretty strong with that brand.
