Whats "good" olive oil?

coreilly1

Have heard so much that using "good" olive oil will improve the taste of your meal. However good is a broad statement and I'm not enough of an olive oil expert to know which brand is best.

So could someone recommend me a brand of olive oil that is "good"?And that is available in most supermarkets

Will olive oil choice depend on the type of food you are preparing?

Thanks very much

I'm not a brand snob either so if anyone has an Aldi or Lidl recommendation then don't be shy!

dh0661

coreilly1 wrote: »

I'm not a brand snob either so if anyone has an Aldi or Lidl recommendation then don't be shy!

I don't think brand matters, as long as you use extra virgin.

rockbeer

Extra virgin is the mark of 'good' oil, but within that there is a whole range of flavours from very light to very fruity. Taste is a personal thing, and there's also a wide disparity between the prices of oils, so the best thing is to try different ones until you find something you like.

No extra virgin oil will be 'bad' but you will undoubtedly like some more than others.

I get the cheapest Aldi or Lidl extra virgin oil for cooking and everyday use. It's nice enough, but it's a bit bland and generic so I tend to use something tastier - and more expensive - for special occasions.

The Sweeper

From the wiki:

Extra-virgin olive oil comes from cold pressing of the olives, contains no more than 0.8% acidity, and is judged to have a superior taste. There can be no refined oil in extra-virgin olive oil.

Virgin olive oil has an acidity less than 2%, and judged to have a good taste. There can be no refined oil in virgin olive oil.

Pure olive oil. Oils labeled as Pure olive oil or Olive oil are usually a blend of refined olive oil and one of the above two categories of virgin olive oil.

Olive oil is a blend of virgin oil and refined oil, containing no more than 1.5% acidity. It commonly lacks a strong flavor.

I wouldn't bother cooking with extra virgin olive oil. Use it in salad dressings and as a dressing on its own. (I find the fruity ones, drizzled over pasta, are quite good). I also use it in breadmaking, adding a tablespoon or two to my herb bread mixtures.

coreilly1

Cheers lads,looks like the next challenge is to find the favourite then.

rockbeer

Minesajackdaniels wrote: »

I wouldn't bother cooking with extra virgin olive oil.

Nor would I, except Lidl/Aldi extra virgin is cheaper than any other olive oil I've found anywhere in the country.

Even regular olive oil is more expensive, when you can find it which isn't often these days with extra virgin being so fashionable.

dh0661

rockbeer wrote: »

Nor would I, except Lidl/Aldi extra virgin is cheaper than any other olive oil I've found anywhere in the country.

Even regular olive oil is more expensive, when you can find it which isn't often these days with extra virgin being so fashionable.

Pomice (I have not spelt that properly) oil, comes from the last pressing of the olives, and it's much cheaper than the regular olive oil - it's perfect for cooking, and running engines.

The Sweeper

I find extra virgin is extremely heavy and not great to cook with. I usually have a bottle of a good one (single barrel cold pressed expensive-saw-me-coming kind of oil) for dressings - I can get some great local Australian oils, the sort that are so pleasant you'd nearly drink them. I usually also have a four litre can of light blended olive oil that I'll use to sweat off onions or garlic if I'm cooking Italian food. Anything else, stir fries etc, I'll use peanut or groundnut oil, and shallow or deep frying I'll use sunflower oil.

Black Swan

I'm an olive freek, loving them in almost everything, including cooking. I cook with Santini Extra Virgin from Italy. Mummmmmmmmm! Now I am starting to think about a stir-fry for dinner. Yum!

rockbeer

dh0661 wrote: »

Pomice (I have not spelt that properly) oil, comes from the last pressing of the olives, and it's much cheaper than the regular olive oil - it's perfect for cooking, and running engines.

Pomace oil is rank, low quality oil. It's extracted by solvents from the gunge left over after all the life has been pressed out of the olives, and is fit only, as you say, for running engines.

http://www.eat-online.net/english/education/olive_oil/olive_pomace_oil.htm

The last line is significant.

oblivious

Second the cold press if you can get it