eating olive oil
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How does coconut oil figure into all this? I'm so confused on which fad oil to pick. All I know is I'm staying away from rapeseed oil.
I haven't been able to find a lot of research on the pros or cons of cooking with coconut oil. Most research seems to be on topical use, which is very different from ingesting. There may be some out there that I haven't seen, though. I don't like the taste of coconut oil, so haven't really looked all that hard at it.
I don't think coconut oil would be good for dipping bread in because it is solid at room temperature so you'd have to keep it heated.0 -
Na, coconut oil is good for high heat cooking and for baking. The flavor doesn't stick in fried foods, and it blends well with sugar and flour for baking.0
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I buy my olive oil from a specialty store. They're happy to sit down with you and discuss where they buy the oil, what kind of certifications and such that it has, etc. It's pricier, but worth it. Typically I have a bottle of cheaper grocery store stuff on hand that I use if I just need a tiny splash to cook with (because, honestly, I don't use a ton of oil when I'm cooking and so even if it's half canola oil, big whoop), but I use the good stuff for salad dressings or dipping bread, etc - any application where I'm consuming more than a fraction of a teaspoon and/or I can actually taste the oil.0
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SnuggleSmacks wrote: »GingerbreadCandy wrote: »Dragonwolf wrote: »GingerbreadCandy wrote: »snowflake954 wrote: »The very best quality olive oil is extra virgin--cold press. There is going to be a big shortage of olive oil here in Italy. There isn't much of a crop this year due to an extremely warm, wet year. We are going to have to do with last years stores which probably won't last until next fall. Prices are already on the rise. We can only hope next year is better.
Fuuuuuu…. I already pay 14 euros a bottle outside Italy.
I'm going to have to start using alternative oils to fry...
Butter and coconut oil are actually better to fry in (the saturated fats and compounds that give them their flavor hold up to heat better than the unsaturated fats and compounds in olive oil). If you like the more "exotic" flavors of EVOO, then try ghee or unrefined, virgin coconut oil. (Note: you should be able to do ghee, even if you can't do butter; the process to make ghee removes nearly all of the proteins and sugars from butter, leaving only the fats). Lard, tallow, or poultry fat are also good options.
For a cold use oil, try avocado or a tree nut oil (I hear people rave about macadamia and walnut oil a lot).
Ooooh, I would have never considered olive oil as "exotic." The idea someone might is actually quite funny seen from over here.
Sorry, not making fun of you, just a bit of unexpected cultural difference there. 
Basically, I fry in olive oil because I am Italian and that is literally the only source of fat we ever used to cook. It feels weird to even think of using anything else. Butter was used to spread for breakfast and in cakes, and animal-based fats were always presented to me as the devil when it comes to cooking and frying.
Thanks for the tips though. I will give coconut oil a shot if ever it comes down to it.
An oil I love for cold use, but which is equally rare, is actually Styrian Pumpkin Seed Oil. That thing is delicious, but has a tendency to stain everything a dark green.
Hazelnut oil is also great for cold use. Lovely in a salad or drizzled over brie.
I often save the grease from bacon to fry eggs. It gives them lots of flavor.
Need to dry Hazelnut oil, it sounds delish.
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consideritdonemi wrote: »They actually name the brands that made the Consumers Report cut here: http://www.phoenixhelix.com/2013/03/04/would-the-real-olive-oil-please-stand-up/
Looks like the non-legit big name brand stuff funneled through Italy is being cut with soybean oil and beta carotene. Not cool.
This was a pretty good link, I learned a lot just following thru it. Thanks
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GingerbreadCandy wrote: »snowflake954 wrote: »The very best quality olive oil is extra virgin--cold press. There is going to be a big shortage of olive oil here in Italy. There isn't much of a crop this year due to an extremely warm, wet year. We are going to have to do with last years stores which probably won't last until next fall. Prices are already on the rise. We can only hope next year is better.
Does the quality also have to do with if it is the first press and from what regions the olives came from ?
I don't know about the regions, but definitely with whether if it's first press and whether it was cold-pressed without chemical processes.
There are several different denominations defining quality, and Extra Virgin basically means just that - first press, mechanical. At least here in Europe (the name being protected - meaning companies need to fulfil certain criteria to be able to call their oil extra virgin). I am not sure if it guarantees the cold press though. Most olive oil companies specify it.. Also worth noting that it's not just about the taste, but about how healthy it is as well.
The best of the best is the one qualified as "DOP", whose origin is protected and the process they are made with controlled. Not sure if they exist outside Italy though, I already struggle finding them in Germany.
Thanks for the info, now I found out what I have been buying isnt is good as I thought it was.
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snowflake954 wrote: »snowflake954 wrote: »The very best quality olive oil is extra virgin--cold press. There is going to be a big shortage of olive oil here in Italy. There isn't much of a crop this year due to an extremely warm, wet year. We are going to have to do with last years stores which probably won't last until next fall. Prices are already on the rise. We can only hope next year is better.
Does the quality also have to do with if it is the first press and from what regions the olives came from ?
As another noted, "first press" and "extra virgin" mean the same thing. I've seen them pressing the olives and the oil runs a lovely fresh green color, and I love the odor of freshly processed olive oil. Olive oil comes from all regions of Italy, and has different flavors. The quality has to do with the acid content--the lower the better. The stuff from down south is a little more pungent, while the northern oils are delicate. There are oil experts that have tastings, just like wines. Also mentioned is the DOP, which means that the oil is protected from it's origin and garranteed high quality. I don't know if you can get DOP in the States. Most Italians buy oil from their home towns, or people they know, so that they have a high quality oil in the home. We also receive oil as gifts, just like wines. I have read about mixing oils and slapping an Italian brand name on. It' a problem that I don't have any advice for. I hope this can help people to understand olive oils and their levels of quality. Best.
Thank you for the info snowflake. I learned a lot.
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Need2Exerc1se wrote: »How does coconut oil figure into all this? I'm so confused on which fad oil to pick. All I know is I'm staying away from rapeseed oil.
I haven't been able to find a lot of research on the pros or cons of cooking with coconut oil. Most research seems to be on topical use, which is very different from ingesting. There may be some out there that I haven't seen, though. I don't like the taste of coconut oil, so haven't really looked all that hard at it.
I don't think coconut oil would be good for dipping bread in because it is solid at room temperature so you'd have to keep it heated.
As a cooking oil, it does fairly poorly. Sautee is so so, but even the "pure" coconut oils bring in off flavors at a medium heat sautee. I've not tried baking, because I do it so seldom I'm not going to ruin whatever item I'm baking with what I feel is a sub par fad oil.
Does it have uses? Yup. I knew a chick that used it as a replacement for lube for the horizontal dub step. It's good in my coffee. I'd love to have a coconut oil product line, because it has a significant profit margin.
I use olive oil and butter for two reasons: Good flavor, and they work well for culinary uses.0 -
GingerbreadCandy wrote: »snowflake954 wrote: »The very best quality olive oil is extra virgin--cold press. There is going to be a big shortage of olive oil here in Italy. There isn't much of a crop this year due to an extremely warm, wet year. We are going to have to do with last years stores which probably won't last until next fall. Prices are already on the rise. We can only hope next year is better.
Does the quality also have to do with if it is the first press and from what regions the olives came from ?
I don't know about the regions, but definitely with whether if it's first press and whether it was cold-pressed without chemical processes.
There are several different denominations defining quality, and Extra Virgin basically means just that - first press, mechanical. At least here in Europe (the name being protected - meaning companies need to fulfil certain criteria to be able to call their oil extra virgin). I am not sure if it guarantees the cold press though. Most olive oil companies specify it.. Also worth noting that it's not just about the taste, but about how healthy it is as well.
The best of the best is the one qualified as "DOP", whose origin is protected and the process they are made with controlled. Not sure if they exist outside Italy though, I already struggle finding them in Germany.
Thanks for the info, now I found out what I have been buying isnt is good as I thought it was.
You can get DOP oil outside of italy, just gotta go to a good importer. I know of a handful in SF, one in Boston, and one in Manhattan. I've not yet found one in Seattle.
Last quart I bought of that quality stuff ran me $60 for a liter. Might have been $80.0 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »How does coconut oil figure into all this? I'm so confused on which fad oil to pick. All I know is I'm staying away from rapeseed oil.
I haven't been able to find a lot of research on the pros or cons of cooking with coconut oil. Most research seems to be on topical use, which is very different from ingesting. There may be some out there that I haven't seen, though. I don't like the taste of coconut oil, so haven't really looked all that hard at it.
I don't think coconut oil would be good for dipping bread in because it is solid at room temperature so you'd have to keep it heated.
As a cooking oil, it does fairly poorly. Sautee is so so, but even the "pure" coconut oils bring in off flavors at a medium heat sautee. I've not tried baking, because I do it so seldom I'm not going to ruin whatever item I'm baking with what I feel is a sub par fad oil.
Does it have uses? Yup. I knew a chick that used it as a replacement for lube for the horizontal dub step. It's good in my coffee. I'd love to have a coconut oil product line, because it has a significant profit margin.
I use olive oil and butter for two reasons: Good flavor, and they work well for culinary uses.
Ha I think I new the same gal.
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That is one thing I want to learn to make at home.Need2Exerc1se wrote: »It's worth it if you like it. Extra virgin oil is good for you, although there are some rumors (?) out there saying that most of what is sold as olive oil here is not actually the good stuff.
It's not just a rumor. When it comes it evoo, domestic is best if you're in the US.
http://consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2012/09/how-to-find-the-best-extra-virgin-olive-oil/index.htm
I think a hobby press is still pretty expensive but maybe there's a different piece of equipment that could be used which isn't as costly. I think they "crush" the olives to make a paste, don't they?
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I buy my olive oil from a specialty store. They're happy to sit down with you and discuss where they buy the oil, what kind of certifications and such that it has, etc. It's pricier, but worth it. Typically I have a bottle of cheaper grocery store stuff on hand that I use if I just need a tiny splash to cook with (because, honestly, I don't use a ton of oil when I'm cooking and so even if it's half canola oil, big whoop), but I use the good stuff for salad dressings or dipping bread, etc - any application where I'm consuming more than a fraction of a teaspoon and/or I can actually taste the oil.
I found a couple specialty stores in my area from one of the links posted, gonna give them a try this weekend. They let you taste them also so I can really get a good idea on the differances.
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GingerbreadCandy wrote: »snowflake954 wrote: »The very best quality olive oil is extra virgin--cold press. There is going to be a big shortage of olive oil here in Italy. There isn't much of a crop this year due to an extremely warm, wet year. We are going to have to do with last years stores which probably won't last until next fall. Prices are already on the rise. We can only hope next year is better.
Does the quality also have to do with if it is the first press and from what regions the olives came from ?
I don't know about the regions, but definitely with whether if it's first press and whether it was cold-pressed without chemical processes.
There are several different denominations defining quality, and Extra Virgin basically means just that - first press, mechanical. At least here in Europe (the name being protected - meaning companies need to fulfil certain criteria to be able to call their oil extra virgin). I am not sure if it guarantees the cold press though. Most olive oil companies specify it.. Also worth noting that it's not just about the taste, but about how healthy it is as well.
The best of the best is the one qualified as "DOP", whose origin is protected and the process they are made with controlled. Not sure if they exist outside Italy though, I already struggle finding them in Germany.
Thanks for the info, now I found out what I have been buying isnt is good as I thought it was.
You can get DOP oil outside of italy, just gotta go to a good importer. I know of a handful in SF, one in Boston, and one in Manhattan. I've not yet found one in Seattle.
Last quart I bought of that quality stuff ran me $60 for a liter. Might have been $80.
Wow! I pay $11-15 for a high quality olive oil, grown and processed by friends of mine.
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snowflake954 wrote: »GingerbreadCandy wrote: »snowflake954 wrote: »The very best quality olive oil is extra virgin--cold press. There is going to be a big shortage of olive oil here in Italy. There isn't much of a crop this year due to an extremely warm, wet year. We are going to have to do with last years stores which probably won't last until next fall. Prices are already on the rise. We can only hope next year is better.
Does the quality also have to do with if it is the first press and from what regions the olives came from ?
I don't know about the regions, but definitely with whether if it's first press and whether it was cold-pressed without chemical processes.
There are several different denominations defining quality, and Extra Virgin basically means just that - first press, mechanical. At least here in Europe (the name being protected - meaning companies need to fulfil certain criteria to be able to call their oil extra virgin). I am not sure if it guarantees the cold press though. Most olive oil companies specify it.. Also worth noting that it's not just about the taste, but about how healthy it is as well.
The best of the best is the one qualified as "DOP", whose origin is protected and the process they are made with controlled. Not sure if they exist outside Italy though, I already struggle finding them in Germany.
Thanks for the info, now I found out what I have been buying isnt is good as I thought it was.
You can get DOP oil outside of italy, just gotta go to a good importer. I know of a handful in SF, one in Boston, and one in Manhattan. I've not yet found one in Seattle.
Last quart I bought of that quality stuff ran me $60 for a liter. Might have been $80.
Wow! I pay $11-15 for a high quality olive oil, grown and processed by friends of mine.
I pay that for my moonshine.
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Yeah, grind to a paste, then press the paste. I was thinking a couple canister jacks, made a bit like an apple press. Then I'd be able to press my own apples too.
That is one thing I want to learn to make at home.Need2Exerc1se wrote: »It's worth it if you like it. Extra virgin oil is good for you, although there are some rumors (?) out there saying that most of what is sold as olive oil here is not actually the good stuff.
It's not just a rumor. When it comes it evoo, domestic is best if you're in the US.
http://consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2012/09/how-to-find-the-best-extra-virgin-olive-oil/index.htm
I think a hobby press is still pretty expensive but maybe there's a different piece of equipment that could be used which isn't as costly. I think they "crush" the olives to make a paste, don't they?
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Yeah, grind to a paste, then press the paste. I was thinking a couple canister jacks, made a bit like an apple press. Then I'd be able to press my own apples too.
That is one thing I want to learn to make at home.Need2Exerc1se wrote: »It's worth it if you like it. Extra virgin oil is good for you, although there are some rumors (?) out there saying that most of what is sold as olive oil here is not actually the good stuff.
It's not just a rumor. When it comes it evoo, domestic is best if you're in the US.
http://consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2012/09/how-to-find-the-best-extra-virgin-olive-oil/index.htm
I think a hobby press is still pretty expensive but maybe there's a different piece of equipment that could be used which isn't as costly. I think they "crush" the olives to make a paste, don't they?
Apple presses are not expensive to buy, so if that would work, I'd just buy that.0 -
Hearts_2015 wrote: »consideritdonemi wrote: »They actually name the brands that made the Consumers Report cut here: http://www.phoenixhelix.com/2013/03/04/would-the-real-olive-oil-please-stand-up/
Looks like the non-legit big name brand stuff funneled through Italy is being cut with soybean oil and beta carotene. Not cool.
Thanks for the info I might give the TJ's California Estate a look, I get mine from there but don't recall right off which type (name). The bottle in the photo on the link is not the same so it's likely something different.
Really appreciate those of you that have added info to this discussion, it's been interesting!
Funny... looks like I'm already using California Estate brand from TJ's. LOL I have their garlic EVOO as well and would love to try the Rosemary EVOO but they don't carry it here yet.0 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
Yeah, grind to a paste, then press the paste. I was thinking a couple canister jacks, made a bit like an apple press. Then I'd be able to press my own apples too.
That is one thing I want to learn to make at home.Need2Exerc1se wrote: »It's worth it if you like it. Extra virgin oil is good for you, although there are some rumors (?) out there saying that most of what is sold as olive oil here is not actually the good stuff.
It's not just a rumor. When it comes it evoo, domestic is best if you're in the US.
http://consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2012/09/how-to-find-the-best-extra-virgin-olive-oil/index.htm
I think a hobby press is still pretty expensive but maybe there's a different piece of equipment that could be used which isn't as costly. I think they "crush" the olives to make a paste, don't they?
Apple presses are not expensive to buy, so if that would work, I'd just buy that.
With some mods it should. I've got a buddy who welds, we're talking about what it would take to build a 50 ton press on the cheap.0 -
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Pop your popcorn in it though and it is $$$$$$.Need2Exerc1se wrote: »How does coconut oil figure into all this? I'm so confused on which fad oil to pick. All I know is I'm staying away from rapeseed oil.
I haven't been able to find a lot of research on the pros or cons of cooking with coconut oil. Most research seems to be on topical use, which is very different from ingesting. There may be some out there that I haven't seen, though. I don't like the taste of coconut oil, so haven't really looked all that hard at it.
I don't think coconut oil would be good for dipping bread in because it is solid at room temperature so you'd have to keep it heated.
I use peanut oil for popcorn.0 -
How does coconut oil figure into all this? I'm so confused on which fad oil to pick. All I know is I'm staying away from rapeseed oil.
If you're referring to Canola oil (and I assume you are, since unrefined rapeseed oil isn't sold commercially as a food product), then I'll just point you to this:
skepticdetective.wordpress.com/2010/01/09/is-canola-oil-dangerous/
If you're confused on which "fad oil" to pick, maybe it's better to pay less attention to fads and more attention to science.0 -
How does coconut oil figure into all this? I'm so confused on which fad oil to pick. All I know is I'm staying away from rapeseed oil.
I read the same same on rape seed oil (old name) now called Canola oil.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canola
One blip on how coconut oil may figure into all of this.
authoritynutrition.com/top-10-evidence-based-health-benefits-of-coconut-oil/
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Hearts_2015 wrote: »Hearts_2015 wrote: »consideritdonemi wrote: »They actually name the brands that made the Consumers Report cut here: http://www.phoenixhelix.com/2013/03/04/would-the-real-olive-oil-please-stand-up/
Looks like the non-legit big name brand stuff funneled through Italy is being cut with soybean oil and beta carotene. Not cool.
Thanks for the info I might give the TJ's California Estate a look, I get mine from there but don't recall right off which type (name). The bottle in the photo on the link is not the same so it's likely something different.
Really appreciate those of you that have added info to this discussion, it's been interesting!
Funny... looks like I'm already using California Estate brand from TJ's. LOL I have their garlic EVOO as well and would love to try the Rosemary EVOO but they don't carry it here yet.
Instead of buying rosemary or garlic flavored olive oil, just make your own flavors. Buy plain oil and put in peeled whole garlic cloves, or fresh rosemary twigs. You can also make hot pepper oil, by putting peppers in it--they do that alot in Calabria. It might save you some $$. 0 -
yup.0
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Thanks, great ideas... sounds wonderfulsnowflake954 wrote: »Hearts_2015 wrote: »Hearts_2015 wrote: »consideritdonemi wrote: »They actually name the brands that made the Consumers Report cut here: http://www.phoenixhelix.com/2013/03/04/would-the-real-olive-oil-please-stand-up/
Looks like the non-legit big name brand stuff funneled through Italy is being cut with soybean oil and beta carotene. Not cool.
Thanks for the info I might give the TJ's California Estate a look, I get mine from there but don't recall right off which type (name). The bottle in the photo on the link is not the same so it's likely something different.
Really appreciate those of you that have added info to this discussion, it's been interesting!
Funny... looks like I'm already using California Estate brand from TJ's. LOL I have their garlic EVOO as well and would love to try the Rosemary EVOO but they don't carry it here yet.
Instead of buying rosemary or garlic flavored olive oil, just make your own flavors. Buy plain oil and put in peeled whole garlic cloves, or fresh rosemary twigs. You can also make hot pepper oil, by putting peppers in it--they do that alot in Calabria. It might save you some $$.
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This discussion has been closed.
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