What Are Your Favorite Olive Oils, Right Now?

[trancher]

Wanted to pose the question as I'm due for a restock on olive oil soon. Recently, I have been using Mina (Moroccan) Extra Virgin, but the last container I purchased (different harvest than before) was not only more expensive, it lacked that peppery finish when sampled from the bottle. I don't know if that taste is conditional on not only the harvest, but maybe where in the extraction process the bottle's oil is coming from (eg bottom of the container vs the middle or top?).

Anyway, what's ya'lls go to for cooking and or drizzling right now?

[ex1580]

Hilton Head Oils has good EVOO and really good balsamic vinegar. I found them on vacation there (nice cookware too!). There used to be a balsamic vinegar place more local to me but they retired and no one took over so it closed. I always recommend looking locally first. The previous two towns I lived in both had shops you could walk in and sample the oils and vinegars.

[trancher]

Thanks for the suggestion, Ex. I wish this was a good climate to grow olive trees in, but it's not. In fact, I planted a couple of olive trees about 6 years ago, that were suppose to be tolerant to below freezing temperatures (like -15 or -25 below) and were killed off by the meager positive teens. Disheartening. I think I got into carnivorous plants not long after that to take my frustration out on nature

On the actual olive oil front, I couldn't say no to some BF deals and ended up snatching a La Tourangelle (Spain) and Bono (Tunisia) EVOO (all new to me), but if dissatisfied will end up picking up a bottle of that high-end Hilton Head. Saw the sailboats on their website landing page and figured it would be meant to be, just maybe not at this exact moment.

If anyone else comes across something they really like, would love to hear about it.

[gladius]

I am partial to Spanish Olive oil and especially Spanish Arbequina EVOO <<.

ref. https://www.chefknivestogoforums.com/vi ... 13#p101813

[jasminecarolyn]

It sounds like you're noticing the nuances in olive oil, which can definitely vary based on harvest, processing, and even where the oil is extracted from the container! The peppery finish you're missing is often a sign of fresh, high-quality extra virgin olive oil, especially from younger harvests.

As for my go-to, I’ve been enjoying **California Olive Ranch** for cooking—it's reliable, has a nice balance of flavor, and isn’t too pricey. For drizzling or finishing dishes, I’ve been using **La Tourangelle's Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil**, which has a great fruity flavor with a mild peppery kick. Both are easy to find and versatile in the kitchen.

Have you considered trying oils from different regions or even small batch artisanal brands? They can offer unique flavors depending on where they're from and how they're processed.

[trancher]

Following up on this, as I have now used both of the La Tourangelle (Spain) and Bono (Tunisia) EVOO multiple times, in multiple dishes, just drizzling really, these were never meant for cooking. I'd usually throw something else in the pan/dish for that.

The first bottle in the shipment I popped opened was the La Tourangelle from Spain. Sampling by itself yielded a taste profile of a distinct, pleasant olive oil flavor, with a faint hint of bitterness and towards the finale of the sample, there is a nice mellow peppery finish. The bottle describes the oil as "Bright & Peppery" which I would very much agree with. As a drizzle in dishes (steamed broccoli, roasted broccoli, roasted cauliflower) it held up well and the taste infused into the final flavor with minimal amounts of oil, which I found highly complementary. Also, I did sub it into a Moroccan mixed peppers and tomato jam recipe that's cooked down with the oil already in it - had been using Mina. No difference in this setup was tasted, as enough is going on in the dish that anything that might be there is maybe overshadowed? For the criteria I prefer in an oil (pleasant taste, peppery finish, low bitterness) I'd give this brand a B+. For me personally, I do wish the olive oil taste was a little more pungent, though.

Next up to the plate was the Bono Mediterranean Selection from Tunisia. Upon sampling, it has a very muted olive oil taste, more in line with a slightly unpleasant neutral vegetable oil and no peppery hint on the tongue at the end. It will come as no surprise that in dishes, (same as above) it remained completely behind the scenes, never noticed. This was also used as a drizzle with holiday company, and didn't stand out to them either as it was never mentioned, but was promoted. Overall I found this Tunisian olive oil quite unspectacular, and the initial taste of the oil does not appeal to me. This oil does however conform to it's missing flavor description on the bottle by being completely absent. For the criteria I prefer in an oil (pleasant taste, peppery finish, low bitterness) I'd give this brand a D-.

So it looks like I will be picking up some more brands of olive oil in the near future. I'll give Ex's and Gladius' suggestions a try before I go bingo on the La Tourangelle so I can compare them head to head.

Happy New Years!

[ex1580]

I just got some oils and vinegars from Blue Ridge Olive Oil and they are pretty good. We were literally driving by while passing through the town while on vacation out that way and I saw it and stopped. They have quite a few flavored varieties and it's easy to get distracted but the regular stuff is pretty good too.

[trancher]

I just got some oils and vinegars from Blue Ridge Olive Oil and they are pretty good. We were literally driving by while passing through the town while on vacation out that way and I saw it and stopped. They have quite a few flavored varieties and it's easy to get distracted but the regular stuff is pretty good too.

Which Blue Ridge EVOO did you get, Ex? Between Hilton Heads and Blue Ridge, what's your preference?

After browsing around on Google, I came across an entire website devoted to worldwide olive oils. It's, uh, overwhelming in a good way, I think... Really like the uniform terminology and descriptions they give for the different brands/varieties. It's probably some sort of standard way of explaining across the industry and I'm just ignant. Olive Oil Lovers

Some of the intriguing ones I bookmarked for the curious consumers out there:

Venta del Baron Location: Andalusia, Spain Varietals: Picuda, Hojiblanca Intensity: Robust
Guglielmi Intenso Location: Puglia, Italy Varietals: Coratina Intensity: Extreme

Aria Location: Crete, Greece Varietals: Koroneiki Intensity: Medium
Pago Baldios San Carlos Arbequina Location: Extremadura, Spain Varietals: Arbequina Intensity: Mild

[ex1580]

Which Blue Ridge EVOO did you get, Ex? Between Hilton Heads and Blue Ridge, what's your preference?

After browsing around on Google, I came across an entire website devoted to worldwide olive oils. It's, uh, overwhelming in a good way, I think... Really like the uniform terminology and descriptions they give for the different brands/varieties. It's probably some sort of standard way of explaining across the industry and I'm just ignant. Olive Oil Lovers

From the Blue Ridge place I got a butter flavored EVOO and some chocolate vinegar as well as a the premium aged vinegar (18 years maybe?). I also stopped by a brewery first which might explain those choices, haha. From Hilton Head Oils I have gotten 25 Year Barrel Aged Dark Balsamic, Fig Dark Balsamic, and Fior Fiore Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and would buy them all again.

Between the two it's pretty close. I am in it more for the vinegar than the oil and I would probably give the Hilton Head place the nod but it could really go either way depending on what I am in the mood for. The Blue Ridge bottles say that they are supplied by Veronica Foods out of California. I don't have any Hilton Head Oil bottles left (which also says something). I will have to check out that website as expending my terminology is always helpful. Thanks!