What is your favorite EVOO?

[popmom]

I thought I really disliked EVOO for a long time. I tried several highly recommended brands from Costco, Trader Joe's, etc., and they just tasted really bad to me. So I thought I hated EVOO. On someone's rec here on the boards, I started using avocado oil in its place--which is fine. It's very neutral. Then one day I was in Costco and they had a new EVOO that I bought on a whim. I LOVE it. I eat a huge salad everyday with 2T of this oil and a splash of red wine vinegar. I had forgotten how good EVOO can be. This is like ((butter)) good. Unfortunately, Costco doesn't have it anymore. 😕 It's Tassos organic. None of my local grocery stores carry it either.

Honestly, with my bad luck in the past...I'm not sure even if I found it again that it would be as good. I don't know what the deal is with olive oil. I really want to be a regular consumer because of the health benefits, but it is SO hit or miss as to quality and taste.

Do you have a go to brand that is consistently good? Like good-Italian-restaurant-dip-your-bread-in-it-good? I'm willing to spend some $$$. I'm running low on my good bottle. I've got maybe a weeks worth left for my salads.

eta: I am wanting to make sure I am getting what I am paying for. I am leary of many common brands because so many are supposedly cut with inferior oils. I want my calories from fat to be doing me some good. 🙂

Edited September 7, 2023 by popmom

[Grace Hopper]

I like California Olive Ranch products. Reasonably priced and not hard to find. 

https://www.californiaoliveranch.com/our-story

I do try to read the labels carefully to look for single-source oil. Here’s a good article on choosing a quality oil. 
 

https://www.bonappetit.com/story/how-to-buy-olive-oil-beginners-guide

[popmom]

California Olive Ranch has been on my radar, but Consumerlab graded it as "virgin" rather than extra virgin, so I was leary. I need to go back and reread their grading criteria. I know that brand has several options... I will go back and check on that.

ETA: consumerlab did recommend the California Olive Ranch that is 100% California extra virgin. It was the "global blend" that didn't measure up. So I will look for that one next. I think Publix stocks it.

I am very serious about my olive oil. lol ((sigh))

Edited September 7, 2023 by popmom

[CTVKath]

Gaea olive oil. I was the same story. I never liked olive oil until about 4 months ago when I bought a $20 bottle of Gaea olive oil (Ancient Olympia olive variety) at Publix and fell in love with it. Drizzled it on salads with a splash of balsamic vinegar. I've given it to everyone in my family who has had a birthday in the last 4 months and they have all loved it. Unfortunately I don't see the Ancient Olympia olive variety in my store so I'll have to try another of the Gaea bottles when I run out. I hope it's just as good!!!!! It is expensive at $20 a bottle but it goes on sale for $14 a bottle. But it is the best olive oil I've ever tasted in my whole life.

Edited to add: I bought the Gaea olive oil on a whim after watching a video of Dr. William Li (Eat to Beat Disease author) talking about olive oil and recommending finding an olive oil that lists a single variety of olive. Gaea was the only brand I found at my grocery store that listed a single variety of olive.

Edited September 7, 2023 by CTVKath
Edited to add tip about single variety olive oil

[Lecka]

California Olive Ranch… my mom recommended it to me and I’ve been getting it ever since.  My mom thinks it’s meeting healthy-eating requirements.  She told me why but I don’t remember.  

[Brittany1116]

We are loyal to Terra Delyssa nonGMO EVOO from Tunisia.

[Lady Florida.]

I'm currently working my way through a tin of olive oil I bought while in Greece in March. It came from a family owned olive company and I'll be sad when it's gone.

I like California Olive Ranch for cooking and Gaea for salads and other non-cooked dishes. The reason for using two different brands? California Olive Ranch is pretty good and I don't want to "waste" the $20 a bottle olive oil on cooked dishes.

Edited September 7, 2023 by Lady Florida.

[Happy2BaMom]

Another fan of California Olive Ranch here as well.....

I'm careful of the EVOO I buy, due to all the adulteration that happens with "EVOO", but I know there are other good brands as well.

[popmom]

I really appreciate all the recs! I’m excited to try a few of these. 
 

For cooking I am mostly using avocado oil because it has a high smoke point. So I really am mostly interested in EVOO as a finishing oil. 
 

I am trying not to worry (yet) about whether my avocado oil is cut or adulterated. lol That’s for another day. 

[Grace Hopper]

12 hours ago, popmom said:

I really appreciate all the recs! I’m excited to try a few of these. 
 

For cooking I am mostly using avocado oil because it has a high smoke point. So I really am mostly interested in EVOO as a finishing oil. 
 

I am trying not to worry (yet) about whether my avocado oil is cut or adulterated. lol That’s for another day. 

The only issue with that plan is, what if you get hooked on one and then discover it’s on the bad list? 

[Mona]

I’ve also used California Olive Ranch and I did see them on the good brands to look for list and it is common in my local grocery store.

I’ve been buying Napa Valley olive oil by the case recently from Azure and it is described as buttery, so you might like it. https://www.azurestandard.com/shop/product/food/oils-fats/olive/extra-virgin/olive-oil-extra-virgin-organic/7917?package=OL065 

[popmom]

3 hours ago, Grace Hopper said:

The only issue with that plan is, what if you get hooked on one and then discover it’s on the bad list? 

I will shed real tears. 😭😂The only bad list I know of is Consumerlab. If that happens, I would try another one. At this point, if the oil doesn’t taste bad or rancid, then I’m going to assume it is what it says it is. Fortunately EVOO isn’t my only source of healthy fats. 

Edited September 8, 2023 by popmom

[KungFuPanda]

A friend told me that a lot of popular EVOO isn’t the real deal and I’ve been afraid to pull on that thread. Also, it seems that it would be like wine in that it probably shouldn’t taste the same all the time. That would be hard to do with a natural crop. 

[popmom]

4 hours ago, KungFuPanda said:

A friend told me that a lot of popular EVOO isn’t the real deal and I’ve been afraid to pull on that thread. Also, it seems that it would be like wine in that it probably shouldn’t taste the same all the time. That would be hard to do with a natural crop. 

I seriously doubt I could detect subtle variations in olive oil any more than I can in wine--from one year to the next. I just don't have that sophisticated a palate. 😉 I can, however, definitely tell a rancid, nasty olive oil from a decent one. That is mainly what I am trying to avoid. This Tassos I have been using tastes wonderful to me--bright and fresh--but an aficionado might think it's "meh". I am looking forward to comparing my next bottle to this Tassos. 

Edited September 9, 2023 by popmom