Good quality extra virgin olive oil
I've been making my own salad dressings lately but I am disappointed with most vinegaretts I've made. I make them with a 3:1 ration of oil to vinegar. I use a good red wine vinegar, a bit of dijon, and some salt and pepper. I find that they are falling a bit flat. I am using DaVinci olive oil.
What I need to know is will I tell a difference if I buy a really good bottle of oil? I don't mind spending $25-$30 on a bottle if I know its worth it, but a little insurance would be nice. Any recommendations?
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18 Comments:
If you're near a Williams and Sonoma store, they have a little station set up for tastings of olive oils from different regions, flavored oils, balsamic vinegars and other vinegars. I find that people have to taste oils for themselves because they vary in taste tremendously.
I've tasted olive oils that got great ratings but I didn't care for them myself.
There's a place in Sonoma, CA called "The Olive Press" they have a fabulous new location and tasting room too, I went in expecting to buy one thing and left with a totally different oil.
But I'd definitely taste around before taking people's preferences, especially in the more expensive range, it's bad to get stuck with a big bottle of expensive oil based on a recommendation and it turns out to taste like dirt and grass.
but since you did ask for recommendations, I got a bottle of extra virgin olive oil from Williams and Sonoma recently, it was $40 and I can't really remember the full name, only that it had Chianti in the name, I can check when I get home from work though, to me, that was the best of what they had out for tasting, and I think it's fantastic. ;)
Southern_bella at 9:36AM on 05/27/08
One of the better extra virgin olive oil is Senorio de Vizcantar a spanish olive oil, it can be ordered on line....
Markbb at 9:53AM on 05/27/08
Before I invested in a different oil, I'd look at that oil-to-vinegar ratio. Maybe a little more acidity will take care of the flatness.
lemons at 10:18AM on 05/27/08
My favorite is Borges but it's not widely available. It's extremely fruity and full flavored.
Just stay away from stuff labeled "pomace." It's the bottom of the barrel.
chiff0nade at 11:45AM on 05/27/08
We have come to rely on Bariani Olive Oil from California. We currently purchase it on line through Taylor's Market. Great taste and consistency.
GrizDave at 11:45AM on 05/27/08
Thanks for the recommendations. I was thinking about adding a bit of lemon juice to brighten things up as well. I not a huge fan of vinegar.
jnash85 at 11:51AM on 05/27/08
I use sherry vinegar a lot in dressings. It packs a lot of flavor.
kjgibson at 1:23PM on 05/27/08
I double lemon's suggestion of reconsidering the oil to acid ratio. Also, I think trying a different vinegar or a combination of vinegar & citrus juice will have a bigger impact on your final product than changing the oil. Sometimes a healthy pinch of sugar or a drizzle of honey in addition to your s&p will help to round out your flavors, too.
When I have a salad with a super good olive oil, it's just plain arugula tossed in olive oil, with s&p, and shaved parm regg. I might squeeze lemon, but more often I dont with this salad.
wookie at 1:36PM on 05/27/08
I think the quality and taste of the olive oil makes a great deal of a difference... but just like wines, to me the best olive oil is the one that tastes best to you...
I went to this place called Olives & Co. the last time I was in Boston... they have locales in NYC, other places in the US and the Internet. There you can also taste all the olive oils and vinegars and they were AWESOME... They have oils from Italy, Spain, Greece, Turkey... I bought a small bottle only worried that it may break in transit... try them.
I also like A LOT these olive oils I brought from Barcelona... - they're from Torres, a winery that has olive groves too. I have not been able to find them in Puerto Rico, but maybe, if you live in a large city in the US you might have better luck than me...
Madelyn
KarmaFreeCooking
MadelynRodriguez at 4:27PM on 05/27/08
i agree with some of the comments. try changing vinegars. try a balsamic. maybe a crushed clove of garlic and maybe more vinegar, too. try all lemon juice and the garlic clove. that's my favorite for spinach with feta salad.
nightmoon at 11:04PM on 05/27/08
Frantoia is a good olive oil - its about $22 a liter and, at least in new york city, can be found in almost any italian food store. its probably my favorite in a reasonable price range.
Soup_Dumpling at 11:25AM on 05/28/08
I think I agree that it may well be the vinegar and not the oil. I change oils like mad and vinegars too. Williams-Sonoma again they have lots of vinegars for you to try. I like their champagne vinegar for summer salads. Also rice vinegar is a great fresh one. It has a great taste to really fresh veggies.
JerzeeTomato at 12:06PM on 05/28/08
It drove me crazy trying to remember what my olive oil is that I have at home.
Here's a pic of the bottle, I gave up trying to find it online though.
http://i31.tinypic.com/2cglwdy.jpg
Southern_bella at 12:20PM on 05/28/08
Any extra virgin olive oil is good for salad dressings sometimes you can use just a regular canola oil if you are using a recipe with alot of oil (go half half on it). The great expensive stuff is used to finish food like fish or pasta, or to dip some bread,that is where you get the best use of it. Definitely look for a different acid (lemon lime) and look into the ratio of what you are doing.
nelson5757 at 1:04PM on 05/28/08
Surprisingly, Goya olive oil is pretty good (for a cheaper, grocery store olive oil). I use it to cook with, but have not tried it in salad dressings. I also recommend changing vinegars. Rice vinegar is really light and not all that vinegar-y to me.
RedSquirrel at 1:54PM on 05/28/08
As much as I dislike endorsements, Whole Foods has a really nice EVOO (Extra-virgin olive oil, thank you Rachel) for general purposes. If you want something more high end I'd recommend going to a place where you can get a tasting to discover your personal favorite.
beano at 8:39AM on 05/29/08
So I went to Williams-Sonoma and got a bottle of Zinfandel vinegar and a good Italian olive oil. The zin vinegar was a it too strong for me. I'm gonna try again tonight with half vinegar and half lemon juice for the acid.
jnash85 at 11:59AM on 06/03/08
Alright, I believe I have found the perfect dressing.
1.5 Tbs lemon juice
1 tsp white wine vinegar
1 minced garlic clove
.5 tsp dry mustard
a pinch of salt/pepper
3 Tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil
jnash85 at 1:08PM on 06/07/08