How good is really good?
Sometimes when I read a recipe it calls for "really good, extra virgin olive oil", how do I know if it's "really good"? The most expensive? Are there any other "really good" ingredients that are out there that I should be using? I'm confused.
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4 Comments:
"Really good" = the one you like the best, imo.
How's the color? What about the fragrance? Is it fruity-tasting? All those factors come into play, but at the end of the day, it's what you enjoy most... what makes your dish taste perfect to you... that is the best.
Good cooks -- even fine cooks -- should just ignore elitist bullsh*t and cook straight from the heart.
Brownie at 10:36AM on 06/22/08
Brownie is right on.
I would also say that there are "better" products out there but all of this is a matter of opinion. I am a huge fan of Penzey's spices and have stopped buying from the supermarket, others prefer places like The Spice House, etc.
I may love a $4 balsamic vinegar that I like better than an $80 one, so I don't think price should determine what's "best." Use wine you like to drink for cooking as opposed to cheapo "cooking wines" stores sell.
I will say I've gotten many great ingredient suggestions from Cooks Illustrated magazine and website, they do taste testing, equipment testing, etc. and I have generally agreed with what they find.
Also if you do some research you can find what organic foods taste better than non-organic, or are worth paying extra for. I can't recommend your local farmer's market enough, once you taste an Heirloom tomato, the generic stuff at the store won't ever taste as good.
I would suggest just being open to trying new things and new places, you'll find what you like best and learn that many times a few simple, good quality ingredients can make a better meal than paying a lot of money for many so-so tasting recipes.
bobcatsteph3 at 1:12PM on 06/22/08
It should smell very fragrant, fruity and deeply olive. The color can range from deep clear green to deep cloudy (unfiltered) green.
I got some Goya Extra Virgin Olive Oil back in the 80's and it tasted like crank case fluid. It took me years before I'd venture down the Extra Virgin OO aisle again. Luckily, I got ahold of some really great oil and a food product redeemed itself.
chiff0nade at 2:10PM on 06/22/08
DOH! Itchy trigger finger...Stay away from Pomace. It's the bottom of the barrel. It's the polar opposite of Extra Virgin. It's the last squeezing of the olive meat and seeds and other stuff. It's very bitter.
chiff0nade at 2:11PM on 06/22/08