That was a great video. As a small Greek olive oil produser (0,3 assid this year),I can suggest to anyone who lives near a olive oil press factory try to go there and on the spot grill some bread, pass it once throught the fresh olive oil as it comes out from the machine, and add some salt and rigano....!!! Dont forget to escord it with some house wine. Doing it all of my life and still waiting every year for this moment!
Sadly, most Extra virgin olive oil is fake these days. I always prefer the small farm presses than the big names. Another factor is that olive has to be pressed no longer than 18 hours after harvest. SO when you hear the different olives from different countries pressed together, it will not be a quality press....
I have had 45 years of cooking experience. Over that time, I have tried many brands and kinds of olive oil. After comparing so many brands it was easy (almost) for me to pick my favorite. (Drum roll) California Olive Ranch is my pick. You should try it. Thank you for your video!
I was disapointed this brand was not in the video. That brand does sell one with Olive oil from various places but I buy the one with 100% California Olive oil.
Best Olive Oil we can easiest to get for Americans and are reasonable in price, ($20) is a Californian, USA product ? Also Look Out For Fake or diluted OO.
The peppery burn is polyphenols, and they are very healthful (anti-inflammatory). Personally, I like the bitterness and the heat - the same way I prefer an IPA to a lager. But to each his own.
I'm the same - out here in the PNW there is an olive oil mill that produces very peppery/spicy olive oils because they have to harvest so quickly with a short growing season there isn't time to let the olives mature.
@@newtonburr3123 it’s a good starting point. Please watch this for a full rundown of what truly makes an olive oil exceptional and healthy. ruclips.net/video/OnUY6iHYHyY/видео.html
My fave is California Olive Ranch 100% California. They also have a "global blend" - olives from various European countries. I find the 100% California option has excellent quality, better tasting.
Try Tunisian EVOO they are unsung and up and coming very affordable very delicious and tend to come in dark bottles you want your oil in dark bottles they also give you a slight burn when you taste them they are grown in a desert like climate the hotter the climate the better the olive
Thanks for your video. I am living in Spain. There are about 350 different types of Olives for Olive Oil, and the regular price is below 5 USD for 1 litre Extra Virgen Olive Oil. You can buy at very lower price the best of the Oilive Oil. But the normal use of the Extra Virgen Olive Oil is for salads, with bread, Salmon, Sauces, and not for cooking. For cooking usually is used the regular Olive Oil. Most of people only knows about 4 types of Olive Oil like Picual, Arbequina, Cornicabra, Hojiblanca, Picudo, but there are many up to 250 types only in Spain. The extra cost are transportation, taxes and comercial margines. The Extra virgin olive oil is the highest grade of virgin olive oil derived by cold mechanical extraction without use of solvents or refining methods. And should be consumed no more than 9 months after pressed and bottled. After that time usually is considered like Olive Virgen Oil, without the Extra rating. According to International Olive Council, median of the fruity attribute must be higher than zero for a given olive oil in order to meet the criteria of extra virgin olive oil classification.
I appreciate the time you took to share such wonderful information . Thank you! I want to do a follow up video on specialized olive oil . I am trying to find some great ones! All the best!
I am a retired chef and I am loving this! what is sad is most the places I have worked at use pompeian in the steel container. ;) I love Bragg products, so I will try that! Thank you. Now that I only cook for me and Husband we use a nice N. California one we found. Now though my vinaigrette are just a 25 yr old bottle of balsamic, it is a treat but $$, but it does not need oil.
The reason I use Kirkland is it’s actually 100% olive oil not like many brands that cut it. That and the price. There is a website I forgot with a study done to see if olive oils are actually pure and it’s shocking to find out how many are not. Even expensive brands.
My go to for olive oil is Spectrum organic olive oil and I prefer the Mediterranean one (says it on the label). It's the only brand I'm aware of that nitrogen flushes during bottling to prevent oxidation. It's also organic which is important with olive oil since conventionally grown olives are heavily sprayed. And they never use plastic bottles as this will leach a lot of chemicals even if it's BPA free. I believe it's one of the healthiest to consume and the taste and acidity is just perfect for me.
Thank you for that recommendation! Of health is your priority, take a look at this other video I released. All the best ! ruclips.net/video/OnUY6iHYHyY/видео.html
Recently did a test with a friend. We only considered single source origin Olive Oils; specifically Spain, Morocco, Italy and Sicily. Blends were not used. There are other countries that were on this test and we plan on doing one with Greek, Syrian and Lebanese. In a blind test both of us agreed that the Sicilian was number one. We purchased it at Trader Joes. Next was Italian, Morocco and Spain. Not scientific and totally subjective. However each of us chose the same olive oils. Thank you for the review.
Actually you have to buy it directly from the mill to get the best quality, so you have to travel. :-) Also the taste vary very much with the olives that are used. I prefer Picual, the strongest.
@@PierredeCur love piqual. Wouldn’t you know that it was the bottle that broke when I was reviewing high-end olive oils. Can’t make this stuff up. Cheers. ruclips.net/video/OnUY6iHYHyY/видео.html
George, you are one of the most influencial RUclips personalities we watch - since we started watching your channel, we clean our All Clad pans and pots with baking soda, flavor our food with Celtic sea salt, marinate limited-ingredient green olives with garlic, lemon juice, coriander seeds and olive oil, thoroughly enjoy the Saishikomi soy sauce and - now that we're watching this video, my guess is we'll be looking at olive oils differently! LOVE your personality (former NYer here) and smarts! Thank you for your straightforward, informative and entertaining vidoes!
Sue, I'm really humbled and thankful for your wonderful comment! I appreciate you! I'm glad that you liked the products I recommend. I wish you all the best!
I grew up with Philipo Berio oil purchased in 1 gallon metal cans that we went through in about two months; it was the only oil we used for anything. To me it's what olive oil is "supposed to" taste like and it was lovely to see it rate as highly as it did. My daughter uses Kirkland and that is also very good. The high end fancy peppery oils are good for bread dipping and other "featured" recipes but I wouldn't waste them to use in a dish where the oil flavor is not prominent.
It is kind of interesting. You kind of dismiss it as a decent olive oil because it's everywhere. You know? It is also certified which is nice. The flavor was not bad!
I'm from Italy. My country is in the top 5 for olive oil producer. Here a bottle (1 liter ,more or less 1/5 gallon) coast about 8€. When they sell one bottle about 4€ it means olives are imported from northern Africa or Middle East.
I don’t recall seeing any oil from Italy at Costco that was made with 100% Italian olives and where the bottle says. “ product of Italy “ Instead of “ imported from Italy “ The difference is the latter is packaged and processed in Italy. Using olives from different countries
I heartily agree with you, the Kirkland olive oil is superb. I recently asked my daughter, who is a very accomplished cook ,to name her favorite oil. She also named the Kirkland brand. Recently, I paid a visit to Costco. They did not have the Kirkland brand oil in the half gallon size, it was only available in the liter? sized bottle, and the price had gone up. By the way, the Kirkland brand Balsamic vinegar is our favorite also.
Both I and my wife, as Greeks, had access to olive oil since we were born ( just like your friend's). We moved to the UK almost a decade ago and that was the first time we had to buy olive oil. We tried Filippo Berio, but we hated it and after a couple of months we started importing our oil for personal use. I completely agree with your description regarding the smell, there's an explosion of aromas and flavours in your nose/mouth which you don't get with commercial olive oil.
How do I get your olive oil? Do you have an e mail to order from or a name I might chose, I have tasted the ones when I was in Greece but nothing compares, thanks a lot
Greek oils are fantastic. Low acidity and it’s listed on the can. Avoid blends from different countries. Amazon sells an Italian non blend extra virgin oil . It’s my favorite now .
No no no, io sono italiana, non conosco nessuna di queste marche… noi usiamo olio Extravergine, che provenga da oliveti del sud, del nord, o del lago di Garda, è vera eccellenza… a crudo, solo extravergine , ma non certo la bottiglia che ha in mano il commentatore! 😢
I’ve started taking a couple tablespoons of EV olive oil every morning and am thrilled how soothing it is to my gut! Olive oil has so many positive health effects that it really ought to be considered a super food…. I’m currently using the California olive ranch oil fwiw. I see that California olive ranch also has an avocado/ olive oil blend. I love avocados and have to wonder what that blend would be like for general use and as a nutritional supplement…
Olive oils is quite miraculous. For healing / medicinal purposes take a look at this video Dr the ultimate olive oils. Thank you for sharing! ruclips.net/video/OnUY6iHYHyY/видео.html
Hi George, I just came across your video and I’m so glad that one of your choices would be the Fillippo just because it’s the one I always used at home I like the taste of it and to me it’s the best looking one from where I usually shop!
More and more people are telling me the same thing. It's just such an amazing salt! I am so happy that it does not contain microplastics! Thanks for reaching out! All the best
I’m Greek and our family are olive growers. First press oil you will never find in a commercial provider. If you see what olive oil we consume it looks difference the texture is thicker and the scent is so much stronger. The olive oil we ship is mixed with other oils or less quality olive oils at 40%. Sorry to say this but it’s true Thank you for your video.
I use California Ranch Extra Virgin Olive Oil. I buy the 100% California not their global blend. The ones I used to buy at supermarket are made from multiple countries olives. The problem with that is, some of olives are old or rancid. I’ve tried to find an all Italian olives olive oil, but hard to find. I like the California brand, cause California is very stringent with their olives.
Oh how sweet it is!!! My son just returned from a whirlwind European trip with his wife and kids....and the reason for this trip was a birthday present to his daughter for her 16th birthday (my how things have changed since I was a kid!), however, thanking God for a wonderful, safe trip back and forth, along with the gift that I received in the mail just in time for Valentine's Day....a bottle of EVOO from Barcelona, Spain, a bottle of EVOO from Milan Italy, and another of my favorites a gift box of assorted cans of sardines from Lisbon Portugal. WOW, what a fun surprise and shocking since I had just found your channel, and asked about ordering EVOO from your contact. My son told me that they actually have a store that is exclusively for sardine lovers.....how amazing! I opened one bottle and had to have a shot, and I will be the first to say that I've never experienced that fresh olive taste in EVOO ever and I've tried many brands,, and in fact several that you had in your taste test. What a beautiful gesture from the best son on the planet and one that any mother would be proud of....and of course it goes without saying that equally thankful to his wife and my grandkids because they all had some input in choosing the gifts along their journey. I am so blessed indeed.
My son is currently attending culinary school in Paris, and we had the pleasure of experiencing the best sardines we have ever had in our lives! And yes, there are stores that sell nothing but sardines in Paris. I just really think that’s spectacular! We also had some really great olive oil, and some truly delicious wines. I don’t necessarily appreciate French inexpensive wines in the United States but the ones in France were really really good. Thanks for sharing! All the best.
@@AwareHouseChef Thank you for sharing, and how proud you must be of your son. To be a Chef, Ohlala!! However, to attend one of the most notable places in the world Paris France to attend culinary school...Magnifique! Dear God bless him for his strong motivation, and give him good health, safety, superior skill, and may he reign victorious so that his business will grow exponentially, and become world famous! Amen God hears and knows the desires of our hearts....
I am using Bragg for decades, for salad dressing, mixing lemon water and as skin moisturizer. It's perfect. Expensive but worth it. However I only cook food with ghee and coconut oil to handle high heat. Olive oil is not high smoke point for cooking. Subscribed 💕
I read that that wasn't true about the smoke point. I think it's false hysteria, personally. I mean they've been frying with it in other countries for eons without a problem. Maybe look into it a bit more :)
@@lynzannabel6990 I would look into it. From my research the olive oil heat thing is a myth. I don't recall the science of it but it's out there. You just have to think people in the Mediterranean have been frying foods with it for eons and they're some of the healthiest people on earth :)
My favourite olive oil was from my Sister's orchard in Umbria (Italy) - especially when it was fresh-pressed. I would bring back 5L plus a huge piece of Parmigiano-Reggiano a few times per year. Now that I am retired I have settled on the Kirkland Organic EVOO but am sometimes able to buy imported Lebanese EVOO that is fresh-pressed. Occasionally we will see the same thing from an Italian grocery store that has brought a barrel in so that you can fill your own bottle. Fresh olive oil (i.e less than 3 months old) is so different than oil that is 12+ months old. Having said that, it can be a bit too acidic for the first month for many people. Thanks for an interesting video!
Hi George great review. From a fellow greek George who inherited a 80 tree olive grove in Mytilene here are my comments. I agree Greek olive oil is definitely the best tasting . I always buy greek branded olive oil from stores that carry greek olive oil in chicago land area. My favotites are anything from kalamata evoo like minerva or greek flag. Also i have tried cretan evoo also very good. I always wondered about the costco one and thought it would be good so i am try a bottle but i like to support greek producers. I want to find a way to import oil cost effectively from my olive grove . If you have a comment or suggestion let me know and thanks for review.
I suggest you sell some to me when you figure out how to do it! I will look into it. I do not know how to do that. I’ll ask my friend! And thank you so much for reaching out!
Hi @George Gogis. My family import olive oil from our ktimata in Kalamata to London. You need to speak to people you know in olive oil production in Mytilene who can recommend how to do it. I know it is doable because the guy in my village who looks after the olive groves also sends the oil to families in the USA
California Ranch Olive Oil, many blends and varietals. I use it almost daily. Delicious. California is now growing 1000s of acres of olives for oil which are very different than the fruit cultivars they jar & can.
After trying out about 60-70 different olive oils over the course of ~40 years, I have stuck with Cretan olive oil (from the island of Crete, Greece) the last 8 years.
@@AwareHouseChef My favorite olives are from Kalamata and oil from Crete. Kalamata olive oil is very good too but hard to find in the US. There was a special on the Travel Channel (I think) with a scientist describing the role of the Aegean and Mediterranean winds play to produce exceptional olive oil in Crete. If you are ever in Crete take a drive cross-island and you will see a ton of olive groves on the hillsides. That's less than 1% of what is actually on the island which are not visible from the main highway and need to take the multitude of secondary and back roads to get to them. Also worth visiting are olive groves that consist of trees that are thousands of years old. They are very interesting looking, like nothing you have seen before.
@@vtecharrys.6981 Crete is on my travel list.Any easy to get delicious Kalamata olive in the US (at least on the east coast) is Messinia. Hope you can find it.
Thank you for this video. As you said it is a lot like wine, and taste are differant. I use Trader Joes Greek Kalamata EVOO. I take two tablespoons of oil and fresh lemon juice every morning. In that case the amount of polyphenols is important, but I still want good flavor. Kirklands has been spoken of highly in a number of taste test, for their quality, and flavor.
Thank you David. If you take olive of in the morning for health purposes please select an olive oil with more of the health benefits listed on the label. Take a look here. This is an exhaustive video on just that. Cheers! ruclips.net/video/OnUY6iHYHyY/видео.html
I've watched several olive oil videos. One of the things pointed out by several olive growers is that true uncut pure evoo leaves a slight "burning" or "spicy" background on the back of the tongue; they have all stated to never purchase evoo or olive oil that is a combination of olive oils from different regions or countries, stick with a pure single region or single country olive oil; lastly, they all say most olive oils on the shelves in the grocery market are "flavored" canola or vegetable oil, and some come from rancid olive oils that have been chemically treated to taste good. California has a very nice evoo that I use. If you are lucky to get one, like you had straight from Greece and you knew where it came from, then a bottle from an early squeeze from a single olive tree farm, without any additives or chemical enhancement, then that would be great as well.
Thanks this was meant to be a less informative video about taste in readily accessible olive oils. I think you might be interested in a more in depth video I released about olive oil just recently ruclips.net/video/OnUY6iHYHyY/видео.html
In the UK a decent brand is on some supermarket shelves, Farchioni Jl Casolare, cold extracted & unfiltered. It’s a blend of olive oils of European Union origin & has a smooth, slightly grassy tang, smells of fresh olives.
I use the whole foods 365 organic evoo med blend (IT/GR/TN/ES); partially because it's very cheap and still in glass, but I think it also tastes pretty good, and despite eating about a bottle a week I don't feel like there's any indication of bad quality control in the production and custody of it, although my experience is limited. It has a great rich olive smell and the initial taste is slighty bitter, followed quickly by a nice buttery flavor and a peppery after taste. I really wouldn't be surprised if they're bottling oil from the same source as Kirkland, with just a different label. I'll have to try both.
@@jtcarter2967 Thanks for your reply. What makes you say that 365 is lower quality? I'd like to try the Kirkland brand, but I worry that here in the states that our regulatory agencies probably don't scrutinize plastic containers well enough to ensure harmful chemicals aren't leeching into my food. I try to play it safe while keeping things affordable.
Been buying the Kirkland brand just because it was convenient and didn't know it was better than some of the competition, good to know 👍. Hope I can someday come across a Greek small batch olive 🫒 oil importer, than I'll be on your level ✌️.
It's funny because I grew up on this oil, the Greek olive oil that is. And I took it for granted for a really long time. Keep an eye out, you'll find somebody who imports their own Olive oil. Sometimes, it can be a little bitter depending on the harvest. All the best!
Put it in the fridge; if it gets cloudy and thick (hard to pour) then it is good grade! MOST of the brands you buy in the store are fake, diluted and actually very bad for you! And yes; Kirkland is one of the very best, you can trust it. For the money you can't buy a better one!
Been enjoying your informative videos and actually use the Fillipo Berio at home. Really great value and it really elevates a good plate of Aglio Olio with a drizzle right at the end. So glad that it's in the top 3 here, looks like my taste buds ain't too shabby ;)
Thank you Sean! So glad that you reached out. If you do get the chance, check out the Greek olive oil I recommend in the description below the video. It is a very good oil as well. Thank you!!
Been eating Garlic & Oil all my life. My grandma said it was called the Depression dish as it was cheap and you can add any veggies you like to it..I love either Broccoli or Cauliflower and sliced black olives,
lol, just started my olive oil "journey" and picked Filippo Berio to start with, only because it was frequently mentioned on the PBS automobile maintenance radio show, Click & Clack - The Tappet Brothers, as something you need to carry in your trunk during the winter to provide added weight to give rear-wheel drive cars more traction. Really miss that show!
After years if experimenting and not able to get my favorite olive oil from Dalmatian coast in Croatia I settled for Carapelli Italian not filtered extra Virgin for 12-13 $ in Walmart. The best.
After watching Dr. Berg's video on olive oils, I was glad to see your video. I actually enjoy Carrabba's olive oil, however have purchased what I found in the stores, as long as it was organic. I have recently purchased olive oil from Williams Sonoma. I don't think it is as good as Carrabba's, and have not tried the other bottle yet.
The reason I use olive oil is for the health benefits and not so much looking for the best taste. Also, it looks like the Kirkland is in a plastic bottle to which i believe good olive oil or at least real olive oil is always in a glass bottle preferably tinted to keep out light
I’m a firm believer in the health benefits of olive oil. And if you’d like to find out which olive oil’s are really good for you, there are a few things you need to know. I did a updated video just on that. I hope it is informative and you like it. Thanks for reaching out! ruclips.net/video/OnUY6iHYHyY/видео.html
I've been using the Walmart brand of extra virgin organic olive oil for a while now and I mix 1 Oz with 8 ozs of V8 juice and a touch of pink Himalayan salt and black pepper and turmeric with my breakfast
Thanks for the tip about the metal containers. I just bought California Olive Ranch and I got the extra virgin olive oil 100% California reserve and I got it for The Bold and peppery taste to try. I could only find it in a metal bottle. The price range wasn't bad it was $9. The Taste is very bold and it very much smells like olives
I've been using California olive ranch evoo. I like the 100 percent california brand and not the global blend. I like single origin because I don't know the percentage of the other olives. U.S.A. grown. the difference is 49 cents/ounce for global vs. 66 cents california.
As I was saying in the 3 previous comments, that were conveniently censored earlier, there is a reference unbiased world ranking for olive oils can be found in the oficial site of the World Best Olive Oils (WBOO). The first Greek olive oil does not shows until rank 28. More realistic reference olive oils for comparison should be those on first ranks, there is a lot to choose from with Spain, Italy, France and Portugal occupying ranks 1-10, and more in particular Spanish olive oils being in 6 out of the 10 best. Thanks for not applying censorship this time!
The first question I research when I hear about ''rankings''...is who are the people doing the rankings? The Greek olive oils...especially from Crete ....are the best value....in my opinion.
The best olive oil is the freshest, single origin. To find that the manufacturer needs to provided data. Here is how to find the best: ruclips.net/video/OnUY6iHYHyY/видео.html
This is great content! Your channel deserves more subscribers! Professional quality content for the everyday home cook. I've gotten my family hooked on celtic sea salt ever since I saw your video on salt. It makes me feel like a crack dealer
Ha ha! I dole it out in togo soup quarts to friends and family because I get it 100 pounds at a time. I feel like Al Pacino at the end of Scarface 😂. Thanks for the encouragement and the kindness. Cheers
This was a very enjoyable video. Thanks for sharing. Personally I happen to love California Olive Ranch. They make a 100% California oil that’s quite lovely and often fairly buttery. I’m eager to try the Braggs! BTW, I would really love to find an extra virgin olive oil made entirely out of black olives. I know it’s not as shelf-stable, but if I could find one, I’d be all about it. Do you happen to know of one? Cheers
Thank you! I appreciate the kindness. I believe but I am not 100% sure that Moroccan olive oils are made with dark olives. They are almost medicinal. Let me know if you find one! I also like California Olive Ranch. At the time it was not available locally. Of course, now it’s everywhere. All the best!
There's another RUclips Video where olive oils were compared & California Olive Oil was chosen as #1, so I've been using it alone. However, I may have stuck myself in a box. Watching other olive oil comparisons may broaden my view.
I like the Bertolli Gourmet EVOO, mostly just because I like Bertolli's environmental sustainability commitments. They don't buy from farmers that harvest at night, which saves birds from being sucked up in olive trees and they're restoring grasslands for bugs.
Their olive oil was found to be adulterated with cheaper oils. That was a few years ago and could have changed. Costco and Trader Joe's oils are unadulterated. Or shop at a specialty shop.
@@americafirst9144 yeah, I read that. I'm sure that motivated them to change their ways. I only get the gourmet one. It's probably the best tasting olive oil I've had.
Hi George - we ran out of the Kirkland olive oil so naturally I re-watched this video to get your recommendation about other brands you liked. (We're ordering from Whole Foods so they don't offer Kirkland branded products.) I just ordered the Bragg olive oil and I'm looking forward to tasting it. Instead of guessing at which brand to buy I got to pick your brain by way of returning to this video - how handy was that?!
@@judgeadvocate9275 it's lighter and almost 'cleaner' tasting than the Kirkland brand. You get more of a 'green' taste from it - :more vegetal. We like it!!
Thank you for the interesting and informative video. While I use EVOO for cooking and in salad dressings, and do try different brands of mostly Greek or Italian oil, I will now pay more attention to the subtleties you discussed. You make my Greek-American heart proud!
I appreciate you! Thank you for your comment! I was really surprised to see that the less expensive olive oils had decent flavoring. Let me know which one you like! Cheers!
EVOO from Chile? That is pretty good. Weird, but strong taste. I would say way better than anything in the video. I wish I could find those here in the US. I'm pretty sure I will find good olive oil here, but so far only ok oils in the supermarkets. Next I will try stuff from Amazon. And yes, Kirkland is decent. But still not even close to something like Deleyda premium or Myconus. I miss good olive oil!
I am a olive oil collector for the last 40 years.. It’s true what you are saying. Even though I am expert in the subject, still learning. It’s easier for me to taste whiskey than olive oil. Best I find comes from Western Greece Israel and California. Good luck in tasting olive oil..
Thank you for sharing Chris. I appreciate your input and expertise. I recently released a much more thorough video on olive oil characteristics. I can see after going through the process that it is mind bending how complex a single ingredient can be. I have not had much experience with California olive oils. I look forward to tasting many. All the best. ruclips.net/video/OnUY6iHYHyY/видео.html
Thank you for sharing Chris. I appreciate your input and expertise. I recently released a much more thorough video on olive oil characteristics. I can see after going through the process that it is mind bending how complex a single ingredient can be. I have not had much experience with California olive oils. I look forward to tasting many. All the best. ruclips.net/video/OnUY6iHYHyY/видео.html
I, too, much prefer the Kirkland ORGANIC. It's inexpensive, readily available, consistently excellent. I also love the expensive little samples that I find at certain high end restaurants. But why spend millions when a thousand will do just as well?
Hi I grew up thinking Bertolli was the only olive oil & solely used it for decades til recently. I now use Phillipe Berio but have been branching out trying others recently. Your videos inspire me to really taste and investigate what I am buying. I gotta try Kirkland next trip to Costco Thanks so much for your excellent presentation n style !! I am also curious about "your" olive 🫒oil ? Does someone make it for you ?
They don't make it for me. They make it for themselves and then whatever is left over they bring to the United States, it pretty much gets sold to friends and family. But there are a lot of these guys that do that. Hopefully you'll be able to track somebody down! Thanks for reaching out!
Interesting - I have been purchasing the Kirkland/Cosco brand for a long time - I did not know it rated so well against the others. I get a lot of things at Cosco - quality food at great prices - on many things, but certainly not all items. The Cosco here in Naples, FL is a zoo during the winter months when all the snow birds are here in FL, but the products are worth it.
I gave Rustico Olive Oil - Extra Virgin Unfiltered a try and found it has a nice flavor. There is a slight acidic bite, it's much more buttery than bitter, but the aroma is not particularly strong.
I am disappointed that you didn't mention the name of your favorite Olive Oil & talk more about it. You mentioned thar yours has a little nutty flavor which I'd like. I use Braggs & would like to compare it to your favorite brand.
In the beginning of the video I explained that it is from a private orchard and cannot be purchased. The point of the whole video was to find an inexpensive oil that came close to an olive oil you could not buy
Thank you appreciate your choosing readily available olive oil. Thank you heads up on bitterness. The Wal-Mart organic olive oil is good it may not be as.buttery or nutty but they give you a lot for the money. But it's not cheap. I think it's under 15 dollars for about a quart. I'll try the Braggs if I run across it I like the Idea of buttery smooth mature olives at harvest. You've done a wonderful public service in this selection of olive oil Thank you Sir.
Kirkland has been a good one for me. I add it to a dark glass jar with a pourer and I throw 5/6 garlic cloves in it and it is great for salads etc... Avocado oil for cooking. Thanks for the Vid! 👍👍
I have been trying to figure this out for years. For the past several years I have been using Jovial Foods Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, first press. It's has a peppery finish and is delicious with herbs and spices as a dipping sauce for breads. It is a nice green color, but I hear color doesn't really mean much. For a 33.8 oz. bottle its about $35 per bottle. I buy three at a time for a better price and I love the beautiful box it comes in.
I really love the fact that you included that has a peppery taste which is really I think awesome LOL so thanks for your comment it’s a help believe me it is , Again thanks so much
I use the Kirkland organic and when I need to have something really special try the Kirkland “ Toscano.”It is 100 pct sourced from olives in Tuscany and is only available at Costco for a limited time after production, however is readily available for 4-5 months. It’s about 13.99 for a 1 liter bottle and is a fantastic value. I’d be interested in your opinion if you find it
Any of your picks are good olive oils for cooking. Good job. I wouldn’t spend big $ on EVOO unless you like to dip good bread into it (I do) with a pinch of salt or use it in salads. Then, the taste difference is worth the expense.
During WWII my Sicilian grandmother had tins of olive oil sent to her from relatives in Sicily. I recall it (through bread dipping) to not be oily, nor did it coat the inside of the mouth or to be tasteless. I remember she never used sugar when making pasta sauce either. I remember some months back watching Nick Stelino on PBS. One thing he said about olive oil that stuck with me was that the best olive oil was slightly sweet. Maybe that's why my grandmother never used sugar in her cooking. She would rub olive oil on wild game and the "wildness" that you taste with game wasn't there. I've not found an olive oil that even comes close to my grandmother's olive oil.
Excellent presentation! This is very helpful. I've been using the Pomp... smooth for cooking and robust for salad and like them because they're available here. Have been considering a costco membership and it is very likely that I will get one. Suggestion: I've been using butter, canola, and olive oil as my cooking fats and I'm about to transition from canola because of what I've learned about it. Can you recommend a good alternative and how it differs from popular vegetable oils? And maybe how best to apply them? I've been looking at avocado oil and walnut oil, and I'm thinking of standardizing on avocado because of availability and price. But I don't know, for example, whether I can make a mayonnaise with it that tastes as good as my current home made or the popular one that starts with H.
When I am not using olive oil my goto oil is avocado. It does make a great mayo but it’s not as neutral as soy bean oil which I do.m not use. Walnut oil is also a good option but it is pricey.
I'm sorry you didn't consider California Olive Ranch, EVOO, it comes in a square bottle, I prefer Robust Olive oils, also Trader Joe's Italian, and EV Premium OO, both cold pressed and both below $20. the only OOs I have used in the last 25 years, my preference is Robust OO... no blends, and no mixes from different countries. Thanks for the review.
Portuguese olive oil is wonderful and they have a lot of oficial controls to ensure the purity and origin of the portuguese olive oil. Try some trademarks like “Gallo”, “Oliveira da serra”, “cinco soldos” and others.
It was my pleasure thank you for your kindness. If you really want to get technical and explore the best olive oils please watch this as well. All the best. ruclips.net/video/OnUY6iHYHyY/видео.html
Great video. You've inspired me to try tasting some different olive oils. Question: I've read that some cookware manufacturers recommend not cooking in olive oil on high heat (like frying) because of the low smoke point (they think it damages the pan). Do you have an opinion on that? Suggestion for video: how about one on vinegar. I have at least six different vinegars in my pantry, but i'm not always sure what to use on what. Thanks!
This is more than you will ever want to know about olive oil. In this video, I discuss a variable that determines the smoke point of olive oil. Unfortunately, it is hard to find these stats on most olive oils. Take a look. Thank you! ruclips.net/video/OnUY6iHYHyY/видео.html
Olive oil costs at least $25 per litre to produce, so an under $20 bottle will be no more than a pint or half litre. Most grocery store olive oils aren't even olive oil, being blended at best. Unless you're getting through a lot of olive every week, buy small bottles as olive oil starts to oxidise as soon as the bottle is opened.
what is a grocery store olive oil? the pompeian oil is sold by my grocery and i am wondering if it has veg oil mixed in. it says first pressed olive oil, but is it 100% olive oil. shouldn't the label tell you this?
@@bobs5596 Mass produced olive oils shipped directly from the blending factories to the warehouses of huge grocery chain stores; to the USA in quart sized bottles, to elsewhere in 1 litre sized bottles. Artisan olive oils arrive from the olive groves concerned, invariably in at least three sizes of bottles, such as 500 ml 250 ml and 100 ml as, without a coravin system or equivalent, olive oil begins to oxidise as soon as the bottle is opened. Back in the day when (extended) families were considerably larger and farmers had itinerant workers to feed seasonally, larger containers were commonplace.
@@traditionalfood367 so is the pompeian oil contaminated with seed oil or not? will labels tell you if seed oils are in the olive oil? otherwise, how would would a consumer know? and what label would be on a grocery store olive oil? seems to me they are all grocery store olive oils if you buy it in a grocery store. btw, i can't make much sense of your response.
If you’re going to purchase average store bought olive oils and you are looking for a reliable trustworthy reference the company needs to be approved by a trustworthy agency like the International Olive Council or the California Olive Council for example. The bottle will have their insignia labeled on it. If you are looking for true specifications that are more technical, kindly watch this video ruclips.net/video/VemAfCZAQ_w/видео.html
@@bobs5596 Artisan olive oils have the name of their olive grove on their bottles. It sounds like you're as yet uninformed about olive oil, so I suggest reading Tom Mueller's book Extra Virginity.
I use Philips Barrio and Bertolli- didn’t know Braggs made olive oil, will try that. Thanks, I also thought Kirkland was low end because of its “family sized” packaging. I will try that as well! Thanks for a really interesting breakout on this pantry staple for me!
George, I love the content on your channel. I watched at least 20 videos in a row until I couldn't look at my screen anymore lol. Your curiosity with researching origins of food is inspiring, and I really appreciate the time and work you put into every video. Seeing the core knowledge and honesty behind your resources gives me hope in a world full of facts with no basis. I'm looking forward to more content, and hopefully will visit your restaurant some day! I want to know, and think about this every video, how do you have so many FIRE neon signs that set the scene for each topic? Do you purchase them in advance? Do you know someone that makes neon signs? They add an amazing aspect to your content, and they leave me with curiosity. Maybe that's the point, but I can't help but ask! Love you, keep on!
Hi Hannah. I am humbled and thankful for your kindness and comments. I appreciate you and I want to let you know that comments like yours keep me going! The letters are LED and made to look like neon. They snap together. I have a bunch of letters. All the best!!
George, I am of Greek background like you. I bring olive oil from Greece in small batches. My oil comes from the Koroneiki variety and it actually comes from the village named after this variety, Koroni. I know the price the the farmer sells it for in Greece. They are always complaining about the price. That olive oil once it leaves the farmers hands passes many other hands and each party needs to make a mark up. By the time it reaches the supermarket it has gone through at least 5-6 hands. From the farmer it gets collected by a buyer/broker who gets an order from a multinational company often overseas, then it gets shipped to the company, blended, mixed with other crap, packed, marketed and then shipped again to the supermarkets around the world. I am always skeptical of the multinational companies when they sell olive oil and the blends because I think they mess with it. Olive oil blending is a big industry and there are people who specialize in it. They don’t do it to make the oil taste better they do it to string out the expensive oil with cheap I don’t know what. I don’t trust what certification they have. If the price is too cheap then I hate to think what is in it. Why would anyone in their right mind blend Greek oil with Spanish, Moroccan, Italian and Australian. It does not make sense. Most of the tins I see in the supermarket sell for not much more than what the farmer sells the oil for. How do they do it? My advice to anyone is to source some local oil from one location as not every one has access to oil from a Greek village. You are much better of this way and use it as a health product and you have peace of mind. Be careful with the larger tins, not that I need to convince you but any of your subscribers.
I always wondered about that because the olive oil I buy from Greece is about the same as what I pay wholesale for my restaurant. Thanks sharing! All the best.
You're absolutely right, blending olive oils of various origins completely ruins the character and taste it had gained from the very land on which the olive tree grew. I personally never buy blends, they scream industrial trickery to me.
@@aoigenei Definitely. I am told that some blends can even contain motor oil. Olive oil is a fat. A good way of checking what you have is real or not is to put some in a glass and then leave it in a refrigerator overnight. If it is solid like butter the next day then you should have some confidence that you have olive oil. If it doesn’t go solid then you have something else in your mix. By way of contrast if you leave sunflower oil in the refrigerator it won’t go solid.
@@Mike-iq8ct The grower doesn’t sell olives. The grower takes the harvest and turns the olives into olive oil and then sells it often via a broker who gets an order from an international company for say 100 tonnes of oil and the broker has to complete the order by dealing with various farmers. Well this is my experience in Greece. Often the oil goes from Greece to Italy and gets baptised as Italian.
Thanks for doing exactly the thing I was looking for! Although I'd be interested to see what the Walmart's Great Value Organic Olive Oil as well as some Trader Joe's brand ones to compare, but I your review of the different oils seemed pretty spot on from what I remember from my experience as well. I'm definitely looking to get a Costco membership again just for the oils and frozen berries, brocolli, and meats alone!
The Kirkland brand (Costco) is a very fine evoo as far as store bought...comes from a single source, not blended from different places, high quality, not cut with canola or vegetable oil, very pure.
Since Walmart is a Govt run entity I personally would avoid their foods. Sam Walton (where the namesake comes frim) ran the concentration camps in Californias desert, the one filled with American born Asians who lost their businesses, homes & more from being locked up during WW2, their kids also. HRC has also been on its board for over 25 yrs. NO THANKS TO WALMART FOR ANYTHING. Have been boycotting them for 30 yrs & will continue to do so. Anyone with self respect, who cares about equality & humanity & quality of what you put into your body, wld not shop there.
@@Userxyz-z2d I avoid Walmart like the plague. If I end up at Walmart, it's because it's my last resort, I couldn't find the item anywhere else...which happens 1/100 of the time. I much prefer shopping the small local grocery stores. I recently started the Carnivore Diet, not much call for any vegetable oil of any kind, mostly butter, ghee, beef tallow, and bacon grease...and duck tallow or fat if you can find it.
Moroccan olive oil is the one that Gunther MD is selling on RUclips,, I have watched an Italian lady that taste the olive oils, the one by Costco. Was one of her choices, she read the sources on the bottles, the one in the can with a really cool picture on the front of the can, there would be more polyphenols , in these two, which is why we chose olive oil in the first place, she said it last about 18 months from the time of its press, thanks for your information
Keep sampling different brands for fun and always come back to Braggs. It's fantastic on salads and for dipping with a definite bite (the good kind). As a previous commenter mentioned, use coconut oil for cooking.
Thank you! I was always Leary of cooking with olive oils. I learned a lot and I share it in this video. I think it will be useful to you. All the best! ruclips.net/video/OnUY6iHYHyY/видео.html
The Pompeian brand you used was not the regular flavor. You purchased the ROBUST flavor in which the flavor has been purposely enhanced to be ROBUST it says so right on the bottle @10:41. When I bought it, the ROBUST flavor was too strong for me, but then I bought the REGULAR flavor and it was MORE SMOOTH.
This guy knows his stuff ! He sets a Greek olive oil as the standard . I am very fussy about my olive oil also . I have bought almost every kind of olive oil on the market , in many different markets. USA, Europe S.America , . For me, Greek olive oil is the best. I discovered it one day by accident in Extra ! Wow, what an awesome flavor . Sweet and aromatic ! AND affordable also Comes in blue bottle with a Tojan on it . DML
Thanks for the trial on "readily available" olive oils. One FUNDAMENTAL difference in FLAVOR is the actual OLIVE VARIANT. Olive is a fruit - just like grapes, apples, pears, etc. so more than the "terroir", it is the olive variant that determines the flavor and organoleptic characteristics! ... and being one of the few edible fats (save avocados) that you extract directly from a fruit, you cannot compare the immense variety and complexity in flavors with all other edible oil that are extracted from seeds or nuts (as you said) !! So it is not so much the country that determines whether it is intense, fruity or mild, it is (I repeat) the variant. You explained it very well relative to the wine (the grape sort being the determining factor), but when you switched to olive oil, you referred to the country. Spanish olive oil, Greek olive oil, etc. But even in each of these countries (specially the Greek islands) there are MANY different varieties! There are several thousand olive variants with about 350 being commercially available. Of course you will be most familiar with and relate to the flavor (and associated childhood memories) of the one you were brought up with, but curiously enough, if you ask a Spaniard, Italian or Greek to name the olive variant from their own region, they will often not know! Maybe in your home/region it was predominantly Kalamata? ... or Koroneiki? ... or if you are in Italy Leccino or Frantoio? ... or if you are in Spain Picual, Hojiblanca or Arbequina? All these olive types (independantly of where they are grown) will have a distinct recognizable taste profile, just as Zinfandel, Syrah, Bordeaux, Garnache, etc. . The same applies to olive oil! ... and if you like one or not is VERY subjective as you also said! All the middle of the range oils you selected are (as would be expected) blends and you should definitely try some more "monovarietal" oils (like the one from your cousins farm!) so you can perceive these differences (you do not have to be a connoisseur). You mentioned "Spanish olive oil" - well if it is Picual it will be intense, Hojiblanca will be fruity, Arbequina will be mild. So THAT is what you should be looking out for when you are "botanising" in a speciality store. The attendants in specialty stores (or olive oil bars as they are also called these days) will generally know what they have in stock and guide you to the flavor you are looking for - in Costco you have to do the research yourself! Bear also in mind that in our modern world (and just as with grapes), farmers in Spain may very well grow say Greek Kalamata to blend with local variants. So now you can have a Spanish Kalamata olive oil that will give you the same "flavor-kick" as your favorite from your cousins farm in Greece! That's how it is! 🙂 Some other points; the "sting" is from the polyphenols and olive variants that are high in polyphenols are perceived to be more pungent. Do not be afraid of these distinct and even "powerful" flavors, because you most often "pair" the oil with food and the flavors will be modified ... the somewhat bitter flavor turns to "sweet" when you add salt! That fruity strawberry tone you picked up may do magic with some cheese but not work at all with a carpaccio... and so on! The color is not significant (the lack of color would be suspicious) - professional tasters actually use blue cups to totally mask the color and not influence their perception of aromas and flavors. Newly harvested and recently pressed oils can be greener and later change to amber or gold. Many metal containers today are lined and DO NOT affect the flavor - in fact they protect the oil from sunlight and oxygen and it is best to actually leave the oil in the tin as it will prolong the shelf life! I
Best finishing olive oil I've ever had: Fruttato, by Cucina e Amore. Hard to find and a bit pricey, but worth it: nice floral flavor, no bitterness. I can almost drink it straight from the bottle. I've been able to find it online when the local stores stopped carrying it.
That was a great video. As a small Greek olive oil produser (0,3 assid this year),I can suggest to anyone who lives near a olive oil press factory try to go there and on the spot grill some bread, pass it once throught the fresh olive oil as it comes out from the machine, and add some salt and rigano....!!! Dont forget to escord it with some house wine. Doing it all of my life and still waiting every year for this moment!
Fantastic!! That is what I love. Thank you for sharing!
I dip newly baked bread in olive oil(horiatiko)when I was in Rafina and I was satisfied the pureness of Greek Olive oil...the best!!!
I love this comment! ♥️
I love it
Sadly, most Extra virgin olive oil is fake these days. I always prefer the small farm presses than the big names. Another factor is that olive has to be pressed no longer than 18 hours after harvest. SO when you hear the different olives from different countries pressed together, it will not be a quality press....
I have had 45 years of cooking experience. Over that time, I have tried many brands and kinds of olive oil. After comparing so many brands it was easy (almost) for me to pick my favorite. (Drum roll) California Olive Ranch is my pick. You should try it. Thank you for your video!
A lot of people feel the same and we have a lot in common. Cheers!
That's the only one we buy.
I was disapointed this brand was not in the video. That brand does sell one with Olive oil from various places but I buy the one with 100% California Olive oil.
Your sense is good - California Olive Ranch is typically a superior oil above other brands
Best Olive Oil we can easiest to get for Americans and are reasonable in price, ($20) is a Californian, USA product ? Also Look Out For Fake or diluted OO.
The peppery burn is polyphenols, and they are very healthful (anti-inflammatory). Personally, I like the bitterness and the heat - the same way I prefer an IPA to a lager. But to each his own.
Yes it is! Why is also very healthy to wrap it up. You are correct! All the best!
I'm the same - out here in the PNW there is an olive oil mill that produces very peppery/spicy olive oils because they have to harvest so quickly with a short growing season there isn't time to let the olives mature.
The slight burn in the back of the throat is a good sign that it is the real deal.
@@newtonburr3123 it’s a good starting point. Please watch this for a full rundown of what truly makes an olive oil exceptional and healthy. ruclips.net/video/OnUY6iHYHyY/видео.html
Thank you for explaining the bitterness & the heat! I need more polyphenols.
I've been using Filippo Berio for years in my cooking and salads. I love it. Plus it's easily available where I live.
That's all I use, and I take 2 tablespoons every morning...great for your heart.
My fave is California Olive Ranch 100% California. They also have a "global blend" - olives from various European countries. I find the 100% California option has excellent quality, better tasting.
Try Tunisian EVOO they are unsung and up and coming very affordable very delicious and tend to come in dark bottles you want your oil in dark bottles they also give you a slight burn when you taste them they are grown in a desert like climate the hotter the climate the better the olive
They tend to produce more organic EVOO in Tunisia Morroco has great EVOO but harder to find and more expensive
Thanks for your video.
I am living in Spain. There are about 350 different types of Olives for Olive Oil, and the regular price is below 5 USD for 1 litre Extra Virgen Olive Oil. You can buy at very lower price the best of the Oilive Oil.
But the normal use of the Extra Virgen Olive Oil is for salads, with bread, Salmon, Sauces, and not for cooking. For cooking usually is used the regular Olive Oil.
Most of people only knows about 4 types of Olive Oil like Picual, Arbequina, Cornicabra, Hojiblanca, Picudo, but there are many up to 250 types only in Spain.
The extra cost are transportation, taxes and comercial margines.
The Extra virgin olive oil is the highest grade of virgin olive oil derived by cold mechanical extraction without use of solvents or refining methods. And should be consumed no more than 9 months after pressed and bottled. After that time usually is considered like Olive Virgen Oil, without the Extra rating.
According to International Olive Council, median of the fruity attribute must be higher than zero for a given olive oil in order to meet the criteria of extra virgin olive oil classification.
I appreciate the time you took to share such wonderful information . Thank you! I want to do a follow up video on specialized olive oil . I am trying to find some great ones! All the best!
😊@@AwareHouseChef
I am a retired chef and I am loving this! what is sad is most the places I have worked at use pompeian in the steel container. ;) I love Bragg products, so I will try that! Thank you. Now that I only cook for me and Husband we use a nice N. California one we found. Now though my vinaigrette are just a 25 yr old bottle of balsamic, it is a treat but $$, but it does not need oil.
Thank you for sharing and for reaching out! All the best!
The reason I use Kirkland is it’s actually 100% olive oil not like many brands that cut it. That and the price. There is a website I forgot with a study done to see if olive oils are actually pure and it’s shocking to find out how many are not. Even expensive brands.
The study could be from UC Davis. Because their study found that "69%" of Extra Virgin Olive Oil are fake (old olive or blend of vegetable oil).
You put oil into the fridge, if it turns like a butter, it is from olives, if not it is mixed. It is so simple. Greetings from Slovenia🤗
Yes at 55 degrees, real olive oil solidifies
I think the gangsters have figured out a way to beat that test with their fake oo now.
have used p berio for years will try kirkland love your advice
My go to for olive oil is Spectrum organic olive oil and I prefer the Mediterranean one (says it on the label). It's the only brand I'm aware of that nitrogen flushes during bottling to prevent oxidation. It's also organic which is important with olive oil since conventionally grown olives are heavily sprayed. And they never use plastic bottles as this will leach a lot of chemicals even if it's BPA free. I believe it's one of the healthiest to consume and the taste and acidity is just perfect for me.
Thank you for that recommendation! Of health is your priority, take a look at this other video I released. All the best ! ruclips.net/video/OnUY6iHYHyY/видео.html
Thank you for this information ❤
Recently did a test with a friend. We only considered single source origin Olive Oils; specifically Spain, Morocco, Italy and Sicily. Blends were not used. There are other countries that were on this test and we plan on doing one with Greek, Syrian and Lebanese. In a blind test both of us agreed that the Sicilian was number one. We purchased it at Trader Joes. Next was Italian, Morocco and Spain. Not scientific and totally subjective. However each of us chose the same olive oils. Thank you for the review.
Thank you that is great. There will be a video released, kind of similar to what you did either Saturday or next Saturday. All the best!
Are you aware that Sicily is also part of Italy?🤦♂️
Actually you have to buy it directly from the mill to get the best quality, so you have to travel. :-)
Also the taste vary very much with the olives that are used. I prefer Picual, the strongest.
@@PierredeCur love piqual. Wouldn’t you know that it was the bottle that broke when I was reviewing high-end olive oils. Can’t make this stuff up. Cheers. ruclips.net/video/OnUY6iHYHyY/видео.html
If you're looking for health benefits, Moroccan oil has the highest amounts of polyphenols. Look up health benefits of polyphenols.
George, you are one of the most influencial RUclips personalities we watch - since we started watching your channel, we clean our All Clad pans and pots with baking soda, flavor our food with Celtic sea salt, marinate limited-ingredient green olives with garlic, lemon juice, coriander seeds and olive oil, thoroughly enjoy the Saishikomi soy sauce and - now that we're watching this video, my guess is we'll be looking at olive oils differently! LOVE your personality (former NYer here) and smarts! Thank you for your straightforward, informative and entertaining vidoes!
Sue, I'm really humbled and thankful for your wonderful comment! I appreciate you! I'm glad that you liked the products I recommend. I wish you all the best!
@@AwareHouseChef hi which one would you recommend for skin application?
@@kenycewescott1295 I’m not sure I am qualified to make that recommendation. My apologies.
I grew up with Philipo Berio oil purchased in 1 gallon metal cans that we went through in about two months; it was the only oil we used for anything. To me it's what olive oil is "supposed to" taste like and it was lovely to see it rate as highly as it did. My daughter uses Kirkland and that is also very good. The high end fancy peppery oils are good for bread dipping and other "featured" recipes but I wouldn't waste them to use in a dish where the oil flavor is not prominent.
It is kind of interesting. You kind of dismiss it as a decent olive oil because it's everywhere. You know? It is also certified which is nice. The flavor was not bad!
Italian oils are faked
I'm from Italy. My country is in the top 5 for olive oil producer. Here a bottle (1 liter ,more or less 1/5 gallon) coast about 8€. When they sell one bottle about 4€ it means olives are imported from northern Africa or Middle East.
How can I order from your country? Does Amazon offer it?
Costco has another olive oil that isn’t organic but is made entirely from Italian olives. I think it’s about $1 more than the organic.
I don’t recall seeing any oil from Italy at Costco that was made with 100% Italian olives and where the bottle says. “ product of Italy “
Instead of “ imported from Italy “
The difference is the latter is packaged and processed in Italy. Using olives from different countries
It’s impossible for a big brand to produce olive oil from just single source/country. It’s always a blend from many different countries.
I heartily agree with you, the Kirkland olive oil is superb. I recently asked my daughter, who is a very accomplished cook ,to name her favorite oil. She also named the Kirkland brand.
Recently, I paid a visit to Costco. They did not have the Kirkland brand oil in the half gallon size, it was only available in the liter? sized bottle, and the price had gone up. By the way, the Kirkland brand Balsamic vinegar is our favorite also.
I also enjoy the balsamic as well! Thanks for sharing! Cheers!
It looks like it comes in a plastic bottle. Does it? Because if so, that's a deal-breaker right there.
@@AwareHouseChef balsamic vinegar is pure syrup...not real vinegar
Great video. I think Braggs is good..IMO.
@@gust9464 thank you!
Both I and my wife, as Greeks, had access to olive oil since we were born ( just like your friend's). We moved to the UK almost a decade ago and that was the first time we had to buy olive oil. We tried Filippo Berio, but we hated it and after a couple of months we started importing our oil for personal use. I completely agree with your description regarding the smell, there's an explosion of aromas and flavours in your nose/mouth which you don't get with commercial olive oil.
Very true! Thank you for sharing!
I use Fillippo Berio olive oil and really like it!
Hii there,, why you don’t like fillippo berio???
@@georgendegwandungu5539 for commercial olive oil it's fine I guess. Still it's like comparing Panda Express with authentic Chinese cousin.
How do I get your olive oil? Do you have an e mail to order from or a name I might chose, I have tasted the ones when I was in Greece but nothing compares, thanks a lot
Greek oils are fantastic. Low acidity and it’s listed on the can. Avoid blends from different countries. Amazon sells an Italian non blend extra virgin oil . It’s my favorite now .
Cool. Thank you! I will try it!
What brand?
No no no, io sono italiana, non conosco nessuna di queste marche… noi usiamo olio Extravergine, che provenga da oliveti del sud, del nord, o del lago di Garda, è vera eccellenza… a crudo, solo extravergine , ma non certo la bottiglia che ha in mano il commentatore! 😢
They blow away the Kirkland stuff. Night and day
Can you recommend some good brands organic olive oil and unfiltered if possible ?
I’ve started taking a couple tablespoons of EV olive oil every morning and am thrilled how soothing it is to my gut! Olive oil has so many positive health effects that it really ought to be considered a super food…. I’m currently using the California olive ranch oil fwiw.
I see that California olive ranch also has an avocado/ olive oil blend. I love avocados and have to wonder what that blend would be like for general use and as a nutritional supplement…
Olive oils is quite miraculous. For healing / medicinal purposes take a look at this video Dr the ultimate olive oils. Thank you for sharing! ruclips.net/video/OnUY6iHYHyY/видео.html
Daniel robey.....I agree with you about Olive and Avocado oils. I always use them. I love avocados too.
Unfortunately, I find cured olives too salty.
Drizzle lemon with you olive oil even better for you . Easier on stomach. Breakfast 20 to 30 before eat... I just saw it.. more bang to the buck.
@@cowpoke02 Don't believe everything you see...
Best I've ever had, Mina Moroccan high polyphenol EVO, absolutely stunning at $25 for 2 liters, less than .2% acidity, unforgettable flavor
Thank you for sharing that! Check out this video: This Is What Makes An Olive Oil The Best!
ruclips.net/video/OnUY6iHYHyY/видео.html
Where do u buy that Mina oil?
@@MrLanternland it comes from a private orchard in Tripoli Greece
Hi George, I just came across your video and I’m so glad that one of your choices would be the Fillippo just because it’s the one I always used at home I like the taste of it and to me it’s the best looking one from where I usually shop!
My pleasure Wilma. Thank you for your kindness. All the best.
I watched your video on salt and I bought the Celtic salt and its amazing! I've never looked back! Now my family is buying it! THX
Shalom
More and more people are telling me the same thing. It's just such an amazing salt! I am so happy that it does not contain microplastics! Thanks for reaching out! All the best
Was wondering how that Celtic sea salt taste on steaks? Compare to kosher Mediterranean or Himalayan
@@dannyt1722 Fantastic. I've never looked back. I use it for everything
I’m Greek and our family are olive growers. First press oil you will never find in a commercial provider. If you see what olive oil we consume it looks difference the texture is thicker and the scent is so much stronger. The olive oil we ship is mixed with other oils or less quality olive oils at 40%.
Sorry to say this but it’s true
Thank you for your video.
I agree thanks for telling the truth
I’m not even Greek, but hands down the best olive oils come from Greece.
I use California Ranch Extra Virgin Olive Oil. I buy the 100% California not their global blend. The ones I used to buy at supermarket are made from multiple countries olives. The problem with that is, some of olives are old or rancid. I’ve tried to find an all Italian olives olive oil, but hard to find. I like the California brand, cause California is very stringent with their olives.
I will give it a try and look at the label. Cheers!
I used to use that brand but realized that its not organic and full of glyphosate (Round Up) which causes cancer. I only use organic brands now.
@@dianasthings729 wow really I’ll have to go to Arthur ave in Bronx to find a good organic olive oil with one source olives.
I got a bottle of Bellucci Sicilia organic from Sicily in a Natural grocery. Here in Sa,TX. Wow to taste the real stuff is amazing!
@@robbieeldridge9267 wow lucky, not seen here. Might go to Arthur ave in Bronx to try and get some
Oh how sweet it is!!! My son just returned from a whirlwind European trip with his wife and kids....and the reason for this trip was a birthday present to his daughter for her 16th birthday (my how things have changed since I was a kid!), however, thanking God for a wonderful, safe trip back and forth, along with the gift that I received in the mail just in time for Valentine's Day....a bottle of EVOO from Barcelona, Spain, a bottle of EVOO from Milan Italy, and another of my favorites a gift box of assorted cans of sardines from Lisbon Portugal. WOW, what a fun surprise and shocking since I had just found your channel, and asked about ordering EVOO from your contact. My son told me that they actually have a store that is exclusively for sardine lovers.....how amazing! I opened one bottle and had to have a shot, and I will be the first to say that I've never experienced that fresh olive taste in EVOO ever and I've tried many brands,, and in fact several that you had in your taste test. What a beautiful gesture from the best son on the planet and one that any mother would be proud of....and of course it goes without saying that equally thankful to his wife and my grandkids because they all had some input in choosing the gifts along their journey. I am so blessed indeed.
My son is currently attending culinary school in Paris, and we had the pleasure of experiencing the best sardines we have ever had in our lives! And yes, there are stores that sell nothing but sardines in Paris. I just really think that’s spectacular! We also had some really great olive oil, and some truly delicious wines. I don’t necessarily appreciate French inexpensive wines in the United States but the ones in France were really really good. Thanks for sharing! All the best.
@@AwareHouseChef Thank you for sharing, and how proud you must be of your son. To be a Chef, Ohlala!! However, to attend one of the most notable places in the world Paris France to attend culinary school...Magnifique! Dear God bless him for his strong motivation, and give him good health, safety, superior skill, and may he reign victorious so that his business will grow exponentially, and become world famous! Amen God hears and knows the desires of our hearts....
@@florencehendrick4781 amen
My favorites are Goya Extra Virgin cold pressed olive oil organic sourced from Spain and Terra Delyssa extra virgin organic olive oil from Tunisia.
Thank you! I didn’t even know Goya made an olive oil. All the best!
I like Terra D although they had some consistency issues (according to my taste buds, lol)
Read labels on Goya I think they add not 100 %
I am using Bragg for decades, for salad dressing, mixing lemon water and as skin moisturizer. It's perfect. Expensive but worth it. However I only cook food with ghee and coconut oil to handle high heat. Olive oil is not high smoke point for cooking.
Subscribed 💕
Thank you and welcome! Stay in touch! All the best.
@mary nguyen Great tip about the ghee and coconut oil for cooking at high temperatures. Thanks Mary.👍🏾❤🤗💚
I read that that wasn't true about the smoke point. I think it's false hysteria, personally. I mean they've been frying with it in other countries for eons without a problem. Maybe look into it a bit more :)
@@lynzannabel6990 I would look into it. From my research the olive oil heat thing is a myth. I don't recall the science of it but it's out there. You just have to think people in the Mediterranean have been frying foods with it for eons and they're some of the healthiest people on earth :)
Does Bragg has protected designation of origin ?
My favourite olive oil was from my Sister's orchard in Umbria (Italy) - especially when it was fresh-pressed. I would bring back 5L plus a huge piece of Parmigiano-Reggiano a few times per year. Now that I am retired I have settled on the Kirkland Organic EVOO but am sometimes able to buy imported Lebanese EVOO that is fresh-pressed. Occasionally we will see the same thing from an Italian grocery store that has brought a barrel in so that you can fill your own bottle. Fresh olive oil (i.e less than 3 months old) is so different than oil that is 12+ months old. Having said that, it can be a bit too acidic for the first month for many people. Thanks for an interesting video!
I appreciate you sharing. Fond memories. Thanks again!
Our family uses Kirkland organic extra virgin olive oil, as well as their grass-fed butter
I agree, Kirkland is really really good. I also like their balsamic vinegar.
Hi George great review. From a fellow greek George who inherited a 80 tree olive grove in Mytilene here are my comments.
I agree Greek olive oil is definitely the best tasting . I always buy greek branded olive oil from stores that carry greek olive
oil in chicago land area. My favotites are anything from kalamata evoo like minerva or greek flag. Also i have tried cretan evoo
also very good. I always wondered about the costco one and thought it would be good so i am try a bottle but i like to support
greek producers. I want to find a way to import oil cost effectively from my olive grove . If you have a comment or suggestion
let me know and thanks for review.
I suggest you sell some to me when you figure out how to do it! I will look into it. I do not know how to do that. I’ll ask my friend! And thank you so much for reaching out!
😊
Hi @George Gogis. My family import olive oil from our ktimata in Kalamata to London. You need to speak to people you know in olive oil production in Mytilene who can recommend how to do it. I know it is doable because the guy in my village who looks after the olive groves also sends the oil to families in the USA
@@panagiotakonstantopoulou962 thank you. Will do
California Ranch Olive Oil, many blends and varietals. I use it almost daily. Delicious. California is now growing 1000s of acres of olives for oil which are very different than the fruit cultivars they jar & can.
After trying out about 60-70 different olive oils over the course of ~40 years, I have stuck with Cretan olive oil (from the island of Crete, Greece) the last 8 years.
It’s always a toss up for me between Kalamata and Cretan as my favorite Greek commercially available olive oils. Thanks for sharing
@@AwareHouseChef My favorite olives are from Kalamata and oil from Crete. Kalamata olive oil is very good too but hard to find in the US. There was a special on the Travel Channel (I think) with a scientist describing the role of the Aegean and Mediterranean winds play to produce exceptional olive oil in Crete. If you are ever in Crete take a drive cross-island and you will see a ton of olive groves on the hillsides. That's less than 1% of what is actually on the island which are not visible from the main highway and need to take the multitude of secondary and back roads to get to them. Also worth visiting are olive groves that consist of trees that are thousands of years old. They are very interesting looking, like nothing you have seen before.
@@vtecharrys.6981 Crete is on my travel list.Any easy to get delicious Kalamata olive in the US (at least on the east coast) is Messinia. Hope you can find it.
My choice is BRAGG , it has smooth & buttery taste as you said besides it's organic.
Thank you for this video. As you said it is a lot like wine, and taste are differant. I use Trader Joes Greek Kalamata EVOO. I take two tablespoons of oil and fresh lemon juice every morning. In that case the amount of polyphenols is important, but I still want good flavor. Kirklands has been spoken of highly in a number of taste test, for their quality, and flavor.
Thank you David. If you take olive of in the morning for health purposes please select an olive oil with more of the health benefits listed on the label. Take a look here. This is an exhaustive video on just that. Cheers! ruclips.net/video/OnUY6iHYHyY/видео.html
I really enjoy your style of videos! So glad I came across the channel!!
Thank you so much! Truly appreciate your reaching out. All the best!
Yes me too.
I've watched several olive oil videos. One of the things pointed out by several olive growers is that true uncut pure evoo leaves a slight "burning" or "spicy" background on the back of the tongue; they have all stated to never purchase evoo or olive oil that is a combination of olive oils from different regions or countries, stick with a pure single region or single country olive oil; lastly, they all say most olive oils on the shelves in the grocery market are "flavored" canola or vegetable oil, and some come from rancid olive oils that have been chemically treated to taste good. California has a very nice evoo that I use. If you are lucky to get one, like you had straight from Greece and you knew where it came from, then a bottle from an early squeeze from a single olive tree farm, without any additives or chemical enhancement, then that would be great as well.
Thanks this was meant to be a less informative video about taste in readily accessible olive oils. I think you might be interested in a more in depth video I released about olive oil just recently ruclips.net/video/OnUY6iHYHyY/видео.html
@@AwareHouseChef I'll check it out...thanks!
In the UK a decent brand is on some supermarket shelves, Farchioni Jl Casolare, cold extracted & unfiltered. It’s a blend of olive oils of European Union origin & has a smooth, slightly grassy tang, smells of fresh olives.
Thank you! I appreciate you reaching out!
Im so relieved ypu picked Braggs....best and healthiest that ive found
Good choice!
Good stuff. I've always used Filippo Barrio because my Italian grandmother used it.
Very informative. We use Kirkland Olive Iul on a regular basis. If we get to a Greek market we also like Horio olive oil.
So many good Greek olive oils. Thank you for sharing your go-to. Cheers!
I use the whole foods 365 organic evoo med blend (IT/GR/TN/ES); partially because it's very cheap and still in glass, but I think it also tastes pretty good, and despite eating about a bottle a week I don't feel like there's any indication of bad quality control in the production and custody of it, although my experience is limited. It has a great rich olive smell and the initial taste is slighty bitter, followed quickly by a nice buttery flavor and a peppery after taste. I really wouldn't be surprised if they're bottling oil from the same source as Kirkland, with just a different label. I'll have to try both.
That brand is not good for you. The Kirkland Italian olive oil is far better the 365 organic.
@@jtcarter2967 Thanks for your reply. What makes you say that 365 is lower quality? I'd like to try the Kirkland brand, but I worry that here in the states that our regulatory agencies probably don't scrutinize plastic containers well enough to ensure harmful chemicals aren't leeching into my food. I try to play it safe while keeping things affordable.
@@ferengi2022 Everyone has to die sometime...don't worry about the plastic bottle.
@@erictrippe2778 😂😂
Change out to a glass bottle-- have saved & sterilized my green bottles from other olive oils
Been buying the Kirkland brand just because it was convenient and didn't know it was better than some of the competition, good to know 👍. Hope I can someday come across a Greek small batch olive 🫒 oil importer, than I'll be on your level ✌️.
It's funny because I grew up on this oil, the Greek olive oil that is. And I took it for granted for a really long time. Keep an eye out, you'll find somebody who imports their own Olive oil. Sometimes, it can be a little bitter depending on the harvest. All the best!
Same here 😊
Thank you for sharing. Great descriptions. Your presentation was perfectly clear.
My pleasure ! Thank you for your kindness!
Put it in the fridge; if it gets cloudy and thick (hard to pour) then it is good grade! MOST of the brands you buy in the store are fake, diluted and actually very bad for you!
And yes; Kirkland is one of the very best, you can trust it. For the money you can't buy a better one!
Been enjoying your informative videos and actually use the Fillipo Berio at home. Really great value and it really elevates a good plate of Aglio Olio with a drizzle right at the end. So glad that it's in the top 3 here, looks like my taste buds ain't too shabby ;)
Thank you Sean! So glad that you reached out. If you do get the chance, check out the Greek olive oil I recommend in the description below the video. It is a very good oil as well. Thank you!!
Been eating Garlic & Oil all my life. My grandma said it was called the Depression dish as it was cheap and you can add any veggies you like to it..I love either Broccoli or Cauliflower and sliced black olives,
I've been using Filippo Berio for years and I love it.
lol, just started my olive oil "journey" and picked Filippo Berio to start with, only because it was frequently mentioned on the PBS automobile maintenance radio show, Click & Clack - The Tappet Brothers, as something you need to carry in your trunk during the winter to provide added weight to give rear-wheel drive cars more traction. Really miss that show!
Unfortunately Berio is packaged in Italy using a blend of Spanish , Greek , and oil from Tunisia
After years if experimenting and not able to get my favorite olive oil from Dalmatian coast in Croatia I settled for Carapelli Italian not filtered extra Virgin for 12-13 $ in Walmart. The best.
Really! That’s surprising that it’s available from Walmart. I have to look into it. Thanks for sharing!
After watching Dr. Berg's video on olive oils, I was glad to see your video. I actually enjoy Carrabba's olive oil, however have purchased what I found in the stores, as long as it was organic. I have recently purchased olive oil from Williams Sonoma. I don't think it is as good as Carrabba's, and have not tried the other bottle yet.
You were reaching out! For some mysterious reason your comment was held for review. Just found it. All the best!
Dr. BERG KNOWS HIS STUFF . GREAT DOCTOR.
Braggs has been my go to. Glad it’s ranked highly.
Yummy and healthy. Cheers
The reason I use olive oil is for the health benefits and not so much looking for the best taste. Also, it looks like the Kirkland is in a plastic bottle to which i believe good olive oil or at least real olive oil is always in a glass bottle preferably tinted to keep out light
I’m a firm believer in the health benefits of olive oil. And if you’d like to find out which olive oil’s are really good for you, there are a few things you need to know. I did a updated video just on that. I hope it is informative and you like it. Thanks for reaching out!
ruclips.net/video/OnUY6iHYHyY/видео.html
I've been using the Walmart brand of extra virgin organic olive oil for a while now and I mix 1 Oz with 8 ozs of V8 juice and a touch of pink Himalayan salt and black pepper and turmeric with my breakfast
Thanks for the tip about the metal containers. I just bought California Olive Ranch and I got the extra virgin olive oil 100% California reserve and I got it for The Bold and peppery taste to try. I could only find it in a metal bottle. The price range wasn't bad it was $9. The Taste is very bold and it very much smells like olives
I have heard great things about that brand! I appreciate you reaching out’ cheers!
I use this Olive oil and it's very good 👍
I also use California Ranch 100% California EVOO. Been very happy with it's rich taste.
What's a metal bottle??🤣
a metal bottle.. not glass
I've been using California olive ranch evoo. I like the 100 percent california brand and not the global blend. I like single origin because I don't know the percentage of the other olives. U.S.A. grown. the difference is 49 cents/ounce for global vs. 66 cents california.
Many have commented about how much they enjoy that brand. Thanks!
As I was saying in the 3 previous comments, that were conveniently censored earlier, there is a reference unbiased world ranking for olive oils can be found in the oficial site of the World Best Olive Oils (WBOO). The first Greek olive oil does not shows until rank 28. More realistic reference olive oils for comparison should be those on first ranks, there is a lot to choose from with Spain, Italy, France and Portugal occupying ranks 1-10, and more in particular Spanish olive oils being in 6 out of the 10 best. Thanks for not applying censorship this time!
I never did. Thank you for the information
There are other official Olive oil websites where greek oil is in the top 3 (even at 1st place). Just saying 😉
The first question I research when I hear about ''rankings''...is who are the people doing the rankings?
The Greek olive oils...especially from Crete ....are the best value....in my opinion.
Most sites don't let you post links unfortunately.
I been using Bragg olive oil and vinegar, love the stuff !
Always been a big fan of the vinegar! Thanks for sharing!
So please. Which is the really good one of the Olive Oil. Thank you for sharing this. Great day.
The best olive oil is the freshest, single origin. To find that the manufacturer needs to provided data. Here is how to find the best: ruclips.net/video/OnUY6iHYHyY/видео.html
Love how he (George?) got content tabs on his videos. So much faster when you need to skip to certain parts
Sometimes people want more content sometimes people have time for only a little bit. Best thing RUclips ever did was add those chapter tabs. Cheers!
This is great content! Your channel deserves more subscribers! Professional quality content for the everyday home cook.
I've gotten my family hooked on celtic sea salt ever since I saw your video on salt. It makes me feel like a crack dealer
Ha ha! I dole it out in togo soup quarts to friends and family because I get it 100 pounds at a time. I feel like Al Pacino at the end of Scarface 😂. Thanks for the encouragement and the kindness. Cheers
Lol, agreed. He (George?) has great content. Hope he get more subscribers soon!
...maybe if he does product reviews videos, and recipes it will attract more attention. I can always learn how to make a better egg Benedict 😂
This was a very enjoyable video. Thanks for sharing. Personally I happen to love California Olive Ranch. They make a 100% California oil that’s quite lovely and often fairly buttery. I’m eager to try the Braggs! BTW, I would really love to find an extra virgin olive oil made entirely out of black olives. I know it’s not as shelf-stable, but if I could find one, I’d be all about it. Do you happen to know of one? Cheers
Thank you! I appreciate the kindness. I believe but I am not 100% sure that Moroccan olive oils are made with dark olives. They are almost medicinal. Let me know if you find one! I also like California Olive Ranch. At the time it was not available locally. Of course, now it’s everywhere. All the best!
Thanks for the info.
There's another RUclips Video where olive oils were compared & California Olive Oil was chosen as #1, so I've been using it alone. However, I may have stuck myself in a box. Watching other olive oil comparisons may broaden my view.
California brand global is my personal favorite as well.
I like the Braggs.
Our home favorite is Carbonell from Spain.
That one was my father's favorite, and his father was from Spain.
My family used to get that in Cuba. We are moving to Spain from Florida, to malaga.
I love Spain! Safe travels! ruclips.net/video/2BDSbPv2vxk/видео.htmlsi=_95f7rkHN852ScwE
I like the Bertolli Gourmet EVOO, mostly just because I like Bertolli's environmental sustainability commitments. They don't buy from farmers that harvest at night, which saves birds from being sucked up in olive trees and they're restoring grasslands for bugs.
Didn’t realize that. Thanks!
Their olive oil was found to be adulterated with cheaper oils. That was a few years ago and could have changed.
Costco and Trader Joe's oils are unadulterated. Or shop at a specialty shop.
@@americafirst9144 yeah, I read that. I'm sure that motivated them to change their ways. I only get the gourmet one. It's probably the best tasting olive oil I've had.
@@ronaldkichurchak3833 I used to buy Bertolli at the grocery store years ago, but never tried the Gourmet one.
Hi George - we ran out of the Kirkland olive oil so naturally I re-watched this video to get your recommendation about other brands you liked. (We're ordering from Whole Foods so they don't offer Kirkland branded products.) I just ordered the Bragg olive oil and I'm looking forward to tasting it. Instead of guessing at which brand to buy I got to pick your brain by way of returning to this video - how handy was that?!
That's fantastic! Thank you for inspiring me! I appreciate you letting me know. Cheers!
So... how did you like the Bragg olive oil? Is it better than Kirkland?
@@judgeadvocate9275 it's lighter and almost 'cleaner' tasting than the Kirkland brand. You get more of a 'green' taste from it - :more vegetal. We like it!!
@@suecampbell4811 you said nothing that makes the oil better. It isn’t good to take alone for superior olive oil benefits.
Look for the ones that have the highest levels of polyphenols. Look up benefits of polyphenols.
Bragg is my favorite because it is organic!
Thank you for the interesting and informative video. While I use EVOO for cooking and in salad dressings, and do try different brands of mostly Greek or Italian oil, I will now pay more attention to the subtleties you discussed. You make my Greek-American heart proud!
I appreciate you! Thank you for your comment! I was really surprised to see that the less expensive olive oils had decent flavoring. Let me know which one you like! Cheers!
I am looking for a good olive oil for salad dressing but the ones I’ve tried are just so bitter and I can’t get over it. Which one is your favorite?
@@AwareHouseChef e
@@candaceholley5142 sorry I just noticed this. I would try the Braggs or the Kirkland. All the best!
EVOO from Chile? That is pretty good. Weird, but strong taste. I would say way better than anything in the video. I wish I could find those here in the US. I'm pretty sure I will find good olive oil here, but so far only ok oils in the supermarkets. Next I will try stuff from Amazon. And yes, Kirkland is decent. But still not even close to something like Deleyda premium or Myconus. I miss good olive oil!
I am a olive oil collector for the last 40 years.. It’s true what you are saying. Even though I am expert in the subject, still learning. It’s easier for me to taste whiskey than olive oil.
Best I find comes from Western Greece Israel and California.
Good luck in tasting olive oil..
Thank you for sharing Chris. I appreciate your input and expertise. I recently released a much more thorough video on olive oil characteristics. I can see after going through the process that it is mind bending how complex a single ingredient can be. I have not had much experience with California olive oils. I look forward to tasting many. All the best. ruclips.net/video/OnUY6iHYHyY/видео.html
Thank you for sharing Chris. I appreciate your input and expertise. I recently released a much more thorough video on olive oil characteristics. I can see after going through the process that it is mind bending how complex a single ingredient can be. I have not had much experience with California olive oils. I look forward to tasting many. All the best. ruclips.net/video/OnUY6iHYHyY/видео.html
Thank you for not saying Kirkland. I’m reading. All the Kirk cost . Recommendations. Cracking up. They ave to be paid bots
I, too, much prefer the Kirkland ORGANIC. It's inexpensive, readily available, consistently excellent. I also love the expensive little samples that I find at certain high end restaurants. But why spend millions when a thousand will do just as well?
Hi I grew up thinking Bertolli was the only olive oil & solely used it for decades til recently. I now use Phillipe Berio but have been branching out trying others recently. Your videos inspire me to really taste and investigate what I am buying. I gotta try Kirkland next trip to Costco
Thanks so much for your excellent presentation n style !! I am also curious about "your" olive 🫒oil ? Does someone make it for you ?
They don't make it for me. They make it for themselves and then whatever is left over they bring to the United States, it pretty much gets sold to friends and family. But there are a lot of these guys that do that. Hopefully you'll be able to track somebody down! Thanks for reaching out!
Interesting - I have been purchasing the Kirkland/Cosco brand for a long time - I did not know it rated so well against the others. I get a lot of things at Cosco - quality food at great prices - on many things, but certainly not all items. The Cosco here in Naples, FL is a zoo during the winter months when all the snow birds are here in FL, but the products are worth it.
I agree. Thanks for sharing that. All the best!
I gave Rustico Olive Oil - Extra Virgin Unfiltered a try and found it has a nice flavor. There is a slight acidic bite, it's much more buttery than bitter, but the aroma is not particularly strong.
I am disappointed that you didn't mention the name of your favorite Olive Oil & talk more about it. You mentioned thar yours has a little nutty flavor which I'd like. I use Braggs & would like to compare it to your favorite brand.
In the beginning of the video I explained that it is from a private orchard and cannot be purchased. The point of the whole video was to find an inexpensive oil that came close to an olive oil you could not buy
Thank you appreciate your choosing readily available olive oil. Thank you heads up on bitterness. The Wal-Mart organic olive oil is good it may not be as.buttery or nutty but they give you a lot for the money. But it's not cheap. I think it's under 15 dollars for about a quart. I'll try the Braggs if I run across it I like the Idea of buttery smooth mature olives at harvest. You've done a wonderful public service in this selection of olive oil Thank you Sir.
Thank you for your kindness. It was my pleasure
Blessed love, my Olive marks CENTO first cold press Extra Virgin Olive oil is that good?
I have never had the pleasure of tasting it. I’m I’ll see if it is available near me. All the best
Kirkland has been a good one for me. I add it to a dark glass jar with a pourer and I throw 5/6 garlic cloves in it and it is great for salads etc... Avocado oil for cooking. Thanks for the Vid! 👍👍
My pleasure and all the best!
Keep in mind that unrefrigerated garlic in olive oil can create botulism. It isn't common, but can happen. You might look into it further.
Absolutely! Refrigerate it!!
I have been trying to figure this out for years. For the past several years I have been using Jovial Foods Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, first press. It's has a peppery finish and is delicious with herbs and spices as a dipping sauce for breads. It is a nice green color, but I hear color doesn't really mean much. For a 33.8 oz. bottle its about $35 per bottle. I buy three at a time for a better price and I love the beautiful box it comes in.
I really love the fact that you included that has a peppery taste which is really I think awesome LOL so thanks for your comment it’s a help believe me it is , Again thanks so much
Donate your money to the poor
I use the Kirkland organic and when I need to have something really special try the Kirkland “ Toscano.”It is 100 pct sourced from olives in Tuscany and is only available at Costco for a limited time after production, however is readily available for 4-5 months. It’s about 13.99 for a 1 liter bottle and is a fantastic value. I’d be interested in your opinion if you find it
I will most certainly keep a look out for it. I’m hoping it’s available at mine. Cheers!
Any of your picks are good olive oils for cooking. Good job.
I wouldn’t spend big $ on EVOO unless you like to dip good bread into it (I do) with a pinch of salt or use it in salads. Then, the taste difference is worth the expense.
Thank you! I appreciate the kindness. Cheers!
During WWII my Sicilian grandmother had tins of olive oil sent to her from relatives in Sicily. I recall it (through bread dipping) to not be oily, nor did it coat the inside of the mouth or to be tasteless. I remember she never used sugar when making pasta sauce either. I remember some months back watching Nick Stelino on PBS. One thing he said about olive oil that stuck with me was that the best olive oil was slightly sweet. Maybe that's why my grandmother never used sugar in her cooking. She would rub olive oil on wild game and the "wildness" that you taste with game wasn't there. I've not found an olive oil that even comes close to my grandmother's olive oil.
I have fond memories of the olive oil we ate in Greece. Truly nothing like it. Thanks for sharing
I use the organic Terra Delyssa from Tunisia.
One of the top
Excellent presentation! This is very helpful. I've been using the Pomp... smooth for cooking and robust for salad and like them because they're available here. Have been considering a costco membership and it is very likely that I will get one.
Suggestion: I've been using butter, canola, and olive oil as my cooking fats and I'm about to transition from canola because of what I've learned about it. Can you recommend a good alternative and how it differs from popular vegetable oils? And maybe how best to apply them? I've been looking at avocado oil and walnut oil, and I'm thinking of standardizing on avocado because of availability and price. But I don't know, for example, whether I can make a mayonnaise with it that tastes as good as my current home made or the popular one that starts with H.
When I am not using olive oil my goto oil is avocado. It does make a great mayo but it’s not as neutral as soy bean oil which I do.m not use. Walnut oil is also a good option but it is pricey.
Thanks for the review; my favourite olive oil when taking the price into consideration is the organic version of filippo Berio.
Thank you for sharing John. I also gravitate towards organic oils . I appreciate the kindness. Cheers!
Nice, informative review. Can you do a review on the healthiest, highest polyphenol olive oils and the different types of polyphenols?
That will be out either this Saturday or next! Thank you!!
I'm sorry you didn't consider California Olive Ranch, EVOO, it comes in a square bottle, I prefer Robust Olive oils, also Trader Joe's Italian, and EV Premium OO, both cold pressed and both below $20. the only OOs I have used in the last 25 years, my preference is Robust OO... no blends, and no mixes from different countries. Thanks for the review.
My pleasure and thank you for your kindness. I am planning on focusing exclusively on California oils in the future
Portuguese olive oil is wonderful and they have a lot of oficial controls to ensure the purity and origin of the portuguese olive oil. Try some trademarks like “Gallo”, “Oliveira da serra”, “cinco soldos” and others.
Thank you!
Este gajo aqui no vídeo não percebe nada de azeite.
@@Mokhas45 what is it he doesn't understand?
I have bought olive oil at the source in Portugal and love it. Other than that I have tried the Kirkland and agree it is very good.
Portuguese oil is the best with flavour
Hey Kirkland! Sponsor this man.
Another great video George.
Haha Jim! Thanks for the shout out! But hey, you never know? Cheers!
Yes that would be nice if they can sponsor you.
I buy Lucini Italian from time to time when it's on sale. It's $20 to $25. I'm curious, what do you think of it?
I have never had it. But I will give it a try when I come across it. Thank you!
I thank you for the information because I was always not sure which olive Oil I should purchase.
It was my pleasure thank you for your kindness. If you really want to get technical and explore the best olive oils please watch this as well. All the best.
ruclips.net/video/OnUY6iHYHyY/видео.html
I find the Goya band olive oil to be very tasty also,
Great video. You've inspired me to try tasting some different olive oils. Question: I've read that some cookware manufacturers recommend not cooking in olive oil on high heat (like frying) because of the low smoke point (they think it damages the pan). Do you have an opinion on that? Suggestion for video: how about one on vinegar. I have at least six different vinegars in my pantry, but i'm not always sure what to use on what. Thanks!
This is more than you will ever want to know about olive oil. In this video, I discuss a variable that determines the smoke point of olive oil. Unfortunately, it is hard to find these stats on most olive oils. Take a look. Thank you! ruclips.net/video/OnUY6iHYHyY/видео.html
Low smoke point oil will burn when cooking in high temperature. It’s harmful to your health (heart diseases, cancer, etc) and will taste bitter.
Olive oil costs at least $25 per litre to produce, so an under $20 bottle will be no more than a pint or half litre. Most grocery store olive oils aren't even olive oil, being blended at best. Unless you're getting through a lot of olive every week, buy small bottles as olive oil starts to oxidise as soon as the bottle is opened.
what is a grocery store olive oil? the pompeian oil is sold by my grocery and i am wondering if it has veg oil mixed in. it says first pressed olive oil, but is it 100% olive oil. shouldn't the label tell you this?
@@bobs5596 Mass produced olive oils shipped directly from the blending factories to the warehouses of huge grocery chain stores; to the USA in quart sized bottles, to elsewhere in 1 litre sized bottles. Artisan olive oils arrive from the olive groves concerned, invariably in at least three sizes of bottles, such as 500 ml 250 ml and 100 ml as, without a coravin system or equivalent, olive oil begins to oxidise as soon as the bottle is opened. Back in the day when (extended) families were considerably larger and farmers had itinerant workers to feed seasonally, larger containers were commonplace.
@@traditionalfood367 so is the pompeian oil contaminated with seed oil or not? will labels tell you if seed oils are in the olive oil? otherwise, how would would a consumer know? and what label would be on a grocery store olive oil? seems to me they are all grocery store olive oils if you buy it in a grocery store. btw, i can't make much sense of your response.
If you’re going to purchase average store bought olive oils and you are looking for a reliable trustworthy reference the company needs to be approved by a trustworthy agency like the International Olive Council or the California Olive Council for example. The bottle will have their insignia labeled on it. If you are looking for true specifications that are more technical, kindly watch this video ruclips.net/video/VemAfCZAQ_w/видео.html
@@bobs5596 Artisan olive oils have the name of their olive grove on their bottles. It sounds like you're as yet uninformed about olive oil, so I suggest reading Tom Mueller's book Extra Virginity.
I use Philips Barrio and Bertolli- didn’t know Braggs made olive oil, will try that. Thanks, I also thought Kirkland was low end because of its “family sized” packaging. I will try that as well! Thanks for a really interesting breakout on this pantry staple for me!
My pleasure. Thank you for reaching out. Let me know if you find one of these to suit your taste. Cheers
I want to enjoy EVOO and of it's too peppery I don't enjoy it. I've tried several and I like California Olive Ranch.
George, I love the content on your channel. I watched at least 20 videos in a row until I couldn't look at my screen anymore lol. Your curiosity with researching origins of food is inspiring, and I really appreciate the time and work you put into every video. Seeing the core knowledge and honesty behind your resources gives me hope in a world full of facts with no basis. I'm looking forward to more content, and hopefully will visit your restaurant some day! I want to know, and think about this every video, how do you have so many FIRE neon signs that set the scene for each topic? Do you purchase them in advance? Do you know someone that makes neon signs? They add an amazing aspect to your content, and they leave me with curiosity. Maybe that's the point, but I can't help but ask! Love you, keep on!
Hi Hannah. I am humbled and thankful for your kindness and comments. I appreciate you and I want to let you know that comments like yours keep me going! The letters are LED and made to look like neon. They snap together. I have a bunch of letters. All the best!!
George, I am of Greek background like you. I bring olive oil from Greece in small batches. My oil comes from the Koroneiki variety and it actually comes from the village named after this variety, Koroni.
I know the price the the farmer sells it for in Greece. They are always complaining about the price. That olive oil once it leaves the farmers hands passes many other hands and each party needs to make a mark up. By the time it reaches the supermarket it has gone through at least 5-6 hands. From the farmer it gets collected by a buyer/broker who gets an order from a multinational company often overseas, then it gets shipped to the company, blended, mixed with other crap, packed, marketed and then shipped again to the supermarkets around the world. I am always skeptical of the multinational companies when they sell olive oil and the blends because I think they mess with it. Olive oil blending is a big industry and there are people who specialize in it. They don’t do it to make the oil taste better they do it to string out the expensive oil with cheap I don’t know what.
I don’t trust what certification they have. If the price is too cheap then I hate to think what is in it. Why would anyone in their right mind blend Greek oil with Spanish, Moroccan, Italian and Australian. It does not make sense. Most of the tins I see in the supermarket sell for not much more than what the farmer sells the oil for. How do they do it?
My advice to anyone is to source some local oil from one location as not every one has access to oil from a Greek village. You are much better of this way and use it as a health product and you have peace of mind.
Be careful with the larger tins, not that I need to convince you but any of your subscribers.
I always wondered about that because the olive oil I buy from Greece is about the same as what I pay wholesale for my restaurant. Thanks sharing! All the best.
@@AwareHouseChef If it doesn’t make sense …..it doesn’t make sense.
You're absolutely right, blending olive oils of various origins completely ruins the character and taste it had gained from the very land on which the olive tree grew. I personally never buy blends, they scream industrial trickery to me.
@@aoigenei
Definitely. I am told that some blends can even contain motor oil.
Olive oil is a fat. A good way of checking what you have is real or not is to put some in a glass and then leave it in a refrigerator overnight. If it is solid like butter the next day then you should have some confidence that you have olive oil. If it doesn’t go solid then you have something else in your mix.
By way of contrast if you leave sunflower oil in the refrigerator it won’t go solid.
@@Mike-iq8ct The grower doesn’t sell olives. The grower takes the harvest and turns the olives into olive oil and then sells it often via a broker who gets an order from an international company for say 100 tonnes of oil and the broker has to complete the order by dealing with various farmers.
Well this is my experience in Greece. Often the oil goes from Greece to Italy and gets baptised as Italian.
Thanks for doing exactly the thing I was looking for! Although I'd be interested to see what the Walmart's Great Value Organic Olive Oil as well as some Trader Joe's brand ones to compare, but I your review of the different oils seemed pretty spot on from what I remember from my experience as well. I'm definitely looking to get a Costco membership again just for the oils and frozen berries, brocolli, and meats alone!
Thank you Chandler! There are so many different one out there it almost seems endless. All the best!
The Kirkland brand (Costco) is a very fine evoo as far as store bought...comes from a single source, not blended from different places, high quality, not cut with canola or vegetable oil, very pure.
Since Walmart is a Govt run entity I personally would avoid their foods. Sam Walton (where the namesake comes frim) ran the concentration camps in Californias desert, the one filled with American born Asians who lost their businesses, homes & more from being locked up during WW2, their kids also. HRC has also been on its board for over 25 yrs. NO THANKS TO WALMART FOR ANYTHING. Have been boycotting them for 30 yrs & will continue to do so. Anyone with self respect, who cares about equality & humanity & quality of what you put into your body, wld not shop there.
@@Userxyz-z2d I avoid Walmart like the plague. If I end up at Walmart, it's because it's my last resort, I couldn't find the item anywhere else...which happens 1/100 of the time. I much prefer shopping the small local grocery stores. I recently started the Carnivore Diet, not much call for any vegetable oil of any kind, mostly butter, ghee, beef tallow, and bacon grease...and duck tallow or fat if you can find it.
@@jameshigginbothamiii8703 oddly, Im doing the carnivore too. I mostly use bacon grease or ghee or that Irish butter but its very pricey.
Been using Philippo Berio for years and love it. Just picked up a new bottle earlier today. Good stuff
Glad you enjoy it!
Moroccan olive oil is the one that Gunther MD is selling on RUclips,, I have watched an Italian lady that taste the olive oils, the one by Costco. Was one of her choices, she read the sources on the bottles, the one in the can with a really cool picture on the front of the can, there would be more polyphenols , in these two, which is why we chose olive oil in the first place, she said it last about 18 months from the time of its press, thanks for your information
You may want to take a look at this video. It will give you the standards for quality olive oil. Cheers. ruclips.net/video/OnUY6iHYHyY/видео.html
Keep sampling different brands for fun and always come back to Braggs. It's fantastic on salads and for dipping with a definite bite (the good kind). As a previous commenter mentioned, use coconut oil for cooking.
Thank you! I was always Leary of cooking with olive oils. I learned a lot and I share it in this video. I think it will be useful to you. All the best! ruclips.net/video/OnUY6iHYHyY/видео.html
The Pompeian brand you used was not the regular flavor. You purchased the ROBUST flavor in which the flavor has been purposely enhanced to be ROBUST it says so right on the bottle @10:41. When I bought it, the ROBUST flavor was too strong for me, but then I bought the REGULAR flavor and it was MORE SMOOTH.
I am usually not familiar with that brand. Thanks for sharing!
I like the pompiean smooth
This guy knows his stuff !
He sets a Greek olive oil as the standard .
I am very fussy about my olive oil
also .
I have bought almost every kind of olive oil on the market , in many different markets.
USA, Europe
S.America , .
For me, Greek olive oil is the best.
I discovered it one
day by accident in Extra !
Wow, what an awesome flavor .
Sweet and aromatic !
AND affordable also
Comes in blue bottle with a Tojan on it .
DML
Thank you!
Thank you sOoo much for taking ur time in this small survey.
My pleasure!
I lived in Cyprus for 20 years. I haven't used butter in many years. I'm in the Philippines now. I buy Kirkland online. Its yummy.
Thanks for the trial on "readily available" olive oils. One FUNDAMENTAL difference in FLAVOR is the actual OLIVE VARIANT. Olive is a fruit - just like grapes, apples, pears, etc. so more than the "terroir", it is the olive variant that determines the flavor and organoleptic characteristics! ... and being one of the few edible fats (save avocados) that you extract directly from a fruit, you cannot compare the immense variety and complexity in flavors with all other edible oil that are extracted from seeds or nuts (as you said) !!
So it is not so much the country that determines whether it is intense, fruity or mild, it is (I repeat) the variant. You explained it very well relative to the wine (the grape sort being the determining factor), but when you switched to olive oil, you referred to the country. Spanish olive oil, Greek olive oil, etc. But even in each of these countries (specially the Greek islands) there are MANY different varieties! There are several thousand olive variants with about 350 being commercially available. Of course you will be most familiar with and relate to the flavor (and associated childhood memories) of the one you were brought up with, but curiously enough, if you ask a Spaniard, Italian or Greek to name the olive variant from their own region, they will often not know! Maybe in your home/region it was predominantly Kalamata? ... or Koroneiki? ... or if you are in Italy Leccino or Frantoio? ... or if you are in Spain Picual, Hojiblanca or Arbequina? All these olive types (independantly of where they are grown) will have a distinct recognizable taste profile, just as Zinfandel, Syrah, Bordeaux, Garnache, etc. . The same applies to olive oil! ... and if you like one or not is VERY subjective as you also said! All the middle of the range oils you selected are (as would be expected) blends and you should definitely try some more "monovarietal" oils (like the one from your cousins farm!) so you can perceive these differences (you do not have to be a connoisseur).
You mentioned "Spanish olive oil" - well if it is Picual it will be intense, Hojiblanca will be fruity, Arbequina will be mild. So THAT is what you should be looking out for when you are "botanising" in a speciality store. The attendants in specialty stores (or olive oil bars as they are also called these days) will generally know what they have in stock and guide you to the flavor you are looking for - in Costco you have to do the research yourself! Bear also in mind that in our modern world (and just as with grapes), farmers in Spain may very well grow say Greek Kalamata to blend with local variants. So now you can have a Spanish Kalamata olive oil that will give you the same "flavor-kick" as your favorite from your cousins farm in Greece! That's how it is! 🙂
Some other points; the "sting" is from the polyphenols and olive variants that are high in polyphenols are perceived to be more pungent. Do not be afraid of these distinct and even "powerful" flavors, because you most often "pair" the oil with food and the flavors will be modified ... the somewhat bitter flavor turns to "sweet" when you add salt! That fruity strawberry tone you picked up may do magic with some cheese but not work at all with a carpaccio... and so on!
The color is not significant (the lack of color would be suspicious) - professional tasters actually use blue cups to totally mask the color and not influence their perception of aromas and flavors. Newly harvested and recently pressed oils can be greener and later change to amber or gold.
Many metal containers today are lined and DO NOT affect the flavor - in fact they protect the oil from sunlight and oxygen and it is best to actually leave the oil in the tin as it will prolong the shelf life!
I
Best finishing olive oil I've ever had: Fruttato, by Cucina e Amore. Hard to find and a bit pricey, but worth it: nice floral flavor, no bitterness. I can almost drink it straight from the bottle. I've been able to find it online when the local stores stopped carrying it.
Why is that? Every time I fall in love with a product it disappears 😞