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Best olive oil that won't cost me an arm and a leg?

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Flaxbee Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jul-05-10 09:13 PM
Original message
Best olive oil that won't cost me an arm and a leg?
Anyone have any favorites? And what is a fair price? :hi: Thanks!
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Stinky The Clown Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jul-06-10 07:15 AM
Response to Original message
1. We like Safeway's house brand, Safeway Select
Very fruity. Not expensive. Often on sale (that's when we buy it).
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Flaxbee Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jul-06-10 11:12 AM
Response to Reply #1
5. no safeways in my current part of the world...
but it's good to know!
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hippywife Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jul-06-10 08:53 AM
Response to Original message
2. Believe it or not
The Whole Foods Organic 365 house brand is not very expensive.
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Flaxbee Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jul-06-10 11:14 AM
Response to Reply #2
6. Hmm. Haven't been in a Whole Foods in about 6 years
- there wasn't one within 100 miles of where I used to live, and I haven't stopped in to one in northern Virginia. I'll check it out. Thanks!
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DrDan Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jul-06-10 01:56 PM
Response to Reply #2
15. I have used this one also - and liked it
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Warpy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jul-06-10 09:08 AM
Response to Original message
3. I always go for the Bertolli
because I've never had a bad bottle from them. I'd call them low-mid range. Paying through the nose for a fancier bottle is no guarantee of superior quality.

I'm told the only real way to get ultra high quality olive oil is to develop a relationship with a grower who presses his own, not terribly practical for those of us here in the US.

Commercial processes all degrade the product, so the best thing to do is sample them until you find one you can live with. For me, that's Bertolli.
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Flaxbee Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jul-06-10 11:15 AM
Response to Reply #3
8. I've not had a bad experience with Bertolli, either.
Just wondering if there is anything else out there I should keep a lookout for.

Occasionally I'll buy a fancy brand at TJMaxx - their food section can be a lot of fun. But they never have the same thing twice, and fancy hasn't really translated into better taste in the ones I've randomly picked up.
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Paper Roses Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jul-06-10 01:52 PM
Response to Reply #8
14. Bertolli here too. I buy the label that just says Olive Oil.
I do not care for the extra Virgin stuff no matter who makes it. Too earthy-green tasting for me. The 17 oz bottle lasts me a long time. I will sometimes mix 2 oils, olive and corn for certain jobs. In some recipe's, you cannot tell the difference and it sure cuts the cost.
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Warpy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jul-06-10 04:41 PM
Response to Reply #14
17. It took me over 10 years to make the transition to the dark green stuff
and that meant mixing it with the light stuff until I was getting 90% green, 10% light. Both varieties are consistent, so the transition wasn't bad. I just kept adding the green stuff more and more as I grew to like it.

Some people never make the transition, and that's OK too.
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Tesha Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jul-06-10 11:06 AM
Response to Original message
4. a friend went to a tasting..


at a Olive Farm in Italy last week - where they press thir own.
They said the best in inexpensive olive oil in the northeast US was from Costco.


Who knows?
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Monique1 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jul-06-10 11:14 AM
Response to Reply #4
7. Olive Oil
I bought Olive Oil from Costco - it smelled rancid within a couple of weeks. I buy my olive oil from AJ's here in Az - right now I can't remember the name but will let you later today as I need more. I know it is cold pressed. It is expensive but it is not a strong flavor.
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Flaxbee Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jul-06-10 11:17 AM
Response to Reply #7
10.  ... or not
Hm. Rancid Costco olive oil? Bummer.
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Flaxbee Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jul-06-10 11:17 AM
Response to Reply #4
9. Good to know - just got a CostCo membership last week
I'll definitely check it out this week!
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Tesha Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jul-06-10 01:49 PM
Response to Reply #9
13. Just keep the receipt!
... and don't hesitate to take it back if it's less than stellar.
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Warpy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jul-06-10 12:30 PM
Response to Reply #4
11. I think we all need to decide what we like the best
I started out with the bland Bertolli and worked my way up to the dark green, fruity stuff. Other people still prefer the lighter, blander oils. Still others might prefer a really strong niche brand. Personal taste is everything.

I'd try the Costco if they sold it in reasonable quantities. I'd probably stick to the predictable Bertolli.
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NashVegas Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Jul-09-10 12:03 PM
Response to Reply #4
26. Costco Has Changed
Edited on Fri Jul-09-10 12:05 PM by NashVegas
Kirkland was good stuff, but they've gone to a plastic bottle and that pretty much wrecked the flavor.

I agree the Whole Foods 365 brand is passable for flavor. If there's a Harris Teeter near you, their store brand isn't bad, either.

If ycu can find Colavita on sale, you are in business.
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grasswire Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jul-06-10 12:49 PM
Response to Original message
12. Trader Joe's near you?
They have several varieties that are nicely fruity and not expensive.

BTW, if you google "olive oil taste test" you will find all kinds of consumer research on the best-tasting olive oils.
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12AngryBorneoWildmen Donating Member (128 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jul-06-10 03:41 PM
Response to Original message
16. I've heard.....
that at Costco you can sometimes get EVOO that may be only 2 weeks old from italy. Wish I had a Costco closer than 200 miles. Knoxvillle, TN is monopolized by Sam's and KFC (another one of my gripes).
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Flaxbee Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jul-07-10 08:51 PM
Response to Reply #16
21. I lived not too far from you - maybe 100 miles east of you
in NC, for 5 years. No CostCo, no Trader Joes, only Sam's Club. Now we're back in No.Virginia and there are more choices. I feel your pain, though.
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MajorChode Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jul-06-10 05:23 PM
Response to Original message
18. Here is a general suggestion
I keep two types of olive oil. I use light olive oil for cooking. This type of oil I buy in bulk and get as cheap as I can. How much you buy depends on how much you use. All cooking oils will go bad eventually, so don't buy more than you'll use over the course of a few months. With a few exceptions, this is the only type of oil I use for cooking. I also keep a very good extra virgin olive oil that I use for salads and such. I buy more expensive oil for this, but I use less of it so it lasts longer.
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Flaxbee Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jul-07-10 08:49 PM
Response to Reply #18
20. good suggestion, thanks
I'll keep my eyes open for a fancier smaller bottle for dressings / salads.
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Kali Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jul-08-10 10:12 AM
Response to Reply #18
23. this is what I'm doing too.
light for cooking, fancy extra virgin for flavor
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Duer 157099 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jul-06-10 05:37 PM
Response to Original message
19. I've generally had good luck with Trader Joes
One in particular, I think it was President's Choice or something silly like that; had a black label.

The other was one that America's Test Kitchen rated as their top brand ... DaVinci's (I think they were specifically testing brands that were easy to find in the supermarket)
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Vinca Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jul-08-10 05:48 AM
Response to Original message
22. I tried Hannaford's house brand the last time I bought olive oil
and I really can't tell the difference from the more expensive name brands.
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WhiteTara Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jul-08-10 06:07 PM
Response to Original message
24. I've been told to look for first cold pressed
olive oil. My fav is Napa Valley Organic. It's about $10.00 for a 25mil bottle.
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NashVegas Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Jul-09-10 12:02 PM
Response to Original message
25. Define "Arm and a Leg" Por Favor?
I expect to pay at least $6-7 for a good bottle, and that's when it's on sale.
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GoCubsGo Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Jul-09-10 05:25 PM
Response to Original message
27. Do you have a TJ Maxx nearby?
Most of them have a food aisle that is full of "gourmet" food items. They often have several brands of high-end olive oil in stock, as well as balsamic vinegars. They're usually under ten bucks for a decent-sized bottle of oil. I managed to find a bottle of pretty good evoo on the mark-down shelf for just over three dollars.
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