EVOO

[Wildcat]

What is your favorite Extra Virgin Olive Oil for smoking/cooking.

What is your favorite for other things?

I currently use Bertolli. I am sure there are higher quality oils out there.

[OU812]

Thats the same EVOO I use on most every thing.

I like coconut oil when makin popcorn and peanut oil in my fryer.

[Fernslinger]

We have several small companies local making EVOO...currently using Trinitas...good stuff!

[jiggerjams]

I use Bertolli also.

One thing I hear, read, observe repeatedly is that EVOO is  not to be used to cook with. Not to say you can't, but when you add heat to the EVOO it loses a lot of it's goodness (taste). EVOO is said to be more of a finishing application with marinating the possible exception. When using heat olive oil is used in it's place. This is my experience for what it's worth.

I have also heard to never purchase lite or light olive oil. I think ( ??? ) most would agree that light and lite stand for no or less flavor (oils, dressings, margarine, etc.) Makes sense to me as we humans add fat to make food taste good. Have you ever had a salad without salad dressing or substitute skim milk for cream?

[SoCalBuilder]

I use lite OO in my pans and such instead of spray oils because the accelerant in the can burns and leaves that yellowish stain on the stainless parts and also seems to build up on the cooking surface. It's easy enough to just pour in a little and the rub around with a paper towel. I do use spary oil in the OBS however.

[hal4uk]

I like Bertolli too...

Never buy any non-virgin OO...
I use Canola for anything that fits that bill.

FYI -- I read somewhere recently (can't remember -- just google if interested)....
A LOT of "EVOO" on the market ain't even (fully) from olives...
They're mixing in something else (?) I think it was some kind of oil from Turkey (?)
Anyhow, they started some kind of certification deal to help identify real EVOO.

It's really a gamble these days to get what you pay for.
NOTE TO SQUIRT:  Next time we're in STL, at Guido's joint... 
Let's note what HE uses.  (it's very goooooood).

[La Quinta]

I just bought an oil called Arberquina...it's a California oil...it's quite nice...before this I used either Bertolli or Berio...I flavor more with olive oil than use it to cook...althought butter and olive oil poached fish is killer. I find cooking with olive oil is best for seafood, rather than meats....but just my taste...

[Wildcat]

Thanks all. I tend to rub EVOO on my butts and brisket to hold the rub rather than the CYM. My wife uses it for other things. I was just curious on what you folks used and what the "best" is.

[ArnieM]

I rarely use EVOO for cooking and certainly not at high temps.  I use canola or peanut oil for frying.  The EVOO is used for salads or a final drizzle on some foods.

As stated, if it's cheap it's probably not very EV.

[smoker pete]

I use Costco's Kirkland brand EVOO.

[3rensho]

For many things we use an EVOO that is the house brand of a national grocery store chain.  It got a great write up in the local version of Consumer Reports and does taste great.  For salads, salumi plates or pan con tomate we use single varietal EVOO's we import from Mallorca.  There is also a Bertoli brand in these parts (not sure if it is related to that available in the US) and it really doesn't taste like an EVOO should - more like something that was hot water extracted from EVOO pressings. 

[irish_smoker]

I actually have 2 kinds that I use depending on what I'm making.  One is a roasted garlic flavored evoo and the other is a smoked evoo.  Both are really good, I found the garlic one at Costco and ordered the smoked one from the website.  Here's a couple links to the ones i use:

http://anniesnaturals.elsstore.com/view/product/?id=64611&cid=2490
http://www.thesmokedolive.com/index.html

[Caneyscud]

I use Kroger brand EVOO for lots of things including cooking as well as their Spanish OO for cooking.  Used to buy gallon cans of a Greek oil from an International Market - then it started tasting like diesel - so went to the Kroger brand.  Used to dip bread in EVOO all the time.  Don't do much anymore (I really miss it), and when I do, I usually buy some artisinal oil from Whole Paycheck. 

[unclebuck]

I have used Bertolli, Kirkland, and have settled on Terra Delyssa, a Tunisian EVOO.  It seems to have a more subtle flavour.

[jiggerjams]

The Kirkland brand from Costco appears to have some popularity. Can anyone comment on Kirkland compared to Bertolli and their preference?

I would like to try Kirkland but I don't want to spend $20 to find out that Bertolli is equal or better.

Thanks.