[Romanee]

[size=medium]Go Team Olive Oil! [/size]

Great olive oil + great aged balsamico + your choice or herbs and maybe grated Fulvi Pecorino Romano or curls of really good Reggiano Parmigiano … fresh coarse-ground Telicherry pepper … a little pink Himalayan sea salt (really). etcetera.

…all on a great salad … on a thick slice of lightly toasted tangy sourdough bread (Amy's in NYC) … or tossed with pesto-filled tortellini … drizzled on tuscan-grilled veggies, on pork chops, some meaty fishes … baked potatoes … even on some good potato chips! etcetera.

There are so many possibilities.

Oliviers & Co. has an ever-changing array of remarkable olive oils from around the world -- all extremely pricey, but delicious. My favorites are the grassy/herby ones.

O & Co. also has two different 250ml bottles of incredibly delicious balsamic vinegars that are dense, syrupy, concentrated, slightly sweet and low in acid -- absolutely yummy. Their production seems mysterious to me, since most much older balsamics sold in NYC -- many 20, 40 or 50 years old -- are thin and watery and lack the sweetness & concentration of these 2 from O&Co. There certainly is a fairly wide selection of very decent balsamics here in NYC these days, but the prices generally run from $140 and on up, often for tiny bottles -- so the O&Co offerings are a relatively bargain for such a sumptuous taste.

The one thing I have to check is that in the NYC stores they have a 12-year-old balsamico (forgot the price, but it's 69Euros online) and a nearly-as-good (delicious) 8-year-old (for about $32 in-store). The online store has the 12-year-old, but only a 3-year-old, unless the 8-year-old is new and not available online???

Anyway, the 8-year-old is about $32 in-store and worth every droplet -- whatever its age.

Oliviers et Co. online store -- with detailed product descriptions

Back to oils: except for an occasional indulgence in the really pricey O&Co oils, I usually buy a big bottle (a liter or more) of a nice Spanish olive oil (1 is smooth & buttery, another nutty & peppery - $12.99 for a liter+), or one of several Italian oils with a more peppery finish -- all at Murray's Cheese shop across Bleecker Street from O&Co., 2 doors West of Amy's breads, 3 doors East of Aphrodisia herb shop, next door to Lobster Place for great fresh fish.

What an outing that makes! I actually lucked out today -- a day of incredibly beautiful weather in NYC -- that I managed to escape from work for a decent lunch break, for a long walk to this small stretch of old-world Bleecker Street, and managed to hit all those spots to score exactly what I wanted from each. Humdinger.

Another very pleasant & moderately-priced Spanish oil is L'Estournel, which is also available in an organic version for a little more, and is available at Whole Foods and Zabar's. A lighter flavor and consistency for those who don't like a very peppery finish or heavy/greasy-bodied oil.

 

[Spareribs]

A great very simple modern way to use olive oil is to drizzle it with on pieces of raw sushi grade fish. Some of the upscale Italian restaurants do this. Season with good quality sea salt or you can go exotic with a little Hawaiian sea salt and some whole pink peppercorns which have a mild flavor if you wish.

Once in a while I do go out and get the expensive $20-$30 bottle of olive oil but I also find that there some really good olive oils out there that cost around $9 or less that have excellent flavor. The one that I'm currently using is Wegman's Novello unfiltered olive oil and I payed around $7. Excellent bang for the buck! Perhaps a giant killer. I think however, it is only available in some of the Wegmans supermarkets and may be dfficult to find.

 

[headphonejunkie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spareribs /img/forum/go_quote.gif A great very simple modern way to use olive oil is to drizzle it with on pieces of raw sushi grade fish. Some of the upscale Italian restaurants do this. Season with good quality sea salt or you can go exotic with a little Hawaiian sea salt and some whole pink peppercorns which have a mild flavor if you wish. Once in a while I do go out and get the expensive $20-$30 bottle of olive oil but I also find that there some really good olive oils out there that cost around $9 or less that have excellent flavor. The one that I'm currently using is Wegman's Novello unfiltered olive oil and I payed around $7. Excellent bang for the buck! Perhaps a giant killer.

My wife just bought some celtic sea salt. It cost us 17 dollars for a shaker. WOW. This stuff better be worth it. Olive oil is great with everything though. We are trying to go completely organic. That is a tough thing to do.Raw milk is supposed to be good for you too. Supposedly, pasteurizing is what causes things to stick to the walls of your arteries. At least that is what Kevin trudeau is saying in his new books.I am probably misquoting his exact words. My wife is getting into all of this stuff.

 

[rsaavedra]

This is the one I usually get at the closest grocery store, just one block away: Eureka Olive Oil, from Córdoba, Spain. Delicious!

 

[applevalleyjoe]

Try "Parque Oliva Virgen Extra" and "Parque Oliva Gold Label". Wow! A great Spanish olive oil!

 

[Ethelred]

My background is in food, I find that a drizzle of olive oil in most things not only looks nice but adds to the overall flavors.

However, keep in mind if you make your own dressings olive oil can overpower.

Olive oil + fresh mozzarella + heirloom tomatoes = Heaven

 

[ronin74]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ethelred /img/forum/go_quote.gif Olive oil + fresh mozzarella + heirloom tomatoes = Heaven

x2, but something's missing, I can't put my finger on it, maybe "fresh" basil.


Anyway for those that do not microwave their popcorn, try using olive oil, not the really good stuff, the $8 a bottle variety, to pop the corn. After it's popped you don't need butter.

 

[nsx_23]

Olive oil + Balsmic Vinegar + lightly toasted bread = heavenly snack

 

[fureshi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ethelred /img/forum/go_quote.gif My background is in food, I find that a drizzle of olive oil in most things not only looks nice but adds to the overall flavors. However, keep in mind if you make your own dressings olive oil can overpower. Olive oil + fresh mozzarella + heirloom tomatoes = Heaven

x3. i love olive oil. occasionally when i'm too lazy to make a salad, i cut up some tomatoes and drizzle olive oil and balsamic vinegar on them. delicious.

 

[murfy]

Trappitu Intenso is one of my current favourites (I buy it, over here, from an online deli that sends stuff straight from Italy.

I'm quite partial to other oils like walnut for just dipping bread in, sometimes with a little balsamic - Antica Acetaia San Giacomo vinegar.

 

[eruditass]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gtp /img/forum/go_quote.gif And if you drizzle it in your ear, it breaks up earwax (supposedly, I've never tried it).

this is what i do to keep my iems clean

 

[ronin74]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DoomzDayz /img/forum/go_quote.gif this is what i do to keep my iems clean

Do you think it will keep my E500 wires from cracking? That is, olive oil on the wires not in my ears.

 

[dj_mocok]

On the same note, what's the difference between virgin and extra virgin olive oil, and do all olive oil brands taste the same?

 

[Contrastique]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dj_mocok /img/forum/go_quote.gif On the same note, what's the difference between virgin and extra virgin olive oil, and do all olive oil brands taste the same?

I believe (Extra) Vierge is the first oil-extraction from olives without the use of heat and solvent.
Edit: If the oil contains less than 2% acid, it's named Vierge. If it's less than 0,8% it's named Extra Vierge.

Different brands taste different. That makes it such a wonderful product.
I love olive oil. We use it in everything from salads to frying fries and baking meat.

 

[dj_mocok]

Maybe I should look more into this. So far, to me olive oil is olive oil.