Fake Olive Oils

[CaptJack]

In the last couple of months I have read a couple of articles about how Americans are getting screwed when we buy Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

After reading this last article > Fake Olive Oils

I noticed that the Kirkland Organic got rated as one of the good ones.
Kirkland is the house brand at the Costco stores.
A 2 litre bottle for $14 is a good price for any decent olive oil

[Chief Brody]

Hey Jack -

I'm a costco fan and a EVOO fan - but that one you have in your picture is not a real good quality oil. They have a different one in a slimmer glass (not plastic) bottle that is a Tuscan olive oil - that is the one that is highly rated.

love my evoo - and I absolutely love costco - great value wines in that store as well.

[CaptJack]

Hey Jack -

I'm a costco fan and a EVOO fan - but that one you have in your picture is not a real good quality oil. They have a different one in a slimmer glass (not plastic) bottle that is a Tuscan olive oil - that is the one that is highly rated.

love my evoo - and I absolutely love costco - great value wines in that store as well.

thanks for the heads up

[Yaklash]

I have been hearing rumblings and reading articles about counterfeit Xtra virgin olive oil for a few years now. A friend I have in the restaurant business (who is Sicilian-American) says it is the Italian mafia doing it - by dilution - and that almost any olive oil labeled extra virgin that is made in the US is more authentic and actually extra virgin than almost any of that which comes from Italy. All of the big Italian brands are affected, as are a lot of the more boutique distilleries in Italy.

I am completely on board with buying American anyway, but especially if it is a superior, or more pure product.

[Chief Brody]

I have been hearing rumblings and reading articles about counterfeit Xtra virgin olive oil for a few years now. A friend I have in the restaurant business (who is Sicilian-American) says it is the Italian mafia doing it - by dilution - and that almost any olive oil labeled extra virgin that is made in the US is more authentic and actually extra virgin than almost any of that which comes from Italy. All of the big Italian brands are affected, as are a lot of the more boutique distilleries in Italy.

I am completely on board with buying American anyway, but especially if it is a superior, or more pure product.

I've read a few as well - apparently the Italians consume more than they produce, so they actually have to import good quality olive oil - usually from Greece.

I like the stuff for cooking, and occasionally to dip some bread in, so I like a nice quality oil if I can find one - but olive oil is getting that 'cult' status lately like what happened to coffee (remember when we just bought a cup of coffee? And it was under a buck?) and there are now boutique Olive Oil stores (a couple of them in Houston) where you taste the oil and then buy it direct from these big containers - and I'm pretty sure at a premium. I think I'll pass on that - need to save my money for my next mocha-latte-triple-nofat-whipped-caremel-frappucino thingie....

[Yaklash]

I think I'll pass on that - need to save my money for my next mocha-latte-triple-nofat-whipped-caremel-frappucino thingie....

Man-Card revolked

FWIW, I was told that extra virgin olive oil was for raw consumption only - salad dressings and dipping bread in. Cooking is supposed to be only with regular olive oil...same restaurant friend told me that

[Chief Brody]

'it's not a purse, it's a satchel. Indiana Jones had one'

Here, let me help you revoke my card even more - I watch cooking shows...a lot. Chopped. Beating Bobby Flay. Even Guy Fieties shows - and they all use evoo when they cook. I think that if you are going high temp on whatever you are saute'ing you might want to go with another oil - but I'll have to pay more attention when Rachel Ray's show is on tonight to be sure...

[Yaklash]

'it's not a purse, it's a satchel. Indiana Jones had one'

Here, let me help you revoke my card even more - I watch cooking shows...a lot. Chopped. Beating Bobby Flay. Even Guy Fieties shows - and they all use evoo when they cook. I think that if you are going high temp on whatever you are saute'ing you might want to go with another oil - but I'll have to pay more attention when Rachel Ray's show is on tonight to be sure...

I still use EVO for everything. I have yet to taste any "bad" flavors from using EV in a skillet.

[JaimeInTexas]

I also watch cooking shows. I enjoy learning proper ways to cook what I catch/kill. Same with known how to properly dress/clean the catch/kill. It is all part of life. In years past, the cook on the trail was a most appreciated teammate.

My man-card stays with me.

The issue of cooking with oil is its smoking point. Heating oil to its smoking point, you run the risk of breaking down the oil into trans fats and changing the flavor in an unsavory way.

Here is a link to chart of smoking point of cooking oils:
http://www.goodeatsfanpage.com/collecte ... points.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[habanerojooz]

I'm another person that doesn't cook with extra virgin olive oil. I love EVOO, but I never cook with olive oils. I only consume olive oils on salads, a drizzle on veggies, or I make pesto with it. To me, cooking with EVOO would be like making making mixed drinks with my high end liquor. There are some things that I enjoy straight up.

Fake olive oils. The story about diluting the product sounds plausible. That could happen anywhere but I trust the American companies more than the others.

[CaptJack]

another article on fake olive oils
Fake Olive Oil Companies Revealed – Stop Buying These Brands Now
https://www.buzzlands.com/PEBdWjgb

[habanerojooz]

Thanks for that.

I had read an article like that awhile back. It led me to purchase a bottle from the California Olive Ranch. Good stuff.

Prior to that, all of the EVOO brands that I thought were good and I've used in the past were on the 'bad' list.

[Tombo]

You guys need to go fishing! BTW, what brand does McDonalds use?

[Chief Brody]

McOil of course...

[junkyard chihuahua]

You guys might like some of the oils made here in Texas. Texas makes some fine olive oils. They aren't cheap like costco oil, but they are like comparing a homegrown tomato to one from costco.

To me, appreciating good oil raw is important. But I've never had one so fine I wouldn't get it hot too. It's no different than any other oil... you don't do things to it that wreck it... just like using butter, or lard, or margarine or anything....