Forums > Specific Focus > Mexican Kitchen

tashby

Jan 2, 2011, 5:44 PM

Post #1 of 15 (10107 views)

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Olive Oil

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Honestly, trying to choose a bottle of Olive Oil is almost as complicated as picking out wine. (Yay! Choices! Can't complain about that.) Seriously though, between the differences in pricing, packaging/amount, derivation, etc., etc., I start to get dizzy when I'm staring at a shelf in a decently stocked store. And since I've only lived in Mexico a couple of years, many of the brands are unfamiliar to me.

So. What's your favorite moderately-priced "every-day" Olive Oil? Mostly I use it for saute/fry and in recipes. I'm looking for something that is hopefully widely distributed and consistently available. The other day I almost reached for the WalMart store brand (Best Value?), but instead defaulted to the "La Española" because of the pretty metal tin.

Yeah, I'm lost. Then again, I fall for wine packaging, too.

bournemouth

Jan 2, 2011, 6:06 PM

Post #2 of 15 (10098 views)

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Re: [tashby] Olive Oil

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Kirkland brand at Costco answers my needs - they have a basic oil, a more expensive one and also avocado oil, should you need a change.

chinagringo

Jan 2, 2011, 6:27 PM

Post #3 of 15 (10091 views)

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Re: [tashby] Olive Oil

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I would second the COSTCO recommendation if they stock the same Kirkland brand Extra Virgin Olive Oil SOB. We buy the large jugs in the 2 pack and find it perfectly adequate for our needs (cooking). We stock a couple of bottle of specialty flavored olive oils for dipping or making a specific salad dressing. The Olive Oil Industry would like us to become so tuned into different varietals like wine but I don't see that happening in our house.
Regards,
Neil
Albuquerque, NM

Rolly

Jan 2, 2011, 6:50 PM

Post #4 of 15 (10087 views)

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Re: [tashby] Olive Oil

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For frying, I use the cheap stuff. When it's fried, you can't taste the difference between cheap and expensive,
so why burn money? For salads and other uncooked uses, the more expensive oil is worth the money.

Rolly Pirate

Vichil

Jan 2, 2011, 7:25 PM

Post #5 of 15 (10078 views)

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Re: [tashby] Olive Oil

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We prefer "Best value" of Walmart over all others we have tried here. We like the Spanish style olive oil over the more refined Italian style and Best Value in a plastic bottle is actually our favorite. No effort is spent on the packaging but the product is good.

Anonimo

Jan 3, 2011, 2:53 AM

Post #6 of 15 (10061 views)

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Re: [Vichil] Olive Oil

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A third vote for Kirkland Extra Virgin Olive Oil. I'm not a connoisseur of olive oils, and I prefer to just keep one kind on hand for all purposes.

I'm willing to try the WalMart Best Value brand sometime, if it's as a good a price and the taste is equal to or better than the Kirkland.

Saludos,
Anonimo

joaquinx

Jan 3, 2011, 5:52 AM

Post #7 of 15 (10057 views)

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Re: [Vichil] Olive Oil

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In Reply To

We like the Spanish style olive oil over the more refined Italian style ....

The interesting fact about Italian olive oil is that an overwhelming majority of Italian branded olive oil is from Spanish olives. For me, I wish that I could tell the difference, but sadly, I can't and I buy Berio. Next time I need OO, I'll try the Costco brand.
_______
My desire to be well-informed is currently at odds with my desire to remain sane.

Vichil

Jan 3, 2011, 6:33 AM

Post #8 of 15 (10057 views)

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Re: [joaquinx] Olive Oil

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Think about how many different styles of wines are made from the same variety of grapes. Olive oil is the same.

It goes from the delicate to the fruity full flavor. We like the fruity style and for certain type of salads I cut it with peanut oil or any other type of vegetable oils.

gpkgto

Jan 3, 2011, 7:47 AM

Post #9 of 15 (10042 views)

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Re: [bournemouth] Olive Oil

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The Costco olive oil here in Guanajuato comes in a plastic bottle--not a good container for olive oil.

Camille

Jan 3, 2011, 10:33 AM

Post #10 of 15 (10010 views)

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Re: [gpkgto] Olive Oil

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I SO prefer Cordoliva, from Spain via Sam's, in a nice tall glass bottle!

tashby

Jan 3, 2011, 10:46 AM

Post #11 of 15 (10008 views)

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Re: [tashby] Olive Oil

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Thanks for all the feedback, everyone!

(Why is the answer always Costco? Haha.)

Since we live 2 minutes from Walmart, and Costco is 2 hours roundtrip, I think I'll give the Walmart bottle a spin. I love Costco as much as anyone, but we're trying to limit the Costco pilgramages to only those things we really can't find nearby...

Cheers.

Kevin K

Jan 15, 2011, 12:30 PM

Post #12 of 15 (9824 views)

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Re: [tashby] Olive Oil

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The basic Costco EV oil is very good. You might also want to know about the Toscano vintage dated Kirkland oil that comes in a 1 liter glass bottle. We used to buy it all the time in the U.S. for under $12; found it once in one of the Guadalajara Costcos we frequent for closer to $20. It is superb - as in better than anything you can get at Whole Foods for $30 or more for a 500 ml. bottle. Peppery and complex, for salads and the like only though at the price some will cook with it. Perhaps worth looking for. The new crop normally arrives in North America around April and the stuff is usually sold out by October, but here in Mexico you might find it more readily.
http://eatinglocalatlakeside.blogspot.com/

Authentic Mexican Recipes

Mar 26, 2011, 4:35 PM

Post #13 of 15 (8620 views)

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Re: [tashby] Olive Oil

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As long as it's extra virgin and cheap, I pick it up. I try and find something in a glass bottle if I can, because I've really been noticing the taste of plastic lately in everything I've been buying that comes in a plastic container, which is starting to disgust me, but if it's cheap and in a glass bottle, I'll go for it. :)

I know what you mean about the volume of options out there today: it's pretty crazy how many different brands (and now: types!) of oil there are for sale on the shelves today...

Cooking authentic Mexican recipes, be it tacos, Mexican beans, or any dish for that matter, is sure way to put a smile on your guests' face.

MazDee

Mar 26, 2011, 6:18 PM

Post #14 of 15 (8609 views)

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Re: [tashby] Olive Oil

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I wonder what happens to all the regular olive oil? I buy EV Colavita (when I find it) or Berio. (We don't have Costco here.) But for general cooking/sauteeing I want plain old olive oil, not some fruity stuff. I notice at some stores here, ALL the oil is EV! I bought a small jug of regular olive oil the other day in Mega, and the price was exactly the same as the EV of the same brand. When I lived in California many moons ago, I always had a big old can of Bertolli on the counter. In the old days, I think they were a gallon, then they charged the same price for a little less. Remember those pretty cans, anyone?

chinagringo

Mar 26, 2011, 6:58 PM

Post #15 of 15 (8600 views)

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Re: [MazDee] Olive Oil

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You probably could have said the same about wines back in the day. I remember the days when Bertolli was all that Costco offered at least in the Pacific Northwest. Now it is all about various shades of EV even with the Kirkland Brand. Same-o-same-o for coffee and everything else. Progress?
Regards,
Neil
Albuquerque, NM