Olive Oil??

[Chelsea (Thermie Groupie)]

I'm trying to get my head around olive oil (and other cold-pressed oils).  There are just so many types when I look on google, but when I go to the supermarket there only seems to be EVOO, pure and light available.  I know that pure and light both contain refined oils which I want to get away from, but how far can I go with cold-pressed EVOO - baking, frying???  I would love to know what other people use?
Chelsea   

[Amanda]

Chelsea, I love food and cooking and I use EVOO for everything, baking, frying, the lot.  I wrote a paper last year about olive oil fraud in Italy and Spain (a thriving business) and since then I won't touch anything imported or refined.  I don't do much at high temps so it is never a problem, but if you were to do something very hot - say, a stir fry (which I have never mastered) - then perhaps another oil would be better.
I am fortunate in that I live in an olive oil producing area and can get very good quality oil.

[Chelsea (Thermie Groupie)]

Chelsea, I love food and cooking and I use EVOO for everything, baking, frying, the lot.  I wrote a paper last year about olive oil fraud in Italy and Spain (a thriving business) and since then I won't touch anything imported or refined.  I don't do much at high temps so it is never a problem, but if you were to do something very hot - say, a stir fry (which I have never mastered) - then perhaps another oil would be better.
I am fortunate in that I live in an olive oil producing area and can get very good quality oil.

Thank you Amanda.   Your paper sounds very interesting.  I've starting buying OLLO EVOO  and quite like the flavour so I will stick with that rather than going back to imported ones.
Chelsea 

[frannie]

Hi Chelsea,

I find Rice Bran oil is excellent particularly when cooking at higher temps.

High in antioxidants.

Look it up on google, and let me know what you think.

You could also try Grapeseed oil, and Camellia oil - suitable for cooking at higher temps.
The Grapeseed oil has a strong flavour all its own.  Very yum!

Cheers,
Fran

[Paul]

I think olive oil is essential for cooking.  I use vegetable oil for stir fries etc but for anything else, EVOO and the best I can find.  Some of the Australian ones are good, but the best I've had are Italian ones.  I buy it from a food wholesaler here, another suggestion would be an Italian deli.  Many of the best ones are probably not available here, having said that there are a lot of small producers in Australia so it's always worth tasting the local stuff.  I've found all the brands in the supermarket disappointing.  I use the really strongly flavoured ones for salads, the milder ones for cooking.  I read somewhere it is a unique oil because it is made from a fruit not a seed.

[~Narelle~]

I also buy OLLO Chelsea, it's very nice.  But I have converted to Rice Bran Oil.  The benefits are fantastic.  It has no taste to it either.  So I use EVOO when I need that taste, or Rice Bran Oil for everything else.

[agpest]

Walnut oil is a good medium high temperature oil. Very high in omega 3. Does not have a strong flavor so is very good for making mayonnaise.

[Chelsea (Thermie Groupie)]

I have done some googling today and checked out rice bran oil and walnut oil.

The jury seems to be out on rice bran oil.  It is advertised as being an oil high in nutrients that can lower cholesterole, but there is concern about the high temperature extraction, the solvent used in this process and the high levels of polyunsaturates present in the oil.  It does contain high levels of many nutrients however and is versatile in cooking if you are able to find cold-pressed rice bran oil (difficult to find apparently).

Cold-pressed walnut oil is generally recommended and contains a medium level of nutrients, but must be kept in the refrigerator after opening.  The downside is that "cold-pressed" walnut oil can be tricky to find and is reasonably expensive.  Non-cold pressed walnut oil has lost most of it's nutrients in the roasting and refining process, but is good for cooking at reasonably high temperatures.

It sounds like cold-pressed is the way to go - no matter which oil you choose to go with.

Personally my mind was made up today in the most unexpected of places. I rugged our boys up and took them for a drive to a small village market (in the freezing Tassie Highlands) and there before me was a stall with local cold-pressed EVOO - voila!!!  The people selling it had also made it!  The next stall was local honey and then I went on to find some organic vegies.  Bliss!!!

Chelsea 

[brazen20au]

sounds like a fabulous drive chelsea!!!

the other issue to consider is failsafe stuff (about which i know barely anything, but do have the books so can look it up) as most oils have antioxidants added which is a bad thing in terms of unwanted additives. i think some oils also have the salicylate / amine issues too.

[agpest]

Yes Walnut oil is relatively expensive I pay just under $6 for 16 oz  (473 ml) but it is cold pressed and has 1900 mg of omega 3 per Tbl. My bottle says to use with in 10 to 12 weeks or refrigerate. I have not had any problems with it going bad. But I probably use it up in two months.

[~Narelle~]

WOW Chelsea, we are so blessed with little markets down here.  Where was it?  I know there is a local EVOO producer to me, but I don't know if they sell other than wholesale.  I have tasted their OO and it is nice but oh so strong, fine if thats what you need it for.

Narelle

[Chelsea (Thermie Groupie)]

WOW Chelsea, we are so blessed with little markets down here.  Where was it?  I know there is a local EVOO producer to me, but I don't know if they sell other than wholesale.  I have tasted their OO and it is nice but oh so strong, fine if thats what you need it for.

Narelle

Sorry Narelle I missed this post.  We went to the Wilmot market (it's a half way stop between our house and Cradel Mt).  The EVOO from Wilmot is quite strong and relatively expensive, but lovely.