# Mono or Multi Varietal Olive Oils & Origins?



## Margi Cintrano (Mar 30, 2012)

Friday 10.30am - Bari, Puglia, Italy. 

Good Morning,

Firstly, it is an absolutely gorgeous morning ... as I am on Tablet, and just leaving the Airport, I could not resist checking in with D.C. 

This topic is an interesting one, as there are uncountable varieties of Olive Oil as Italy and Spain are enormous producers of this liquid gold ... liquid green ... 

Which olive oils do you employ and how do you food pair ? Where are your olive oils from ?  

Looking forward to hearing from all of you ... Have a super weekend.

When in Spain, I sauté with Borges ( www.borges.com or www.borges.es ) which is a relatively reasonably priced mono varietal 100% arbequina and it is very light. For salads, I prefer a E.V. 100% Hojiblanca Mono Varietal that is green verses gold, and use Girona, Catalonia oils or Navarra and La Rioja oils from northern Spain. I enjoy the thicker varieties from Jaén and Cordóba, Andalusia for bread dipping and Salmorejo. 

In Puglia, I use Puglia D.O. E.V. olive oils, as Puglia is a producer and perhaps Sicilian which are stunning too. I also like E.V. from Greece. 

Look forward to hearing from you. 
M.C.


Margi Cintrano.


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## Robo410 (Mar 30, 2012)

so many of our olive oils in the US are "over" processed. Stores carry name brands, but these have been shown to dilute with lesser oils. California is producing some fine oils now and I am trying some mono varietals.  Currently I am pleased with OlioCarli, an Italian company that sells directly to the consumer. It is obviously a blend of several cultivars, but skillfully done and meets the test of mouth feel and throat tickle. The taste is nicely fruity without being sweet.


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## Addie (Mar 30, 2012)

I grew up on oils from Italy. but a couple of years ago I decided to try some other countries. I have always found the oils from Italy were somewhat bitter. I decided to try some from other counties including the US. First I went with Goya from Spain. It was not as bitter as the Colavita Italian. I purchased very small bottles as I didn't want to be stuck with a large bottle if I didn't like it. Then I went with a Greek oil. The name escapes me at the moment. My DIL is from Albania and told me which brand her and her mother use. Much better. My method of testing was to take some seasoned croutons and dip them in warmed oil then some Parm or Romano cheese. A favorite snack. I equated it with "don't cook with a wine you wouldn't drink." Don't use an oil that you wouldn't use right out of the bottle on your cold food. I find that heating the oil to 'hot' alters the taste. Just warming it brings out the good parts of it. 

Then I tried an American out of California. I find that the bottles are much smaller than their import rivals. And more expensive. The flavor was good on most of them, but left a somewhat unpleasant after taste on the roof of my mouth. Something was missing. 

I don't cook with EV. I use a just a Virgin Oil. I save the veggie oils for baking cakes and other goodies. A favorite dish of mine is a thick 2" pork chop stuffed with a bread and fresh mushroom stuffing. I ask my butcher to leave a good thick edge of fat. I sear it in olive oil on both sides and then finish it in the oven. With the rendered fat and olive oil mixed, there is a nice crust on it and you can taste the olive oil. I also use the olive oil to hold the stuffing mixture together. This has always been one of my 'company's coming to dinner' recipes and is a big hit. One chop per person is more than enough. 

One Easter I talked my daughter out of making a crown pork roast and doing the pork chops instead. Only we made a crab and lobster meat stuffing. A melt in your mouth dish. A lot of my Non-Italian American friends wouldn't dream of cooking seafood in olive oil. In countries where it is the national oil, they cook everything with the olive oil. I find that it adds that "something extra" to a dish.


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## Souvlaki (Mar 30, 2012)

Here in Greece i use only extra virgin olive oil and for my salads i use olive oil with herbs that i prepare by myself. I place chili pepper, black pepper, rosemary in a jar with oil, or lemon cinnamon and garlic in another. I take care to always have different scents and aromas in my salads.


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## justplainbill (Mar 30, 2012)

Since we use 1.5 or more liters of olive oil per month we normally use the < $19 per liter Colavita 'EVOO'.
For special occasions we use the ~$18 per half liter Columela (Spanish) EVOO.
Liquids like EVOO and Jelinek Slivovitz can eat up a large portion of one's food expenditures; add some $30 per pound prime beef and your food bill can get pretty high.


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## PrincessFiona60 (Mar 30, 2012)

I use Bertolli EVOO for finishing.  I have switched to grapeseed oil for cooking.


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## Margi Cintrano (Mar 30, 2012)

*Thanks for informative and lovely post Addie*



Addie said:


> I grew up on oils from Italy. but a couple of years ago I decided to try some other countries. I have always found the oils from Italy were somewhat bitter. I decided to try some from other counties including the US. First I went with Goya from Spain. It was not as bitter as the Colavita Italian. I purchased very small bottles as I didn't want to be stuck with a large bottle if I didn't like it. Then I went with a Greek oil. The name escapes me at the moment. My DIL is from Albania and told me which brand her and her mother use. Much better. My method of testing was to take some seasoned croutons and dip them in warmed oil then some Parm or Romano cheese. A favorite snack. I equated it with "don't cook with a wine you wouldn't drink." Don't use an oil that you wouldn't use right out of the bottle on your cold food. I find that heating the oil to 'hot' alters the taste. Just warming it brings out the good parts of it.
> 
> Then I tried an American out of California. I find that the bottles are much smaller than their import rivals. And more expensive. The flavor was good on most of them, but left a somewhat unpleasant after taste on the roof of my mouth. Something was missing.
> 
> ...


 

I had the wonderful opportunity to taste test several Spanish ecological organic olive oils for a magazine article a few months ago. Fascinating subject ... 

Very lovely post. Thanks again.
Margi.


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## Margi Cintrano (Mar 30, 2012)

How are the California olive oils ? Could you tell us more, and how do they compare with Spanish or Italian or Greek ? Which olives are employed ? and which are most popular ? 

Thanks so much for post.
Margi.


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## Steve Kroll (Mar 30, 2012)

I make an honest effort to buy local food products whenever I can. Unfortunately, we don't yet grow olives in the US upper midwest. Maybe that will change one day after global warming, lol. 

So, in the meantime, "local" for me is California oil. The one I've been buying lately is from Sciabica, one of the oldest producers in the US. It's a varietal Manzanillo oil, and has a real robust flavor that I like. The price isn't that expensive. It runs $35 for a half gallon.

Just for a change of pace, I also occasionally buy Italian oil online from Olio2Go.


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## justplainbill (Mar 30, 2012)

Margi's innocent question just cost me $60 to sample a variety of 500ml. bottles of Picual, Hojiblanca, and Arbequina EVOOs.  Hopefully the purchase will help me cut down on my burro consumption.


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## taxlady (Mar 30, 2012)

justplainbill said:


> Margi's innocent question just cost me $60 to sample a variety of 500ml. bottles of Picual, Hojiblanca, and Arbequina EVOOs.  Hopefully the purchase will help me cut down on my burro consumption.



You eat burros?!?


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## justplainbill (Mar 31, 2012)

Burro is boter


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## Margi Cintrano (Mar 31, 2012)

Madre Mía, and I had been afraid to ask, if you had eaten my " Platero " !! Platero means silver in Spanish and this Andalusian donkey is a star in children´s Spanish literature ... I love donkies and horses ... 

Margi.


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## taxlady (Mar 31, 2012)

justplainbill said:


> Burro is boter



I eventually figured that out, but it was more fun to leave it.

Then you set me another puzzle. Boter is Dutch. I had to use Google translate and detect language. In Danish & Norwegian, butter = smør, in Swedish - smör, in German - butter.


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## Margi Cintrano (Mar 31, 2012)

Ciao, Bill,

Grazie, for clarifying Bill ... Hee Haw ... 

So, please tell me which olive oil varieties have u bought for the $60 ? 

Butter, I prefer French or Scandinavian to be honest. Much creamier --- nice aromas and textures. 

Kind regards. 
Margi.


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## justplainbill (Mar 31, 2012)

Margi Cintrano said:


> Ciao, Bill,
> 
> Grazie, for clarifying Bill ... Hee Haw ...
> 
> ...


Arbequina, Picual, and Hojiblanca.


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## Margi Cintrano (Mar 31, 2012)

Are they all from the same producer ? Are they all Spanish or Italian ?

Details ! 

Have nice wkend.
Margi.


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## justplainbill (Mar 31, 2012)

taxlady said:


> I eventually figured that out, but it was more fun to leave it.
> 
> Then you set me another puzzle. Boter is Dutch. I had to use Google translate and detect language. In Danish & Norwegian, butter = smør, in Swedish - smör, in German - butter.


Yes, but 'boter is beter' sounds better and my Duden covers Nederland but not Danemark.  Glad to see you're paying attention.  
Speaking of languages, maybe Margi or Luca can explain how a food (mortadella) was named something that is spelled like the words morta and della.


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## justplainbill (Mar 31, 2012)

Margi Cintrano said:


> Are they all from the same producer ? Are they all Spanish or Italian ?
> 
> Details !
> 
> ...


Columela (Spanish) seems to be the most commonly available here.


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## Margi Cintrano (Mar 31, 2012)

@ Bill,

Morta Della:

I do not know why linguistics are so bastardized and languages have so many false friends in translation from ITALIAN OR SPANISH TO ENGLISH  ... however,

Morta signifies death and Della is OF THE ... obviously this cold cut meat or charcuterie has a significant historical moment of serving it --- and / or it was develped during the slaughter of the seasonal pigs from which it comes ... which is called a Matanza in Spanish --- 

Have nice wkend.
Margi. OFF TO DINNER.


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## taxlady (Mar 31, 2012)

I will pay closer attention to origin when I buy EVOO.

I usually just grab the cheapest 1 litre bottle at my favourite Greek grocery store. They seem to carry mostly Italian, Spanish, and Greek EVOO. I do have a spreadsheet where I write comments. The only one we found offensively bitter was from Loblaw's and was packaged for them in Italy. It's called Bella Tavola.

I don't usually pay more than $6 or $7 for a litre of perfectly nice EVOO.

I bought a 500 ml of organic EVOO once, on special, for about $12. It wasn't very nice at all, but I hadn't started my spreadsheet, so I don't remember the name or origin.


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## Robo410 (Mar 31, 2012)

A litre of real evoo cannot be had for a bargain price. But as there are no standards for evoo in the USA, much reprocessed, deodorized, and mixed oil is sold as evoo. Buyer beware. 

Will what's out there poison you? No. But even well know brand names have been found guilty of padding their evoo/

Remember Pure and light olive oils have been chemically extracted from the mash of the early pressings, as are seed oils. Perfectly good to fry in but so is canola, much cheaper. 

Real evoo, gives a tug on the cheeks, and a slight tickle or burn to the back of the throat. It should be fruity but not sweet.


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## justplainbill (Mar 31, 2012)

Robo410 said:


> A litre of real evoo cannot be had for a bargain price. But as there are no standards for evoo in the USA, much reprocessed, deodorized, and mixed oil is sold as evoo. Buyer beware.
> 
> Will what's out there poison you? No. But even well know brand names have been found guilty of padding their evoo/
> 
> ...


All I'm looking for is an olive oil that tastes like a 'tasty' olive and, if I'm feeling extravagant,  
I 'm willing to use it to make a sauce / mayonnaise for seafood.  
At $0.50+ per tablespoon, one can rationalize *selectively* using some of the more expensive EVOOs.


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## Steve Kroll (Mar 31, 2012)

justplainbill said:


> Speaking of languages, maybe Margi or Luca can explain how a food (mortadella) was named something that is spelled like the words morta and della.


I wondered this, too. The Wikipedia explanation sounds the most plausible to me. Traditionally, the pork filling was ground to a paste using a large mortar (mortaio) and pestle.

Another theory, close to this one, says that mortadella has been made since ancient times and comes from the Latin _mortarium_, which refers to both the vessel itself and the "product of grinding or pounding".

So, either way, it appears to come from the same root as "mortar," not "death".


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## Margi Cintrano (Apr 1, 2012)

*EVOOs: In Spain*

Good Morning,

Firstly, there is such a vast array of olive oils in Spain ... The Carbonell which is quite popular and is fairly reasonably priced at Euros 4 for a Litre. 

PLEASE REALIZE, 1 Euro is like $1.00 to us, in other words, we do NOT think, of converting the money ... a dollar is a Euro dollar ... we are paid in Euros and function in Euros --- I have never thought, how much is this in Dollars ! I have not lived in the USA since the 1992 so it is useless to think in these terms. 

The Testaccio, Karlos Arguiñano 100% Hojiblanca ( to die for and go to heaven ), Dauro ( divine ), La Boella Tarragona Premium, Arzuaga, Castillo de Canena, Cortijo Suerte de Alta 100% Ecological,, Cladivm and La Organic Oro Mallafré Almenara Premium are all very fine EVOOs. 

Personally, I like 100% Hojiblanca olive variety because it is a perfect pair for salads, and NOT heavy ... 

Then, Carbonell for for sauté-ing ... Not heavy or over powering ...

100% Arbequina Borges for roasts and stove top dishes ... 

In Italia, I prefer to use Italian EVOOs however, they are much more expensive than Spanish ones ... 

Have lovely Sunday.
Great Posts.
Grazie.
Margi.


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## justplainbill (Apr 1, 2012)

I have not seen ANY olive oil available in the USA for a modest $5.35 per litre.  Does the 4 euro include a VAT?  It's perhaps comparing apples to oranges, but from what I have observed the price of my favorite coffee beans (5.5 EUR including a 7% VAT for 250 g) is similar to the cost ($13 per pound @ $1.30 per EUR))of comparable beans in the USA.  Many jobs paying $100,000 in the USA seem to pay about €80,000 in industrialized countries.


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## Margi Cintrano (Apr 1, 2012)

Good Afternoon Bill,

We do not pay Vat ( tax ) on food ... 

I pay 3.89 Euros for Carbonell which I use to sauté ... Borges, is 4.99 Euros ... 

A 500 gram box of Barilla pastas range from  1.37 Euros to 2.50 Euros depending on type ... Cannelloni are more expensive than Linguini or Fettuccine. 

I have been here so long, that I just do not do currency maths any more -- as it does not matter, since I had made the decision  to stay here, for my profession. 

Good Post.


@ Steve, 

Now a mortar denotes pounding and crushing in a mortar ... correct translation ... in ref to Mortadella ... olives, pork and spices ... to create this charcuterie product ... Good research Steve !   

I can check in Italian --- as it is an Italian product dating back probably to the Inquisition --- and update on the history for you both.

Have a nice Sunday.
Margi.


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## justplainbill (Jun 18, 2012)

I think Hojiblanca cold pressed unfiltered EVOO has an outstanding taste.


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## Margi Cintrano (Jun 18, 2012)

Buonasera, Bill, 

As I had told Steve, a few replies up;

IVA or VAT ( In English ): I am a European National / Dual Nationality, thus, do not pay IVA tax ( sales tax ) on food. 

I am pleased to hear that you have enjoyed the Hojiblanca ... Which brand did you purchase ? You mentioned, you spent $60 USD on Olive Oils ...
What did your buy ? 

Have lovely Monday,
Ciao. Margi.


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## Margi Cintrano (Jun 18, 2012)

Buonasera Bill,

Sorry, looks like this is an old thread that has been brought back active ...

Hojiblanca: which brands have you purchased ? Have you tried any that I mentioned ? 

Look forward to hearing from u,
Ciao, Margi.


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## justplainbill (Jun 18, 2012)

Margi Cintrano said:


> Buonasera Bill,
> 
> Sorry, looks like this is an old thread that has been brought back active ...
> 
> ...


Columela.


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## Bolas De Fraile (Jun 19, 2012)

This site was set up by a good friend of mine 11 yrs ago to cynically exploit the self aggrandizing foody. The oil is brought in in large drums and decanted into twee bottles that look good on the kitchen shelf, note the language used to describe these products.The key for him is the huge profit he makes by just decanting the oil. On Hvar my wifes family has about 200 trees, in Kalamata my friend has about 1000 trees. On Hvar the majority of the crop goes to the Coop the rest is turned into oil that is used for frying, baking, salads,  as a sauce for fish and meat, mixed with egg yolk as hair conditioner, poured in your ear to get rid of wax etc.
The Gift Of Oil: Buy Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Balsamic Vinegar, Pasta and Sauces Online


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## justplainbill (Jun 19, 2012)

How's the demand / volume at $54 per litre?


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## Margi Cintrano (Jun 19, 2012)

Bolas,

Thank you for your interesting topic stretch about Croatian Olive Oil ... 

Quite a complex and challenging Football Match between Spain and Croatia, last night ! Did you catch the match ? 

Kind regards,
Ciao, Margi.


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