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I've heard Trader Joe's has good olive oil. I buy mine from a reliable Italian grocer with a lot of turnover. But there should be a sell-by date on the container you purchased.
There was a sell date of November 2012, but it is very clearly bad. Metallic tasting with a dull aroma.
Sarah is a trusted source on General Cooking.
added 8 months agoI'd take it back to the store - it may be just generally bad, or you may have just gotten a bad one that was stored improperly. Also make sure the oil is in a metallic tin or very dark glass because it's light and heat sensitive
Apollo, simply the best. www.apollooliveoil.com
personally i don't care for greek olive oil. i always go italian. i have found the brand LUCINI in both specialty markets and the regular grocery store. it is my "everyday oil". for something special, source a local italian market...mine has an amazing selection. in case you live in chicago, it's BARI FOODS on grand.
Barbara is a trusted source on General Cooking.
added 8 months agoHere's a discussion on this topic from a few months ago. Maybe it will help.
http://www.food52.com/hotline...
And, if you go to COOC.com (California Olive Oil Council) there is a lot of information and a list of all the producers who have earned their seal. (we are not listed because we did not produce an oil for 2012)
For cooking, I buy Whole Foods' imported Italian extra virgin in the 3-liter can. I fill a pourable decanter that I keep near the stove, and the remainder is stored in my pantry closet. We probably go through 3 of those cans a year.
For salads, dribbling and other uncooked uses, I have smaller containers of Provencal, regional Italian and also Spanish extra virgins. and a small bottle of McEvoy from Petaluma, CA. They are all different in flavor and do unique things to my dishes. I buy them in small quantities from specialty stores, or Williams-Sonoma that I know have a high turnover rate.
Whole Foods has any type you could need. I do not trust specialty shop products, their turnover is too slow.
I only use California olive oil. Olive oil does not age. It is important to buy oil that has bee stored in a cool dark place.
Sarah is a trusted source on General Cooking.
added 8 months agoOlive oil does go bad once oxidized or exposed to heat. This doesn't mean you should chuck away a bottle if it's past the expiration date - it's fine to use if it doesn't smell rancid (and you know when it does).
The more I read, the more I feel like California olive oils are the way to go!
Yes, and after last years very lean crop we are having a bonanza crop this year. It looks really good!
I've seen California Ranch brand EVOO at TJ Maxx. Anyone else?
Put me down for California Olive Ranch.
For bulk daily use. CostCo Kirkland brand is good, and Whole Foods 365 brand is good and a good buy.
pierino is a trusted source on General Cooking and Tough Love.
added 8 months agoI'm totally on the side of California olive oils, in fact I just interviewed a small producer http://eggsinpurgatory... Labeling on imported olive oils can be misleading. For example a bottle which reads "Product of Italy" could well contain olives from N. Africa or Turkey. Personally, and just my own taste and opinion, I find the olive oils at Trader Joe's to be seriously inferior but then you get what you pay for. California Olive Ranch is large producer and their oils are not terribly expensive and consistant from year to year. Very good stuff.
That's marketing for you. Front label: "Trader Joe's Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil Imported from Italy and packed in USA." Right side label: "Product of USA" Left side label: "Contains Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Italy, Spain, Argentina and Greece."
pierino is a trusted source on General Cooking and Tough Love.
added 8 months agoIndeed ChefOno, in 2010 the USDA began requiring that if a bottle contains oil from different countries all must be listed on the label.
What I don't understand is how it's, in any way, a "Product of the USA".
pierino is a trusted source on General Cooking and Tough Love.
added 8 months agoChefOno according to USDA rules the "product of..." appelation goes to wherever the oil was actually bottled. Probably because it's being blended for flavor and acidity. It's possible to buy imported Italian oils (product of Italy) that contain no Italian olives.
Trader Joe's has a Spanish blend olive oil that isn't bad for everyday and also Zoe brand Spanish oil is good. Whole Foods house brand is also fine. For special use, I really like a California oil that I found by tasting many: Robbins Family Farm Ascolano.
If you go to COOC.com (California Olive Oil Council) there is a lot of info about olive oil and a list of the producers who have earned their seal. (We are not listed for 2012 because we did not produce an oil this year)
Be aware that Trader Joes has several house brands of Olive Oil. the one I am holding in my hand now is Trader Giotto's 100%Italian President's Reserve EVOO Cold Pressed; the olives are grown in Puglia and Calabria. This was 5.99, .50 cents over another line, maybe yours.
Consumer Reports recently did an article on EVOO and it only gave highest marks (Excellent) to McEvoy and Trader Joe's California Estate (not sure of cost, but I did see one called Premium at 7.99.) Their experts tested 23 oils and only found 9 free of flaws (stale, fermented, barnyard.)
Rated Very Good were Kirkland Signature Select Toscano, Whole Foods 365 Everyday 100% California unfiltered (both Best Buys), California Olive Ranch, O-Live & Company, B.R. Cohn, and Lucini Premium.
I have the tasting comments if anyone wants them on one or two of the oils.
Also, the oil I purchased recently from Trader Joe's is dated 12/13, so yours dated 11/12 has been hanging around a long time and perhaps exposed to light.
I like Sicilian Selezione from Trader Joe's
Frantoia (our favorite), Ranieri, Lucini: Never had a bad one.
I will miss living in Philadelphia: we buy a very nice olive oil from Claudio's on 9th St that they import themselves -- their "house" olive oil. It's very well-priced for a buttery oil that's also a little spicy and fruity. A great everyday olive oil that I will miss sorely when I move.
This post, on the blog of cookbook author Domenica Marchetti, is helpful:
http://www.domenicacooks...
Emily is a trusted source on General Cooking.
added 8 months agoI like Zoe for dipping and dressings, and the cold-pressed unfiltered EVOO from whole foods is what I use for cooking.
For salads and dippings I mail order from California Olive Ranch once a year after each fall harvest and get a couple of difference varieties. So far I have tried Limited Reserve, Arbequina, Miller's Blend. For cooking and everyday use, I get a California olive oil in 1.5 liters from Whole Foods. I am cautious with imported European oils. I am sure there are good ones out there, but I do not feel I am knowledgeable to know the difference.