Oil Oil everywhere!

Don't Call it E.V.O.O.!!









Oil is essential in the kitchen. But, there are so many kinds, what's good, what do you use, and when?

Olive Oils
Great for dressings, sauces, sautéing, baking/roasting. Because of its low heat tolerance and high smoke levels not so great for frying.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil/Cold Press is a label that's given to the first batch of collected olives... in essence the youngest olives. They are processed without heat or chemicals and therefore fetch a higher price; to be Extra Virgin, there needs to be an acid level of below %0.6. Because of the flavor, these are best for dressings, and sauces, and dishes where the delicacy can shine through.
Normal Olive Oils are made from later batches of olives and might be heat processed (if by a larger commercial company), or chemically treated for impurities. This doesn't mean it’s not as good, just means it’s not as fragrant. It’s better for the sautéing and cooking since the flavor won't be wasted on these kinds of dishes.

*Olive Oil comes from around the globe. Personally, the oils with the best flavors are from Greece. They are the most robust, most fragrant, and amazing enough to eat straight from a spoon (my favorite easy-to-find Greek Olive Oil is "Iliada," if you can find the Organic Extra Virgin, even better!). Italian and Spanish Oils are a close second. Spanish Oils tend to be yellowish in color and have a medium strength flavor. Italian oils are more green and also have a medium flavor (although depending on the area of Italy, they can be as strong as Greek). French Olive Oil is very mild, (wimpy if you ask me) and not a favorite, but if you like mild (and boring), it’s heaven. Recently, and depending on where you live, you can find Middle Eastern/Israeli Olive Oils. I actually like these a great deal. The ones I've tried tend to be fragrant and sweeter than the Greek Oils which come across as earthier and nutty, not terribly expensive either.

Vegetable Oil:
Available everywhere and great for cooking. Personally, I'm not a big Veggie oil fan when it comes to deep frying, but for sautéing or frying an egg it’s perfect. Also great for baking and roasting although it won't give the food the same nutty, earthy flavor that Olive Oil will.

Canola/Corn Oil:
The best deep frying oils (although another favorite is lard). For Latkes, or chicken cutlets, or pan frying these are great as well. However, that's about all I would use them for.

*Canola and Corn Oil tend to go rancid quickly. Although you might not be able to smell it, taste a little bit, if it tastes bitter, toss it. Also, it tends to get tacky or sticky when it’s not good anymore. It's not gonna make you sick, but it’s gonna to make everything taste awful.

Sesame Oil:
One of the biggest mistakes people make with Sesame Oil is cooking with it. NEVER EVER COOK WITH SESAME OIL! Sesame Oil has a very high smoke quotient and burns way too quickly. If you're stir frying, splash your food with the Sesame Oil just before you've finished. Sesame Oil makes amazing sauces, marinades, and dressings, but I wouldn’t bake with it either unless you use very little and combine it with another oil. Sesame Oil will go rancid terribly quickly, so unless you use it a lot, keep it in the fridge.

Flavored oils:
Go to the local Greenmarket, Specialty Store, or Gourmet Store and you’re bound to find various flavored oils. You'll see oil with hot peppers, tarragon, rosemary, truffles etc... These make wonderful dipping oils and dressings, even sauces, but I wouldn't recommend cooking with them. Depending on what kind of oil it is, the flavor will either over intensify and make food bitter, or the flavor will just disappear as you cook.

*Great homemade gift: Get a jug of decent Olive Oil or Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Fill a tight fitting glass jar or bottle with fresh herbs, spices, or even edible flowers, fill the container with oil. The flavors should infuse within a few weeks and makes a great and thoughtful gift.