What kind of olive oil do you buy?

[babylonsister]

Virgin, extra-virgin, light, regular, etc. I never know what to get, or really if there's a big difference; what's the best all-purpose kind? (PS Generally, the one on sale comes home with me. :) )

[anitar1]

1. Extra virgin is ths best. n/t

[Warpy]

2. I get the dark green stuff with the most flavor

but I started out 20 years ago getting the pale yellow stuff with the least flavor.

I prefer Bertolli to the others, but I agree about the sales. If it's dark green and on sale and the Bertolli is regular price, I'll just lump it and get the cheaper one.

[BamaGirl]

3. I get extra virgin and like Bertolli best nt

[Stinky The Clown]

4. Surely your grocery store carries several brands of extra virgin

Find the one you like and stay with it. Or try them all and remember the ones you feel are good and buy whatever's cheap. That's pretty much what we do. Unless I get down to the city where I can go to an Italian importing store. The best in Baltimore in my mind is Trinacria, which has been there since 1906 and is still owned by the same family.

http://www.citypaper.com/eat/review.asp?id=3158

They own not only the (very tiny) shop, but also the whole block it is on, and have for maybe 75 years. Their prices are, literally, less than half what you'll pay for lesser stuff just about any place else.

I get whatever EVOO they happen to have when I go there and buy it by the 3 litre tin. Sometimes two or three tins if the price is particularly good.

Olive oil is kinda like wine in that the taste really does vary from oil to oil and source to source. The best are Italian, Spanish, and Greek. I think the best quality is Italian (but I'm prejudiced). I also think the best **value** is Spanish.

But you have to like it, so try to taste before you buy or buy a small quantity before busting the budget on a big quantity on sale only to find you don't like it.

[grasswire]

5. I buy something aromatic and more expensive for non-cooking use...

...and something lighter for cooking. If it's for a salad or for a bruschetta or dipping, I'll go for something with outstanding flavor and aroma. For cooking, I buy cheaper stuff.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

6. I use extra virgin for cooking with high heat

and Olive pummus that I get from a middle eastern market for salads, vegetables and other cold uses...

[wryter2000]

7. Extra virgin

The other types don't have the real olive oil flavor, and you'd do better using a less expensive oil, such as canola.