Budman

There have been numerous threads about what to bring back from Italy, and olive oil seems to be one of most favorites, along with limoncello. Additionally, I have read that some people have brought back what they thought was a great deal only to find out that it was half the price in the States.

I want to bring back some good tasting, quality olive oil when I visit Tuscany in September to use for both salads and cooking.

Where can I go? What do I look for? Virgin? Extra Virgin? How do you tell between all the brands? Do they have tastings, like wine?

Any recommendations from Italian olive oil experts would be greatly appreciated.

mamc

We visited several olive oil producing farms. Some have tastings and tours not unlike a winery. Taste and select one that you like. By all means, select extra virgin to use for salads. I have not found some of the ones we tasted and selected in the US but the ones I have found have been more expensive here.

ira

Hi budman,

You should be permitted to taste a variety of olive oils before buying.

They range from very bland and almost colorless to spicy and dark.

You want Extra Virgin for drizzling on salads, pasta etc.

Some people prefer to use Virgin for cooking, because it is cheaper.

Make sure that it is made from Italian olives in Italy. Italian regulations permit oil made from olives from other countries to be labeled "Italian".

Also get some 12-year old Balsamic Vinegar.

NYCFoodSnob

Budman, where exactly will you be in Tuscany? Many groves do not export and some smaller producers offer a limited amount of primo EV. It's fairly easy to get your hands on something special but it depends on where you will be.

A quality producer will always offer tastings. EV OIL is like wine in Italy. It's ALL about the flavor.

Brian_in_Charlotte

Oil you buy in Italy should have a born-on date. Get the freshest you can. I have Italian friends who wouldn't think of using oil that's more than a year old and don't understand how most brands for sale in the US don't have dates on them.

buongiorno

In all liklihood, if you go in September, the oil you bring back will be from 2003's harvest as my recollection is that most of the production occurs around November. Make sure you store whatever you buy in a cool, dark place. Some of the best oils come from the area around Lucca and some of the spiciest from Sicily. Oil will be at its best for about two years if stored properly.

Budman

I will be spending a week in an apartment in Montepulciano, taking day trips, with one night in Florence.

I don't mind spending a little extra to get a great olive oil.

EV oil? Is it for eating and not cooking?

What's the best for cooking?

Born-on-date? One would think I would be drinking Budweiser.

I understand some of the wineries also produce olive oil. It that also a good place to taste?

usbeauty

Virgin Olive oil, not EV, is used for sauteing and drying not because it's cheaper, but because it has a higher smoking temperature and imparts less of strong flavor than EV oil.

Budman

buongiorno, I'll have to share my wine cellar?

I've seen olive oil in tins and bottles -- which is the best?

SydneySteve

I find that you can buy great olive oils anywhere - it has got to the point that first pressed oils now based on individual olive varieties - manzanillo, verdale, frantoia etc etc are available from a diversity of Italian, Spanish, French, Israel, Australia and other country sources. Production has broadened throughout the world. Here in Sydney there are dozens of Italian extra virgin first pressed brands available on the shelves of our gourmet and not so gourmet stores. I must say though that it is harder to find a genuine well aged, dense and authentic balsamic vinegar as mentioned by Ira. NYCFoodSnob also makes the point that some of the small producers have outstanding quality oils that may not be exported are unique like a top wine from a single vineyard source. I guess those will only be found with a bit of local knowledge.

Budman

Thanks, Steve. I'll have to ask around when I get there, I guess. A lot of great wines also come from small vineyards and are not exported.

That's why I'm going to Tuscany this year -- for the wine & food & olive oil. I just hope my wife doesn't have other ideas.

NYCFoodSnob

<i>&quot;I've seen olive oil in tins and bottles -- which is the best?&quot;</i>

Oh, come on, Bud. Why seek great quality if you have to ask such a question?

If you drink beer from a can, as opposed to a bottle, and can't taste a difference, then I suggest you not waste your time on quality Olive Oil.

As far as I'm concerned, metal does not enhance the flavor of any pabulum or libation. Glass is always better.

buongiorno

Bottle is of course best. For salads, bruscetta and uncooked consumption you want first cold pressed extra virgin olive oil. Designations of oil are based on acidity, EVOO has the least, under 1%, VOO the next, etc. Mass producers add heat to get further production and produce pomace which is generally not good for anything.

buongiorno

By the way, real balsamic vinegar is produced in Modena and graded by an agency called the Reggio Emilia Consorzio and is generally aged upwards of 20 or 30 years. When the product meets the requirements, it is bottled in a specially shaped 100ml bottle that only can be used for graded balsamic vinegar which passes muster. The real stuff costs upwards of $100.

Betsy

Here's my short olive oil experience. I've bought it from the family of the B&amp;B where we stayed outside Siena; the olives were pressed at the local press. I've bought it at Malvarina, the B&amp;B where we stayed near Assisi. Both were dark green, full-bodied, and delicioso. When I'm not lucky enough to be able to obtain olive oil in Italy, I buy it at Costco and, except for the fact that it doesn't have the aura of the Italian buying atmosphere, Costco's oil holds its own against the others. Just be sure you buy Kirkland EV OO Toscano, Item # 2283. The bottle that I just pulled out of the cabinet is marked &quot;Harvest 2003&quot; and &quot;Maximum Acidity .5%.

JJArmyofme

Budman, recommend you go with the extra virgin from Modena. Most Tuscans will tell you the best olive oil comes from the Modena region. Although someone posted earlier to expect 2003...it's quite the contrary. 2003 was a record hot/dry year and therefore devastated the olive harvest, although it did produce a banner year for wines. So don't expect much from 2003. Lastly, if you find yourself in a grocery store, something like a COOP - and this can be applied to any product - stand back from the selections for a few moments. After just a little while a local will pass by and casually grab what they prefer - much like you would do in your local grocery store. I've never had a bad experience using this approach. Best of luck!

- Jonathan

Gretchen

Hey, Brian. Costco's Kirkland brand is Tuscan olive oil--complete with a born on date. It is absolutely delicious.

Zo

In Montalcino, at lest some of the Brunello producers make good olive oil. I stayed ad Fattoria Barbi a few years ago and besides their wines, they tasted and sold the olive oil, salami and cheese they make. It's a nice stop on the road south out of town, going towards San Antimo.

ira

I use EVOO for cooking as well as drizzling.

However, I don't use my very best EVOO for cooking.

amelia_101

Don't waste precious carrying space bringing back olive oil for cooking - might as well get that in the U.S. (just know that most olive oil sold in the U.S. as &quot;Italian&quot; olive oil only has a small percentage of Italian olives in it; the olives are mainly Tunisian, Greek or Spanish in origin). If you can get to an Esselunga supermarket pick up a couple bottles from the &quot;Frantoio Santa Tea&quot; pressed in Reggello. Surely the oil purchased in a supermarket will be from the last year's pressing (the pressing season is November, so the 2004 oil won't hit market until December). Sometimes the oil found in the quaint shops are from earlier years (if they have unsold stock) and besides, it costs much more.