[thezilch]

So, unless you are "serious" about oil, you have to take a shot in the dark? I'm no professional cook, but I do have a passion and cook new dishes weekly. I couldn't possibly know, from the store labels, what I can expect out of the 50 versions of EVO on the shelves. They're all EVO, unless I'm serious? They're all from Italy or Greece, unless I'm serious? There's no grounds for oils between Bertolli and "serious" oils that are better suited for salads or dipping -- the "serious" EVOs? The problem exists for $8 to $50 bottles; how can consumers possibly inform themselves that they are buying crap?

Luckily for me, I stumbled upon California Olive Ranch oil.

[tptacek]

Yes, if you're buying olive oil at the supermarket, it's going to be a crap shoot. But you're going to know immediately that you've got bland oil (if it tastes anything like other supermarket oils, it's bland; the difference isn't subtle --- again, think about the difference between an IPA and a lager).

Again, a good way to handle this is to drop $35 on a bottle from some place like Zingermans, and just use it as a benchmark.

[TwiztidK]

Zingerman's is like oil overload. Last time I was there I couldn't even dream about picking a single one out of their entire stock. I just wish there were a way to reliably find reasonably priced, quality oil since I can't afford to spend anywhere near $35/bottle on olive oil more than once or twice.

[tptacek]

That's true, but the good thing about them is that they don't stock any crappy oil; you can pick at random.

[crazygringo]

It's just like taking a "shot in the dark" with beers.

Beers have all sorts of different flavors, olive oils too, and honestly, you're really going to have no idea until you try them. Price doesn't mean anything, you just have to see what you personally like, and different olive oils "work" for different kinds of dishes. You want a pepperier one with one thing, and a fruitier one with another.

There's no way to inform yourself except by taste-testing them. When I move to a new city, I'll buy several bottles of olive oil from whatever shop, none too expensive, and will usually discover I really love one or two of them, and reserve them for salads/finishing/etc. The rest, I'll use for frying/etc. where the flavor matters much less, and then buy cheap Bertoli for frying/etc. once those others are gone.

So you do have to be "serious" about oil if you want to. But if you don't want to, then that's fine! Just buy the cheap stuff, obviously.