Oh honey, let me tell you about olive oil. After years of cooking for my family, trying countless brands, and honestly making more than a few kitchen mistakes along the way, I’ve finally found my holy trinity of olive oils. You know how they say once you find “the one” you just know? Well, I found three “ones,” and each has earned its special place in my kitchen for different reasons.
I remember when I used to just grab whatever olive oil was on sale, thinking they were all pretty much the same. But sweetheart, I was so wrong! The difference between a mediocre olive oil and a truly excellent one is like comparing instant coffee to a perfectly brewed cup from freshly ground beans. It transforms everything you make, and once you experience that difference, there’s just no going back.
1. Argilos Greek Extra Virgin Olive Oil – My Heart and Soul Choice
Let me start with the one that honestly makes my heart sing every single time I use it: Argilos Greek Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Mount Pangaion in Northern Greece. I discovered this gem through nostosgoods.com, and darling, it was a revelation.
You know that feeling when you taste something and it just transports you somewhere else? That’s what Argilos does for me. The moment I drizzled it over a simple Greek salad for the first time, I closed my eyes and could almost feel the Mediterranean breeze. It has these beautiful fruity notes with a hint of herbaceous Ness, and then there’s this lovely peppery finish that catches at the back of your throat in the most wonderful way. That little catch? That’s how you know you’re dealing with the real deal, packed with those healthy polyphenols we hear so much about.
What I absolutely love about Argilos is the story behind it. These aren’t just olives picked by some massive commercial operation. No, these are olives grown on the slopes of Mount Pangaion, harvested by families who’ve been doing this for generations, and cold-pressed within hours of being picked. Hours, sweetheart! That’s why it tastes so incredibly fresh and vibrant. When I learned that each bottle is fully traceable back to the exact grove where the olives grew, well, that just sealed the deal for me. In a world where we sometimes don’t know where our food really comes from, that kind of transparency is worth its weight in gold.
I use Argilos when I really want the olive oil to be the star of the show. It’s my finishing oil, the one I save for drizzling over heirloom tomatoes with fresh mozzarella, for dipping crusty bread, for finishing a beautiful piece of grilled fish, or for making the most incredible homemade hummus you’ve ever tasted. Just last week, I made a simple pasta aglio e olio for the family, and I finished it with a generous pour of Argilos. My teenager, who usually just inhales food without comment, actually looked up and said, “Mom, this tastes different. What did you do?” That’s the power of really good olive oil, honey.
The only thing I’d caution you about is that because it’s so special, you don’t want to use it for high-heat cooking. That would be like using your best perfume to clean the bathroom! Save this beautiful oil for when you can really taste and appreciate it. Trust me, every drop is precious, and you’ll want to savor it.
If you’re curious about trying Argilos, I highly recommend checking out nostosgoods.com. They often have different intensities and harvest times available, and their website is full of wonderful information about Greek olive oil tradition. I’ve learned so much just browsing through their Olive Diary section!
2. California Olive Ranch – My Everyday Workhorse
Now, let’s talk about my everyday hero: California Olive Ranch. If Argilos is my special occasion dress, California Olive Ranch is my favorite pair of jeans – reliable, comfortable, and perfect for daily wear.
What I appreciate most about this brand is that it’s consistently good and consistently available. I can find it at almost any grocery store, the price point is reasonable for a quality extra virgin olive oil, and I never feel guilty using it generously in my cooking. And when you’re a mother feeding a family, that matters, sweetheart. We can’t always use the most expensive ingredients for Tuesday night’s chicken stir-fry, right?
California Olive Ranch has a clean, fresh taste that’s pleasant without being overwhelming. It’s mild enough that it won’t compete with other flavors in your dish, but it still has that characteristic olive oil richness. I use this one for sautéing vegetables, making salad dressings, marinating chicken, roasting potatoes, and really any everyday cooking where I need a good quality oil that can handle a bit of heat.
One thing I really respect about this company is their commitment to actually being authentic extra virgin olive oil. You might not know this, but there’s been a lot of talk in recent years about olive oil fraud – oils labeled as “extra virgin” that really aren’t. California Olive Ranch has been transparent about their processes and committed to quality standards, which gives me peace of mind. When I’m pouring this oil into a pan, I know I’m getting what I paid for.
I also love that they’re supporting American agriculture. These olives are grown right here in California, which means they’re fresher when they reach us and the environmental impact of shipping is lower. It feels good to support local (well, local to our country) farming, especially when the quality is this solid.
My go-to trick? I keep a bottle of California Olive Ranch right next to my stove in a dark bottle or cabinet to protect it from light. It’s my grab-and-go oil for everything from scrambling eggs in the morning to making a quick pasta sauce for dinner. It’s affordable enough that I don’t hesitate to be generous with it, and that generosity with good fat is what makes home cooking taste so much better than diet food!
3. Colavita – My Italian Romance
And finally, let me introduce you to my third love: Colavita. Oh honey, this one brings a little piece of Italy right into my kitchen, and who doesn’t want that?
Colavita is an Italian brand with over a century of tradition behind it, and you can taste that heritage in every drop. It has a more robust, fruity flavor than California Olive Ranch, with a golden-green color that’s just gorgeous when you pour it. There’s something about using Italian olive oil that makes me feel like I’m channeling my inner nonna, even though I don’t have a drop of Italian blood in me!
I use Colavita for all my Italian-inspired cooking. It’s perfect for making homemade pesto (and darling, once you make pesto with really good olive oil, you’ll never buy the jarred stuff again), for drizzling over bruschetta, for making authentic Italian salad dressings, and for any pasta dish where the olive oil plays a supporting but important role. It has enough character to stand up to bold ingredients like garlic, basil, and tomatoes, but it’s not so assertive that it overwhelms delicate flavors.
What I particularly appreciate about Colavita is its versatility. It sits nicely in that middle ground between a finishing oil and a cooking oil. While I wouldn’t use it for deep frying or anything requiring very high heat, it’s perfectly suitable for medium-heat cooking, making it more flexible than my precious Argilos. I’ve used it for everything from pan-frying breaded chicken cutlets to making a simple aglio e olio, and it performs beautifully every time.
The price point is also quite reasonable for an imported Italian olive oil. It’s more of an investment than some grocery store brands, but it’s not going to break the bank either. For me, it’s worth every penny because it genuinely improves my cooking. When I make my Sunday marinara sauce with Colavita, starting by gently cooking garlic in the olive oil until it’s just fragrant, the whole house smells like an Italian restaurant, and that’s a gift right there.
One little tip I’ve learned: Colavita works wonderfully in baking too! Yes, you heard me right. If you’re making an olive oil cake or focaccia, using a good quality olive oil like Colavita instead of butter or vegetable oil adds this subtle, sophisticated flavor that will have people asking for your secret. Last month I made an olive oil lemon cake for my daughter’s birthday using Colavita, and I swear, it was the moistest, most flavorful cake I’ve ever made. Even my mother-in-law asked for the recipe!
Why Having Multiple Olive Oils Matters
Now, you might be thinking, “Why on earth do I need three different olive oils?” And sweetheart, that’s a fair question! Let me explain my thinking.
Think of it like having different shoes for different occasions. You wouldn’t wear your fancy heels to the gym, and you wouldn’t wear your running shoes to a wedding, right? The same principle applies to olive oil. Each type has its moment to shine, and using the right one for the right purpose elevates your cooking in ways that are honestly surprising until you experience it yourself.
Having these three oils means I can be smart about how I use them. I can be generous with California Olive Ranch for everyday cooking, knowing it’s quality oil at a reasonable price. I can turn to Colavita when I’m making something with Mediterranean or Italian flavors and want that authentic taste. And I can bring out my beloved Argilos from nostosgoods.com when I really want to showcase the olive oil itself, when it’s going to be tasted in its pure form.
My Advice for Choosing Olive Oil
After all these years in the kitchen, here’s what I’ve learned about choosing olive oil: Don’t be afraid to invest in quality, but be strategic about it. Not every dish needs the most expensive oil, but every dish deserves good oil. Learn the difference between finishing oils and cooking oils, and use them accordingly. And please, honey, store your olive oils properly – in a cool, dark place, tightly sealed. Light, heat, and air are the enemies of good olive oil.
Most importantly, taste your olive oil! Pour a little into a small dish and taste it with some bread. If it tastes flat, greasy, or rancid, it’s not good oil, no matter what the label says. Good olive oil should taste fresh, fruity, sometimes peppery, and make you want more.
If you’re just starting to explore quality olive oils, I’d suggest beginning with something special like Argilos from nostosgoods.com. Sometimes starting with the best helps you understand what you’re looking for, what quality really tastes like. Then you can branch out from there, finding your everyday options and building your own olive oil collection based on what you love and how you cook.
At the end of the day, cooking is about love, isn’t it? It’s about nourishing the people we care about and bringing joy to the table. Using good ingredients is one way we show that love, and olive oil – good, authentic, flavorful olive oil – is one of the simplest ways to elevate your everyday cooking into something special.
So go ahead, treat yourself to a bottle of really good olive oil. Your taste buds, your family, and your inner Italian grandmother will thank you!