Suppose I lived a few blocks from this place. Is there a downside to using one of their flavored olive oils?
http://www.oldtownoi...ored_olive_oils
I am very conservative, and would not use a flavored oil. It's more than just an antipathy to the marketing gimmickry, but the fact that lesser quality oils are likely to be used. (If you want a flavored oil, put a sprig of rosemary, oregano or whatever in the bottle with it.)
Michael knows a hell of a lot about olive oil, I have learned much from him, and I've kind of been hoping he will chime in. Olive oil goes rancid quite easily and is light sensitive. Some bottlers use a colored bottle (they all should), but keeping sealed against air in a dark cupboard will do. It needn't be refrigerated, but if you are going to keep more than a few weeks, freezing might not be a bad idea for long term storage.
There are beneficial polyphenols in (some) olive oils, which I believe contribute to health and may be life-extending. Some research supports this. But the polyphenol content of olive oils varies immensely, not all have high amounts. Popular brands such as Bertolli and Berio are not necessarily reliable. There has come to be much counterfeiting of extra-virgin oil, with cheap chemically extracted oils being mixed in, or even other oils, such as hazelnut oil. There are places such as Fairway in New York, with a wide selection and a tasting bar, but most of us do not know what to look for, and many confuse the rich buttery flavor of rancid oil with quality. Even then, I doubt that tasting alone will detect polyphenol content. Some bottlers are beginning to test for polyphenol content, but the European Union has yet to set a standard so that we can compare one oil to another easily.
Also, oils are harvested at about the same time, after which you are buying old stock that was stored under indeterminate conditions. It may still be nearly as good as the day it was pressed, or it could have been exposed to excess heat and light. A bottle covered with dust is a bad sign, obviously. But the southern hemisphere is 180 degrees out of phase, so you can get oil less than 6 months from pressing year-round. The southern hemisphere oils are coming to market in the next few weeks. Look for Chile and Australian Extra Virgin. Picual varieties in general have more polyphenols.
A company I trust with a web store is Amphora
http://www.amphoranueva.com/ . , Look for , Look for Chilean Picual Ultra, a "single variety, estate produced, early harvest, UP (certified ultra premium).... Oils produced in the beginning portion of the season are more nutritious, contain more polyphenols, are more flavorfull, (also retain their original flavor longer), and enjoy a much longer shelf life in general". The price with shipping should be competitive to premium oils purchased locally, without the uncertainty if you do not know the dealer.
If the C60 does not affect the flavor, then eat more salads, and use it instead of butter on bread. But don't cook with such high quality oils.
I am still not prepared to mix C60 myself though. In the meantime, olive oil will have to suffice.
Edited by maxwatt, 31 May 2012 - 01:06 PM.
