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Trader Joe's Kalamata EVOO

post #1 of 9
1/9/08 at 10:25am
Thread Starter 
Has anyone tried this oil? Does it taste like Kalamata olives? Any comments on quality and taste would be appreciated.

Thanks!

shel
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post #2 of 9
1/9/08 at 2:47pm
Shel-
Kalamatas make a very nice oil, but since the olive olives are cured and the crushed ones are not, the oil doesn't have the same flavor.

We have pretty much settled on TJ's "First Lady Reserve" unfiltered Italian EVOO. Good flavor and reasonable price. They don't specify a type of oilve.

Mike
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post #3 of 9
1/9/08 at 6:48pm
Maybe it's because I'm Italian I don't really know. Yet I find the Greek olive oils all to be very harsh or bitter.... especially the Extra Virgin. The Spanish seem weak by contrast as well. Maybe it's what I have bought or the storage practices of the markets but I've not been to impressed so far. Haven't decided if the varietal oils like Kalamata are worth the purchase yet

It's really the "Pure Italian" or a couple of the blends out there I/we have come to like. Still a big fan of Colavita and I think the Whole Foods 365 brand we buy is one of the blends. I end up cutting most of my olive oils with Enova or Smart Balance anyhow. First is to make it more affordable and second is to get some of the benefits of the "healthy oils".:smiles:
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post #4 of 9
1/10/08 at 3:09am
Never been to a Trader Joe's, Shel, so am not familiar with that product.

Is it a varietal oil, made from Kalamata olives? Or is it what in Sicily (and maybe other places) is known as black oil. If the latter, you can easily make it yourself:

Start with equal parts, by weight, of pitted black olives (I happened to have used Kalamata, when I tried this) and evoo.

Partially dehydrate the olives in a 170F oven for about four hours.

Puree the olives and oil in a food processor, filter out the solids, and reserve the oil.

You want to use this fairly quickly, so don't make too much at once. Three or four ounces each of oil and olives is a good quantity at any one time.
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post #5 of 9
1/10/08 at 6:47am
Thread Starter 
Yes ...

Wow! That sounds like a nice rainy day project. Thanks for the tip!

shel
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post #6 of 9
1/10/08 at 6:51am
Thread Starter 
I've had some amazing Spanish oils, just as I've had some terrible Italian oils.

shel
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post #7 of 9
1/10/08 at 6:52am
Thread Starter 
Thanks! Good point ....

shel
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post #8 of 9
1/10/08 at 5:39pm
One thing I might add though, is that EVOO turns bitter when it's heated rapidly and introduced to as much friction as a blender puts out. Use something like grapeseed then finish with olive oil.
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post #9 of 9
1/11/08 at 4:16am
That may be more theoretical than real, Chad. Or maybe you do generate heat if you turn the FP on and let it rip?

I've made all sorts of infused oils with that method, and never had the oil turn bitter. But I pulse the machine, rather then letting it run steady, and maybe that has an effect?
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