Why do cooking show hosts use olive oil in EVERYTHING?!
I just watched an episode of lidia's italy, where, after tossing pasta in olive oil, she poured a pesto made of like 90% olive oil over the top, then drizzled olive oil over the pesto. When she's describing the flavors of her dishes she always says stuff like '..the sweetness of the tomatoes mixed with the complexity of the olive oil..' what complexity? It's OIL!
Did you ever get the feeling everyone's just pretending to like something that really isn't all that special? I feel that way about olive oil.
Answers: Why do cooking shows treat olive oil like it's liquid gold? Whats so friggin special about it? It has a low smoke point so you really can't fry with it, and well it's oil..... like any other oil it's just liquid fat without much taste.
I just watched an episode of lidia's italy, where, after tossing pasta in olive oil, she poured a pesto made of like 90% olive oil over the top, then drizzled olive oil over the pesto. When she's describing the flavors of her dishes she always says stuff like '..the sweetness of the tomatoes mixed with the complexity of the olive oil..' what complexity? It's OIL!
Did you ever get the feeling everyone's just pretending to like something that really isn't all that special? I feel that way about olive oil.
it is lighter and better flavor for many
but i use veggie oil
Olive oil has a great flavor. It sounds like you are using a poor quality olive oil.
Because you need oil to cook mostly everything
I think Italian and Mediterraneans use a lot of olive oil in their cookings, while Chinese for example use sesame oil, so it depends what is or used to be more readily available in every country.
Dont get stress out about it tough, u can use less:-)
X D
Check this out at wikipedia about heart healthy extra virgen olive oil. It is monounsaturated and cold pressed so it doesn't change into strange and harmful things that do others like corn and soy.
Good olive oil has a great flavour and is also quite healthy for you.One of the better oils to use.
I fry with olive oil all the time.
Olive oil is a monounsaturated fat so it is actually healthy for you. You may want to try another brand of olive oil if you think it doesn't have flavor you like. Then again some people prefer olive oil with less flavor.
Um... you CAN fry with it.. & its actually got a pretty distinctive taste. Its healthier than other oils *except some fish oils* & THERE IS A COMPLEX TASTE!! So before you ask a question ... take a teaspoon of olive oil & put it over pasta...then put vegtable oil over pasta.. not the same... sorry buddy.. you are wayyyyy of here.
Olive oil is a very versatile ingredient as it has several grades from the highest (first cold pressed extra virgin) all the way to down to light olive oil. It can lend a certain amount of flavor to dishes that other commonly used oils can't.
The highest grades can be used to finish special dishes in situations where both the food and oil should complement each other. The bulk olive oil (not extra virgin) can be used in sauteing and both pan and deep frying to give a special but not dominant taste that vegetable oil cannot. Olive oil also doesn't tend to leave the fishy smell that vegetable oil can, especially when it is used in deep frying.
Besides the grades that are available, the type of olives used can also affect that taste in a significant way. Tuscan, Greek, and Spanish olive oils all have their distinct flavors and their cult followings. This is more than the average cook needs to worry about at home, but it goes to illustrate just how important this product can be in cooking.
If you don't like olive oil, then something is wrong. Look for Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil. French, Spanish, Greek or Turkish are good but Italian is the best. Just like what everybody else said, it is very good for you.
There is only one time, when I do not use Italian olive oil and that is when I am stir frying Chinese food and I need a high temperature oil and that is Peanut Oil. Somebody mentioned Sesame Oil. That is used very sparingly as a flavoring. You (or the Chinese too) would never cook in Sesame Oil.
So buy high quality Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil for your salad dressings and sauces.
Mix equal parts of it with butter to saute fish or vegetables.
Use Peanut oil to fry hamburgers, chicken, steak or Chinese stir-fry dishes.
Use toasted Sesame Oil as a condiment in Chinese recipes.
Don't bother with any other oils. Stay natural and stay healthy.
Life is good.