I use Extra Virgin Olive Oil for cooking all the time. It is not just for pouring over a salad. As olive oil is used so much here where the olives are grown, the supermarkets stock everything from light to strong flavours and that's just a matter of taste.

Here olive oil is used for deep frying as well so you can certainly cook with it. I don't know how readily available the Spanish brands I buy here are in North America, but I buy Carbonell, La Española, Ybarra and any good supermarket brand.

Here's a link to tell you a little more about olive oil.

SharonCb

Here is a link that might be useful: Another Spanish Olive Oil Link

Thank so much! My problem is that I don't know what makes a "good" supermarket brand. I'll head to the links and hopefully learn something about Olive Oil today.

Bertolli Extra Virgin is my all purpose everyday olive oil.
Linda C

My favorite for things like salad dressings, where the fresh flavor is more noticeable, is the Marsala vintage Olive Oil from Schiabica's in California. I got some as a gift from dlundin and I love it. It's light, fruity, kind of sweet, has a distinct flavor that's not like any other I've found.

Plus a lovely Italian gentleman named Nick Schiabica (or sometimes Joe Schiabica) calls me at home occasionally to discuss recipes and make sure I don't run out. Their family has had the company and the farm for a couple of generations. Lovely people, not local to me but local to California, small town farmers, and I try to give them my business, especially since their product is excellent and their customer service is impeccable.

I also really liked a Texas olive oil that Brenda gave me, it's not as sweet as the Schiabica's Marsala but very, very good. I don't remember the name and I'm at work, but I can check tonight when I get home.

And for everyday saute purposes? I buy just plain old olive oil by the gallon at the Mediterranean market, somewhere between $12 and $15 a gallon.

Annie

I use EVOO for almost everything, except when an absolutely bland oil is needed, as in baking. But I bet that I don't use a single pint bottle of vegetable oil every 6 months. I use the Costco Kirkland brand EVOO, and keep refilling a wine bottle with a pour spout t6hat I keep out. It's a good value.

I do occasionally buy a super premium EVOO in very small quantities for salads. I buy that from a local merchant who imports by the barrel, and I buy whatever he recommends at the time. He sells 8 oz bottles.

My absolute favorite is Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil. That's what I use when I want olive oil flavor, whether it's in a salad, sauce or even in cooking.

For most cooking, I'll use a "light" olive oil and I'll buy ALMOST whatever's on sale. I usually stick with, in order: Bertolli, Pompeian (which my grandmother used almost exclusively), Filippo Berio.

I've bought plenty of gourmet and/or imported olive oils and it's hit and miss. Some good, some bad, rarely great.

By the way, a current study showed that the difference in the smoking point of extra virgin olive oil versus "light" olive oil is insignificant.

I use light olive oil in cooking not because of the smoking point but because most foods don't stand up to extra virgin olive oil. I like the flavor of extra virgin olive oil but when I cook fish, I want to taste fish (and the same with chicken and eggs and etc.) I rarely use any other olive oil for cooking (except peanut oil for Asian foods). I have a bottle of "vegetable oil" in the refrigerator but I may use a few tablespoons every few months, if that.

For those of you who don't use a lot of olive oil, buy a good bottle and store it in the refrigerator. It gets cloudy and thick but no big deal; do as some of the others here do and pour a little bit into a nice bottle for your cooking area.

Joe

I use Colavita or Pompeian. While I use them interchangeably, the Colavita costs a bit more so I use that more for dipping and non cooking. I only buy extra virgin olive oils although I understand the point of having several types.

I use Colavita for everything, to be honest only because Cook's Illustrated has rated it one of the best "supermarket" olive oils for a while now. I don't know any better so I just take their word for it.

Maybe I should learn to know better though, because one of my local supermarkets makes a huge deal about their store brand. Can any NYers speak to the quality of Fairway's EVOO? At $17 for 3 liters, it would seem very economical.

My favorite is Kangaroo Paw, it has a hint of pepperyness to it. I am down to the last few tablespoons in the bottle and haven't been able to find any more in this area.

I try to get any Spanish EVOO that is available at TJMaxx or HomeGoods and haven't been disappointed so far.

Italian-Robust flavor with deep color and a peppery finish
Spanish-Subtle flavors with a sweet buttery finish
Greek-Clear fruity flavor with peppery finish
California-Green grass flavor with mild pleasant finish

For most purposes I use Bertolli, Colavita or Ybarra. Ybarra has a few lines ('fruity', aromatic'--all are good.)

When I really want a fantastic vinaigrette I'll splurge on a Provencal olive oil--Hilaire Fabre & Sons or James Plagniol are both excellent.

I live two blocks from Fairway and shop there at least once a week. For years I've used their EVOO, and they have an immensely wide range. A very special one is their cold pressed California EVOO, at $18 the liter the last time I bought it, but you can't really go wrong with any of their olive oils. Test and try and you'll be sure to find one that suits your particular taste.

I generally use EVOO for most cooking and salads, either Kirkland's from Costco or Colavita from the grocery store. I see no difference between them and Kirkland's is a much better price.

Also have a very good bottle of Spanish EVOO which I use for dipping , drizzling or finishing.