I use olive oil for all my cooking that requires oil - I don't find it to have any taste.

I love the fruity flavour of Bertolli. I always use the Regular, but you might like the Light. There are some dark, heavy flavours of olive oil, maybe those are the ones you've been buying.

We use Great Value Extra Virgin Olive Oil for cooking...I don't find a taste, either. But we don't drizzle it on food, so that might help.

Using Extra Virgin for cooking is wasting money. it's better used for cold dishes, like salads.

Explanation from another site:

Extra-virgin is from the first pressing of the olives. It has oleic acid of not more than 0.8 grams per 100 grams and a peroxide value of less than 20 milliequivalent O2.

Virgin has oleic acid of not more than 3.3 grams per 100 grams

If it's just called 'olive oil' then it's whatever they can squeeze out at the end and has acidity of not more than 1 gram per 100 grams.

I prefer the Greek olive oil to the Italian!

Karen UK

I never spend a lot of money on olive oil. I buy the Bertolli when it comes on sale ($5 for 1 litre) or other brands.....$3-$4. Very reasonable cost for cooking and drizzling over salads and pasta dishes.

Lucini extra virgin is my favorite "every day" olive oil.
Am really liking avocado oil, though.

I love olive oil. Monica, I don't understand your explanation of why I'm wasting my money, but I usually buy a large can or jug of extra-virgin and use it for everything.

When I run across a bottle of the dark, rich Greek variety, I buy that too. Great stuff.

Bertolli Light Olive oil+Butter is how I saute many things. Or a dash or olive oil to pasta so it won't boil over. Other than that, I use sesame oil, butter, vegetable oil... whatever I feel will add to the recipe.

Most of the stuff that you buy at the grocery store is just run of the mill olive oil...especially if you pay $5 for it...When you pay $17 for that same bottle they you are getting into the realm of decent olive oil but it has to get more expensive for it to be great...it's like wine...

Most people think that Olive Oil is good for them so they can drink it out of the bottle...folks,,,,its and oil...and any oil is fattening

I like to use olive oil, but my husband didn't like it at all. When he was alive I didn't use it because he didn't like the taste.

Look carefully on the labels. Many brands of "Italian Olive Oil" are only bottled there; the oil comes from all over. I have noticed a difference in oil harvested and pressed in Italy. Olive oil is my only cooking oil.

We were in Europe this past autumn and saw acres and hectares of olive trees in Spain. Our guide related that most of the olives were exported to Italy to process as "Italian" olive oil. We purchased some Spanish olive oil...and there is a difference. However, we don't use it in cooking with high heat as it has a tendency to burn and it ruins the flavoring. For a slow cook or as a dressing at the end, it is great. The missus likes asparagus (I have always disliked it), so after I steam the asparagus, I drizzle a bit of high-quality olive oil on it and then a bit of sea salt. She loves it that way.

Olive oil can and should have a taste of fruitiness to it.

Often "Olive Oil" if not 100% on the label is actually mixed with other oils.
I would assume that those that are only $5 are not often 100%.

I use Costco's Organic. It's my go to oil and is fruity.
I don't have any corn, canola or veg oils in my house.

I use animal fat, coconut oil and then peanut for deep frying..Asian dishes are cooked in a blend of EVOO and Sesame.
I do have grapeseed...if I need a "neutral oil" but usually replace oils in baking with butter.

I am going to pick up some Avocado at Costco next time.
I use Avocado butter to moisturize and remove my eye make up..skin loves it.

Terri, do you have a favorite brand of avocado butter? I'm intrigued. I don't do well with coconut oil on my skin, but avocado oil shouldn't be a problem. Do you get it online?

We use olive oil exclusively and only very high quality from Italy. It generally runs about 15 to 20 dollars depending on the brand. My husband was born and brought up in Italy and we really enjoy good olive oil. I definitely can taste it and love the taste.

We love olive oil especially the good stuff, great to dip bread in with herbs and seasonings.
I cook with extra virgin olive oil because it is the only type I buy and I also cook with coconut oil depending on what I am cooking.
I also use the olive oil as spray.

Seems like this was kicked here around not too long ago.

It's not a good choice for sauteing because it has a low smoke point. The oil actually burns before reaching a normal pan temperature and that burning can impart an off taste to the food. Also, the healthful substances in olive oil are removed when exposed to the heat, as is the fruity taste.

Good olive oil is delicious and its adds a special flavor when eaten cold as with salad or bread or as a dressing to already cooked food. For cooking, just about any other oil is a better choice.

Olive oil is a traditional ingredient in all Mediterranean cuisines because that's all they had.

I drizzle it on baked potato wedges, with sea salt.

Maybe it's an acquired taste?

Here you go...
I order my butters and oils from here.

Currently use avocado, but I have sunflower too.

Here is a link that might be useful: Oregon Trail Soaps

Thanks, Terri!

I use olive oil for stir frying vegtables and browing meat. I have tried oilve oil for popping corn (the old fahioned way in a kettle) but prefer vegtable oil or a bit of bacon fat with vegtable oil.

Has anyone tried cooking with infused olive oil or vinegar? I have lemon and blood orange infused olive oils. I also have dark chocolate balsamic vinegar and cranberry pear white balsamic vinegar. My DH actually puts the infused vinegars on ice cream instead of topping!

A- you are very welcome..I too can not use coconut oil on my eyes..I break out in tiny little bumps on the top of my cheek bone..

But I love to use it for owies, extra rough spots and internally.

I pop popcorn and fry potatoes in refined coconut oil. I use Virgin for "ointment, moisturizer, and in my tea".

As to the fancy oils and vinegars Renee, just use them,..but they are likely to be used as a drizzle or dressing..I wouldn't destroy the flavor in cooking.

Alot of folks love balsamic as a dessert topping. So that is a great uses. Also try it on a spinach salad with strawberries..I bet it would be devine!

The cranberry pear would be wonderful over a salad with grilled chicken.

If there is a fair amount and you really are stuck the blood orange would be good in brownies or chocolate cake...orange might not come through to much..but it would be a way to use it before it went bad.

We use olive oil for a lot of things. We have a less expensive one that we use for cooking and a more expensive one that we use for salads, etc. The only other oil we use on a regular basis is coconut.

renee_fl, I have used both the infused olive oils and vinegars. We really like them, and you can come up with interesting flavor combos if they're combined.

I love olive oil and use it exclusively. I often buy imported olive oil from places like TJ Maxx or Marshall's but find the store brands are pretty good too. I just love the fruity flavor.