Look for an pure arbequina olive oil from Spain or California. Most have a buttery feel and then a light to moderate spicy finish. The one I buy I don't think has national distribution. But there are now many groves of this olive varietal so it is becoming more common. There is another spanish variety with an every more spicy finish as well, blanqueta.

I recommend the Mission Reserve from Olivas de Oro. When I visited there last, I bought a four-pack sampler, but I don't know whether they still have that. It is my favorite olive oil company in Paso Robles, and we go there frequently for olive oil and wine tasting. PR specializes in red wine instead of white because of its climate, and red is not my favorite. I like Sonoma for white wine.

I generally buy olive oil at the Mar Vista farmers' market, and I get to taste it before I buy. The Arbequina olive oil from Olivas de Oro is also very good.

I don't have a discerning palate for olive oil, so I cannot give personal tasting notes on this, but someone here posted about this company - during the pandemic shut down and recommended them and their products. I've been so pleased with everything I've ordered from them - great customer service, too. I give many of their olive oil gift packs at Christmas and also their balsamic gift packs. This is their peppery olive oil from their website: https://sunshineinabottle.com/collections/olive-oil/products/arbosana-robust-peppery

Olychick, I love Sciabica's oil and their customer service is great, I can highly recommend them.

Annie

OK, Olychick and Annie, I ordered a bottle in my never-ending quest for the right olive oil. 😀

Arbequina does not have a peppery finish. That's why I love it!

It's true that Arbequina does not have the peppery finish that Mission olives have, but I like both - for different uses.

If you ever get to visit Paso Robles (which is not far from Modesto), you can go to quite a few different olive oil tasting rooms. Here are some photos from Olivas de Oro:

showing oak trees, which is where Paso Robles got its name.

showing small olive trees, which are easier to harvest. They are spaced far apart to conserve water.

There are several tasting rooms in downtown Paso as well, as I remember.

I'll have to try ordering from Sciabica, since it is so much less expensive.

Incidentally, the basil oil that I have tried is exceptionally good and has an intense basil flavor, which is good for when basil may not be in season.

Sorry, I think I meant early harvest arbequina. Early harvest has the fruitier, mild pepper. Much of the production is apparently later. Other early harvest varietals are even stronger.

I buy Sciabica like Annie. One of the grandsons or nephews has a booth at our local farmers markets. I always make sure to pick up some bottles to last me all year. I get a few different varieties of plain olive oil and also some of their flavored oils. All really good quality.

Sciabica was right on-top-of-things and sent out my order the very next day. It will be interesting to see how long delivery takes for less than 100 miles.

Shambo, to which farmers market do you go to find this?

I ordered a couple of different bottles from the sunshine in a bottle website, and my next order will definitely include the basil olive oil.

Smiles,

Sooz

😂 Loved the story, Annie. I got my order today. I can't wait to try it; maybe for supper.

CA Kate, Sciabica sells every year at the Cameron Park farmers market in El Dorado County. I beileve they also sell at the Placerville and El Dorado Hills market too. (They might even be at one of the Sacramento markets.) The El Dorado County markets run from May to November.

Thanks, Shambo. That's a little far for me, so I guess I will just order it. I went back and checked to see what else they have - based on what I read here, and ordered two more different ones. I'm excired to see what else I'll get.

So glad I stopped by Cooking tonight. Have been looking for better olive oils and vinegar. I just placed a big order with Sciabica. Looking forward to the taste treat !!

Ta-daaaah! My little order arrived today!

One time when I ordered I needed just a few more $$ to get free shipping so I added their penne pasta. I don't cook much pasta and penne even more infrequently, but it was great pasta. It has their name on it, but I don't know who the manufacturer is, probably some name brand, but I found it to be better than others I've tried.

My order just shipped today. I got the Olive Oil that does have a peppery finish Arbosana and Orange oil as well as Lemon Oil and Basil oil and fig balsamic vinegar . Can’t wait till it gets here. c

I'm sure they are wondering about a flurry of orders from all over the country, lol!

Yum. latest news reports that Olive Oil is healthful, so let it pour.

I got my second two olive oils today. Very prompt shipping. I'm impressed.

My order arrived today . Quick shipping and amazing packaging !! The bottles are so beautiful. Having salads every day so we can try out all the tasty oil.

I bought olive oil at the farmers' market (as well as two kinds of olives), but the only oil that had at Adams Ranch was Manzanilla, but they had two different kinds - one from 100 year old trees (which is what I bought today) and one from 60 year old trees, which is what I have bought in the past. It has a very mild flavor, with very little peppery finish, and so I don't like using it for a vinaigrette, unless it is all that I have. I actually prefer the basil infused oil for vinaigrette.

I have some Spanish olive oil that tastes almost identical to the Adams Ranch from 60 year old trees, but the Spanish oil costs about one-third of what the Adams Ranch oil costs. The Adams Ranch olives are better, however.

The lemon oil on couscous with a pork mushroom ragout and preserved lemons was outstanding

Trailrunner, that just sounds really good!

Annie

Yesterday I cooked some buckwheat kasha that I had bought some time ago, and it came out very much like couscous. This type of kasha is from roasted buckwheat groats and is 100% gluten free. I like it better than regular kasha and also better than regular couscous. I cooked it expecting to put it in a salad, but I liked eating it warm just with Manchego cheese. I also think it would be good cold with olive oil (or a vinaigrette) and some vegetables, such as green onions, celery, and red bell pepper. I have some leftover, and so I will try it that way. It has a really good flavor just by itself.

Anyway, if you have not tried buckwheat groats and are looking for something that is gluten-free, I highly recommend it.

Here's a link to when I first bought this package of buckwheat groats.

Thanks, Lars, I need to get some and try it, Amanda might like it a lot. I've only had or used buckwheat flour, mostly in pancakes. She misses barley more than she misses wheat, this might be more similar.

Annie

Olychick said that she wondered what Sciabica thought about all the orders. I placed my second order and told about this thread and sent them the link. This is what I got back:

Hi Kate,
I finally got to check the reviews. Thank you so much for everyone's kind words and your support of the Sciabica Family!! We always strive to exceed our customer's expectations. We firmly believe that we are not in the olive oil business, but in the Customer Happiness business.
Hope all is well.

Bianca Cordova

I did the unthinkable and used the buttery olive oil in making my scrabbled eggs instead of butter. 😲 They were excellent! 🤗 They did taste a little different but I loved the back flavor.

I'll let you-all know if I get a complimentary bottle of olive oil for generating interest in this!

I also love their recyclable packaging - no plastic involved at all, which makes me really happy! And they shipped my order in a USPS priority mail box, which I can reuse to mail gifts to others.

Well, I hope they get lots of business. As I've said, they are just nice people, and I like to be able to support a family instead of a big corporation. The recyclable packaging is a double bonus and they just have a really good product, so triple bonus in my book.

It just doesn't seem possible that I've been buying from them for 17 years, though, years just fly by.

Annie

Annie, I'm pretty sure it must have been you who posted about them in 2020, during the lock down. I remember it being said they were a nice family business, which I am always happy to support vs. corporate interest. So, thanks for bringing it to the attention of those of us previously unfamiliar with them.

We drizzled the orange olive oil on steamed broccoli last night . Amazing flavor and takes only a tiny amount for a lovely flavor. Thank you @Sooz and @annie1992. Will never buy any other olive oil again. c

Hooray for so many people trying delicious items from the Sciabica family!

Finally did a taste test with friends! Different palates, different favorites! However, everyone loved the sticky Balsamic vinegar (not pictured, but from the Sciabica family)!

@Sooz we drizzle the Basil oil on homemade pizza hot from the oven also on salad. Eve Everyone in my family is crazy about their products.I got the Fig Balsamic but not the sticky… will have to try next! thanks again