Strawberry balsamic, Raspberry Balsamic, Blueberry, and more: there's a whole world of flavored vinegars to choose from.  Look in our Italian section for gift giving ideas or dressings for summer salads.  Your vinaigrettes will never be the same.

We have every manner of olive oil including organic, extra virgin, pure, and blended.  For an alternative to vegetable oil, try Angelo's Grove Canola-Olive Blend.  It has the great taste of olive oil, but stands up to heat well, making it an excellent replacement for plain-old vegetable oil.  It's only $6.95 for 64 oz.

Another alternative is grape seed oil.  A natural by-product of wine-making, it has a high burning point (approx. 320° F), and is extremely stable.  You can reuse it without having to worry about imparting the flavors of foods into the oil.

When making salad dressings, try almond and walnut oils for their delicious, nutty tastes.

Below are recipes using our great oils and fruit vinegars.
 

Olive oil is a versatile oil that has many healthful benefits.  With its high levels of monounsaturated fatty acids and antioxidants, olive oil has been shown to control LDL, the "bad" cholesterol, while raising HDL, the "good" kind.

Confused by the variety of olive oils? Which one should you use?  Extra virgin the the most expensive, so it should be used for everything, right?

Extra virgin is from the first pressing of the olives ad is cold pressed for purity and the best flavor.  It is the least processed oil and is best used in salads and for dipping, as it smokes at high heat.

Virgin is also cold pressed, but because it is the second pressing, the flavor isn't as delicate and the acid content is higher.

Pure oil's color and flavor is more subdued compared to extra virgin or virgin, because it is filtered, processed, and refined.  However, it is useful as an ingredient when you don't want as distinctive a flavor.

Extra light oil has been further processed and has only a hint of olive flavor.  It is sometimes mixed with other oils, and can stand high heat better than the other types

Taste Profiles of Olive Oils

Olive oils, like wines, exhibit different qualities and tastes depending on the region in which the fruit is grown.  This guide will give you a general idea of the qualities of olive oils produced in different parts of the world.

• Italian: Robust taste with a deep color.
• Spanish: Subtle flavor with a smooth finish.
• Greek: Clear, with fruit flavor.
• California: Green, with a grassy flavor.

Goya Olive Oil was recently rated as a "Best Buy" by Consumer Reports for its very good taste and aroma at a low price.  This Spanish Extra Virgin olive oil costs as little as $2.79 for an 8.5 oz bottle in our Latin food aisle.

McEvoy Ranch's Olive Oil was given a "Excellent" rating for its high quality.  Produced from organically-grown olives in a small, family ranch in California, the extra virgin olive oil is produced the old-fashioned way by crushing hand-picked olives with stone wheels.  Just $15.95 in our Italian aisle.

Serves 4

2 bunches Broccoli crowns cut into florets
5 cloves Garlic, slivered
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
Juice of 1 Lemon

Blanche broccoli in boiling, salted water for 4 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water.

Heat oil in large sauté pan and sauté garlic until translucent.

Add broccoli and sauté until heated through. Add lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste.

Serves 4

4 slices Fillet of sole or flounder
2 tbs. Butter
2 tbs. Olive Oil
1/3 cup Blueberry Vinegar
1/4 cup Flour
Salt and Pepper to taste

Dredge fish in flour.

Heat oil and butter in sauté pan and sauté fish for 2 minutes on each side.

Remove fish from pan and keep warm.

Deglaze pan with Blueberry Vinegar and add salt and pepper.

Pour sauce over fish and serve at once.