Any "Real" Good quality Olive Oil in Thailand?

[Morch]

"Ybarra brand available in Gourmet Food halls. Not cheap but very nice."

Muchisimas gracias!!!

I was racking my brains all night long to think of the other good brand of Spanish Extra Virgin in Tops,Villa etc and just couldn't come up with it!

Basically any extra Virgin Olive Oil from that region,Andalucia such as Granada,Cordoba,Cadiz (probably only cold-pressed or bottled there as it's a port city) etc. is the good stuff.Also there are Catalan brands in Tops,Villa etc. which are also very,very good!

Having specific olive variety and exact area of production are good indicators, but not a guarantee of quality. Quality will be effected by date and proper storage. Hence, most mass imported olive oil is suspect (transport time + storage), and higher priced products tend to stay too long on shelves.

In other words, the olive oil you may get in Spain (or Spanish olive oil sold around the EU), is usually not on par with what you can commonly get here.

[Morch]

"Indeed. I think most major olive oil producing countries had at least a scandal or two concerning the industry. Pretty sur smaller scale issues are prevalent everywhere. As for Borges - like every big manufacturer, there are different tiers and private label production."

Borges and Ybarra are very,very popular in Spain having lived there for 15 years plus.Borges is from Les Garrigues which is a comarca (county) in Spain and its capital is Les Borgues Blanques.

I've seen Borges oils in Tops or Villa Market with the specific Olive tree varieties such as Arbequina (originally from Palestine),Hojiblanca (Northern Malaga,Sevilla and Cordoba) and the famous,highly-prized Manzanilla you can read some more about here :

http://www.oliveoiltimes.com/olivarama/manzanilla-cacerena/32437

As the Aussies say "Never let the truth get in the way of a good story" though eh?

Popularity is not a measure of quality. Both brands produce a range of products, not all of the same quality.

When options are available, I tend to avoid big brands mass producing olive oil, and go for smaller, locally (whenever applicable) centered producers.

Olive oil is sorta like wine, the "best" is to a degree a matter of taste.

[MyFrenU]

"Having specific olive variety and exact area of production are good indicators, but not a guarantee of quality. Quality will be effected by date and proper storage. Hence, most mass imported olive oil is suspect (transport time + storage), and higher priced products tend to stay too long on shelves.

In other words, the olive oil you may get in Spain (or Spanish olive oil sold around the EU), is usually not on par with what you can commonly get here."

Have you ever even been to Spain and if so,where and when?

[tolsti]

Makro always has major brands in decent quantities.

[mcfish]

Might help if you state where you are?

Oil in Udon not much use if you are in Phuket.(as an example)

Sorry. Naklua, Banglamung. Just North of Pattaya.

I dont think you will find extra virgin anything in Pattaya

[Morch]

"Having specific olive variety and exact area of production are good indicators, but not a guarantee of quality. Quality will be effected by date and proper storage. Hence, most mass imported olive oil is suspect (transport time + storage), and higher priced products tend to stay too long on shelves.

In other words, the olive oil you may get in Spain (or Spanish olive oil sold around the EU), is usually not on par with what you can commonly get here."

Have you ever even been to Spain and if so,where and when?

You still don't get it, I think.

Buy your favorite Spanish olive oil in Spain, one thing. Buy the same Spanish olive oil in Thailand, another thing.

The former got way more chance of conforming to "quality" then the latter.

[MyFrenU]

"You still don't get it, I think.

Buy your favorite Spanish olive oil in Spain, one thing. Buy the same Spanish olive oil in Thailand, another thing.

The former got way more chance of conforming to "quality" then the latter."

So that's a 'No' then?Just as I thought you've never even been to Spain but now consider yourself an expert on their Olive Oil!

[Morch]

"You still don't get it, I think.

Buy your favorite Spanish olive oil in Spain, one thing. Buy the same Spanish olive oil in Thailand, another thing.

The former got way more chance of conforming to "quality" then the latter."

So that's a 'No' then?Just as I thought you've never even been to Spain but now consider yourself an expert on their Olive Oil!

And you seem to lack anything other than irrelevant ad-hominem nonsense.

If it makes it easier to comprehend, exchange Spain with any other major producing country, the concept is similar.

I did not claim to be an expert on Spanish olive oil, or an expert on olive oil in general.

[muratremix]

You can try Turkish olive oil from Ravika. Or sold as cooking for fun (with Turkish flag at behind) at tops.

Not saying it tastes good but it is new(ish) product so low chance of being fake.

[Issanman]

I don't know if any of these qualify as "real" but here is what Foodland at Srinakarin Rd. has:

[Ciocco]

The most important should be to have honest labels... but looks like this is a dream...

Italy it's one of the bigger exporter of Olive Oil, probably one of the best for quality, but also one of the first for frauds...

Italian Courts have just condemned 7 big companies (Bertolli, Sasso, Carapelli, Primadonna, Coricelli, Santa Sabina and Antica Badia) for fraud. The EVO (Extra Virgin Oil) inside that bottles was "JUST" Olive Oil (the diifference it's big, also if it's still olive oil).

Fees of half millions each,

To those who wrote "choose spanish oil" i would like to say that Bertolli, Carapelli and Sasso ARE OWNED BY SPANISH DEOLEO Company, who have to pay the biggest fee...

No one it's virgin in olive oil business... not the italians, not the spanish, not the EVO (often, sad...)

The biggest fraud here it's to advertise an EVO oil as an "Italian EVO oil" but using community oil (UE now it's very large... and Tunisia also it's not so far...)

Honestly i never bought italian oil or EVO oil in Thailand... i always bring a few bottles in my luggage for personal consumption, but for residents i understand could be more difficult...

ciocco

[Ciocco]

The owners of Bertolli, Carapelli and Sasso is a Spanish Company... DEOLEO...

NO one it's "virgin" in olive oil business...

[Lickey]

Test the olive oil, put a small glass of it in the fridge for a few hours, if it turns waxy/lard like, its real, if not, its fake, easy!!

[SheungWan]

Did a bit of research on the net as to best quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil of the brands I am seeing in Friendship and Tops and the best reviewed so far I am coming up with is Monini. BTW, Monini is currently on offer 2/1 in Tops.

[theguyfromanotherforum]

Is anyone using rice oil. Half the price and same health benefits....It seems to me.

[payttayasquirt]

Is anyone using rice oil. Half the price and same health benefits....It seems to me.

But what does it taste like over salad? Pretty much the only way I use it

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[SheungWan]

On 3/15/2017 at 0:19 PM, theguyfromanotherforum said:

Is anyone using rice oil. Half the price and same health benefits....It seems to me.

 

On 3/15/2017 at 0:41 PM, payttayasquirt said:

But what does it taste like over salad? Pretty much the only way I use it

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A friend of mine uses the rice oil for cooking but does not recommend for salads. I think I will stick to using virgin olive oil with olive oil as a cooking alternative.

[KittenKong]

On 15/03/2017 at 11:19 AM, theguyfromanotherforum said:

Is anyone using rice oil. Half the price and same health benefits....It seems to me.

 

I buy rice bran oil as well as olive. Rice bran oil is good for cooking (high smoke point, fairly delicate flavour) and is also fine in vinaigrette etc. In many ways it is similar to peanut (groundnut) oil. I like it.

 

They seem to do two versions in Makro. One is quite a lot more expensive than the other and is apparently better for you.

[xylophone]

49 minutes ago, KittenKong said:

 

I buy rice bran oil as well as olive. Rice bran oil is good for cooking (high smoke point, fairly delicate flavour) and is also fine in vinaigrette etc. In many ways it is similar to peanut (groundnut) oil. I like it.

 

They seem to do two versions in Makro. One is quite a lot more expensive than the other and is apparently better for you.

I used to use rice bran oil for cooking because of its high smoke point and non-intrusive flavour, but then did some research on cooking oils and this oil also suffers from a chemical change when heated, much like the vegetable oils we were encouraged to use, and it isn't healthy!

 

Like many others on this thread I've also been searching for the "best" extra virgin olive oil and having seen many reports of the fraud being undertaken by well-known companies/brands, I despair at ever finding one which is unadulterated.

 

Back in NZ, there were some superb extra virgin olive oils produced by local producers and I do miss them, however getting them shipped over here may well be a problem – – – having said that, does anyone know if that would be possible or would duty have to be paid on it?

[Oxx]

1 hour ago, xylophone said:

Back in NZ, there were some superb extra virgin olive oils produced by local producers and I do miss them, however getting them shipped over here may well be a problem – – – having said that, does anyone know if that would be possible or would duty have to be paid on it?

 

Of course there's duty to be paid, and exorbitant duty at that.  After all, you'd be undermining the Thai olive oil producers' business.

[xylophone]

2 minutes ago, Oxx said:

 

Of course there's duty to be paid, and exorbitant duty at that.  After all, you'd be undermining the Thai olive oil producers' business.

Hmm....... if it was a gift, perhaps the duty could be circumvented? I will do an Internet search on this and see if it's worth me bringing some over; not in bulk you understand, but the occasional bottle for the salads and pizza.

 

That way it wouldn't impact upon the internationally recognised Thai olive oil producers revenue!

[transam]

Makro..

[KittenKong]

1 hour ago, xylophone said:

I used to use rice bran oil for cooking because of its high smoke point and non-intrusive flavour, but then did some research on cooking oils and this oil also suffers from a chemical change when heated, much like the vegetable oils we were encouraged to use, and it isn't healthy!

 

I think this happens to most if not all oils. Going for a high smoke point should mean that there is less in the way of bad changes happening at normal cooking temperatures. At my age I worry less about long-term health effects anyway though rice bran does have the supposed advantage of being good for cholesterol.

 

Olive oil is certainly no good for high temperature cooking as it soon just tastes burnt, regardless of any health aspect. Nice for home-baking ciabatta though.

[payttayasquirt]

 
I think this happens to most if not all oils. Going for a high smoke point should mean that there is less in the way of bad changes happening at normal cooking temperatures. At my age I worry less about long-term health effects anyway though rice bran does have the supposed advantage of being good for cholesterol.
 
Olive oil is certainly no good for high temperature cooking as it soon just tastes burnt, regardless of any health aspect. Nice for home-baking ciabatta though.

Grabbed 8 bottles of this at buy 1get 1 free and it's delicious

Suprinsgly olive oil does tend to go on special regularly so I always load ups when I can

[SheungWan]

22 minutes ago, payttayasquirt said:

Grabbed 8 bottles of this at buy 1get 1 free and it's delicious

Suprinsgly olive oil does tend to go on special regularly so I always load ups when I can

Bloody 'ell! I thought I had overdone it buying 4 bottles......

[KittenKong]

33 minutes ago, payttayasquirt said:

Grabbed 8 bottles of this at buy 1get 1 free and it's delicious

Suprinsgly olive oil does tend to go on special regularly so I always load ups when I can

 

Yes, I tend to buy the better imported olive oil in BigC when they have special offers. But the 180B/litre no-name Makro olive oil tastes just fine when used in low temperature cooking. They usually have two or three types, including a very pale "light" sort. I get the so-called virgin one, though I'm not sure how true that description is.

 

Another option would be the 5 litre containers in Makro as these are much cheaper per litre than the 1 litre bottles but are often quite well-known brands. Would take me a while to get through 5 litres though.

[payttayasquirt]

Bloody 'ell! I thought I had overdone it buying 4 bottles......

LOL. I eat 2 salads a day and like a lot of oil. Im also marinating tofu

[payttayasquirt]

 
Yes, I tend to buy the better imported olive oil in BigC when they have special offers. But the 180B/litre no-name Makro olive oil tastes just fine when used in low temperature cooking. They usually have two or three types, including a very pale "light" sort. I get the so-called virgin one, though I'm not sure how true that description is.
 
Another option would be the 5 litre containers in Makro as these are much cheaper per litre than the 1 litre bottles but are often quite well-known brands. Would take me a while to get through 5 litres though.

Once opened it has a shelf life of 1 to 2 months so 5 litre not a good idea. I tend to go through a litre in around 3 weeks but not cooking, just splashed on stuff.

[xylophone]

5 hours ago, KittenKong said:

 

I think this happens to most if not all oils. Going for a high smoke point should mean that there is less in the way of bad changes happening at normal cooking temperatures. At my age I worry less about long-term health effects anyway though rice bran does have the supposed advantage of being good for cholesterol.

 

Olive oil is certainly no good for high temperature cooking as it soon just tastes burnt, regardless of any health aspect. Nice for home-baking ciabatta though.

I don't suppose I should really worry as I've gotten to the age of almost 70 without being too fussy about the cooking oils, but having said that I rarely cook anything at high heat with olive oil and the Thai food I eat I mostly cook using a little water in a pan, so olive oil is good for me with regards to salads and so on and lasts a long time.

 

I did look up the major downsides of rice bran oil and they are the fact that it contains far too much omega 6 fatty acid and virtually no omega 3 to balance it out, and it's considered that......"Omega-3 and omega-6 compete for the same metabolic enzymes. The dietary imbalance that exists in rice bran oil can create all sorts of problems to body processes, including a tendency towards inflammation. This imbalance has been implicated in higher rates of diabetes, cancer, heart disease, stroke, arthritis and skin disorders".

 

AND........"The oil extracted from rice bran goes rancid quickly once pressed. Unlike olive oil, it ISN'T cold-pressed. To refine it, a solvent is used to extract the oil from the bran which is later evaporated off. That's followed by neutralisation, bleaching, winterisation and de-odourisation steps.......".

 

I try to stay away from anything that is processed like that with solvents etc, but then again who knows what happens to a lot of the food we eat these days!

[Ace of Pop]

I just use anything that contains Preservatives at my age.Not eaten anything using oils for 12 months And feel absolutely no better for Sensible Diet .Shows up in Yearly Hospital check up as worth while ,but no BEER n Comfort Food gets yer down.[emoji25]


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