where to buy extra virgin olive oil in Dublin

jeepers101

Does anybody know where to buy proper extra virgin olive oil?

I don't mean the ones you see in the supermarket that are just labelled extra virgin. I mean the good stuff that you would get while holidaying in Italy. The stuff you'd dip your bread roll into.

Honey-ec

jeepers101 wrote: »

Does anybody know where to buy proper extra virgin olive oil?

I don't mean the ones you see in the supermarket that are just labelled extra virgin. I mean the good stuff that you would get while holidaying in Italy. The stuff you'd dip your bread roll into.

Nothing is "just labelled" extra virgin, if it says extra virgin on the bottle, it's extra virgin.

If you want a more artisanal oil, any half-decent deli will have massive selection.

jeepers101

I remember listening to a piece on Moncrieff a while back about olive oil. They were referencing a large study that had been done on the branded olive oil you would find in a supermarket. They found that none of it was actually extra virgin but rather a olive oil or virgin olive oil. Makes sense when you taste it compared to what you'd get in Italy.

Just because it says it on the label doesn't make it so. It should but it doesn't.

jeepers101

Might be able to answer my own question- Terroirs look to have some good stuff

http://terroirs.ie/food/index.asp?country=Extra%20Virgin%20Olive%20Oil

admiralofthefleet

there is a real old school deli beside superquinn in rathgar. definitely give there a try

él statutorio

Honey-ec wrote: »

Nothing is "just labelled" extra virgin, if it says extra virgin on the bottle, it's extra virgin.

If you want a more artisanal oil, any half-decent deli will have massive selection.

Not strictly correct. The really good stuff will be the oil that comes from the first pressing of the olives, it tastes amazing.

The stuff labelled as "extra virgin" is usually a mix of virgin and regular oil.

The only safe way to know is if the oil label has the acidity level, the lower the acidity the better. Strangely, the big olive oil companies don't want you to know about acidity levels as you'd realise that most of the stuff in the supermarket label is crap.

Good olive oil is expensive.

I was informed about this stuff last year while staying in Italy, the guy who ran the guesthouse had his own olive groves and made local artisan olive oil. The olive oil business in Italy is essentially run by the big brands and they're loathe to let any small guys in on it. It's all about money.

Oink

Fallon & Byrne's normally have a selection of the good stuff.

SilverLiningOK

Olivieri Extra Virgin Olive Oil

I use this one. It's good. It comes from a real place, distributed here by the son of family. It's also good to support a small producer.

Gyalist

There's a hidden gem of a shop on Dunville Avenue in Ranelagh (just a few metres up from Beechwood Luas station and Morton's supermarket) called The Best of Italy that has fantastic olive oils.

Honey-ec

él statutorio wrote: »

Not strictly correct. The really good stuff will be the oil that comes from the first pressing of the olives, it tastes amazing.

The stuff labelled as "extra virgin" is usually a mix of virgin and regular oil.

Well obviously if the OP wants a really fantastic oil he's going to have to go for a cold-pressed oil. I'm not disputing that there's a huge variance in oil quality - Philippo Berio extra virgin is going to taste nothing like a first-pressing oil from a small producer - but olive oil labelling is subject to EU regulations, they can't just call any oil extra virgin.

http://www.fsai.ie/legislation/food_legislation/food_products_non_animal_origin/olive_oil.html

Specfically:

"
Labelling of olive oils and olive-pomace oils

In addition to mandatory labelling requirements set out in the general labelling rules (Directive 2000/13/EC), Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 and Regulation (EC) No 1019/2002 set out additional requirements regarding the labelling of olive oils and olive -pomace oils.

Regulation (EC) No 1019/2002 requires that the labelling of olive oils and olive-pomace oils must bear, in clear and indelible lettering, in addition to the sales description (as set out in Article 118 of Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 ), but not necessarily close to it, the following information on the category of oil:

(a) extra virgin olive oil: ‘superior category olive oil obtained directly from olives and solely by mechanical means;’

jeepers101

Honey-ec wrote: »

but olive oil labelling is subject to EU regulations, they can't just call any oil extra virgin.

And I suppose EU regulations have never been broken before :rolleyes:

Cool Mo D

Anything you buy in a shop that says Extra Virgin is more than likely not. It's probably the most mislabelled product you can buy. Real extra virgin is extremely expensive, and has a strong flavour, and most people have probably never tasted the authentic stuff.

There was a book about how incredibly fraudulent the olive oil business is earlier this year.

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/book-review-extra-virginity-by-tom-mueller-12082011.html

cosmic

Little Italy up by Smithfield.

Olive oils: http://littleitalyltd.com/collections/olive-oil
Location: http://littleitalyltd.com/pages/contact-us

Blackpitts

jeepers101 wrote: »

Does anybody know where to buy proper extra virgin olive oil?

I don't mean the ones you see in the supermarket that are just labelled extra virgin. I mean the good stuff that you would get while holidaying in Italy. The stuff you'd dip your bread roll into.

the street market in Howth, i think it's on every saturday

Lawrence1895

The Co Op Organic Market on Newmarket Square, open every Thursday and Saturday

gmf1024

I think the Real Olive Company from the English Market in Cork stock it. Here is a link to them; http://www.therealoliveco.com/ They are located in various farmers markets around Dublin. Might be worth a look:)

[Jackass]

Just because it comes in a plastic tesco bottle, doesn't mean it's not extra virgin olive oil.

BUT, if the packaging means the world to you, then any green groucer, organic food store or any of the above.

Little tip for you, when dipping in bread, if you want to impress your hot date and are serving her, pour 3 quarters extra virgin olive oil and 1 quarter Balsamic vinegar into a shot glass, get a saucer, place over the top of the shot glass, swivel it around so saucer on bottom and shot glass on top (obviously holding it tight so it doesn't spill out), bring to table and lift the shot glass, and all the juicy goodness spills out, mixing and looks great and tastes even better. (feel free to put some slight seasoning in glass first, like rosemary or some chopped basil leaves)

jeepers101

[Jackass] wrote: »

Just because it comes in a plastic tesco bottle, doesn't mean it's not extra virgin olive oil.

Did you bother reading the thread?

FreudianSlippers

Taste of Emilia on Lower Liffey Street.

petethebrick

You can get perfectly good extra virgin olive oil in supermarkets.
If you're concerned about mislabelling then opt for a Spanish oil.
I think they are the nicest anyway.

Paying €20 for a bottle of artisan oil is madness in my opinion.

fullstop

jeepers101 wrote: »

And I suppose EU regulations have never been broken before :rolleyes:

They're generally not broken by food companies as it's more trouble than it's worth :rolleyes::rolleyes:

dfx-

jeepers101 wrote: »

And I suppose EU regulations have never been broken before :rolleyes:

But then who believes anything..the oil in the small shops could be sunflower oil.

jeepers101

fullstop wrote: »

They're generally not broken by food companies as it's more trouble than it's worth :rolleyes::rolleyes:

Exactly

Yellowblackbird

<a href="http://shop.pettywood.co.uk/product/222096/3/49/crisp_n_dry_oil.html">mmmmmmmmmmmmmm</a>

Yellowblackbird

There's a lot of criticism of supermarket olive oil in this thread.

However one 'Don Carlos' has been giving 50% extra FREE in every bottle of olive oil he is selling - and he's been doing this since he started making the stuff.

I honestly don't know if it's a business he's running or a registered charity.

[Jackass]

jeepers101 wrote: »

Did you bother reading the thread?

Yes, I did, and you were confirmed wrong, that extra virgin olive oil is extra virgin in supermarkets, despite what you read in the Sun and compared to what you tasted from I-ta-lee.

Don't be an eejit, it's very obvious where to get olive oil and the varying qualities. Did you even bother to think about it before posting?

aliveandkicking

[Jackass] wrote: »

Yes, I did, and you were confirmed wrong, that extra virgin olive oil is extra virgin in supermarkets, despite what you read in the Sun and compared to what you tasted from I-ta-lee.

Don't be an eejit, it's very obvious where to get olive oil and the varying qualities. Did you even bother to think about it before posting?

I don't think you fully understand what the OP is asking. The EU regulation defines Extra Virgin Olive Oil as

(a) extra virgin olive oil: ‘superior category olive oil obtained directly from olives and solely by mechanical means;’

Which is basically any type of unrefined olive oil. This is what you get in most supermarkets. What the OP is asking for is "real" extra virgin olive oil which is one time only cold pressed olives i.e. the oil obtained from the first (virgin) pressing of the olives. This is the oil that is difficult to get and more expensive to buy.

Aard

Just as a matter of interest, how much would a bottle of "real" extra virgin olive oil cost and, more importantly, would it be worth it?