[net.cooks] different oils

rusty@sdcc3.UUCP (Rusty Wright) (10/31/84)

I've been wondering about the flavors of different oils.
For example in health food stores they sometimes have a
fairly wide variety of oils from Hains. One that i thought
might be intesting was walnut oil. The other day i was in
a store that specializes in indian foods and they had mustard
oil; the person working there said that it is hot.

Does anyone have any recommendations for these or any other oils?
or know of any cookbooks that go into the subject in any detail?

if possible please respond directly as well as to the list;
i don't get to read this list that often.

thanks.

don@dicomed.UUCP (Don Stryker) (11/07/84)

> From: rusty@sdcc3.UUCP (Rusty Wright)
> Newsgroups: net.cooks
> Subject: different oils
> 
> I've been wondering about the flavors of different oils.

	Oils are almost as varied in their flavors and qualities as wines
are.  Some oils are suitable for only everyday cooking and frying, while
others (particularly olive oils) are a more noble breed.  I suggest that
you try experimenting with a few different types of olive oils first.  Buy
small bottles of several kinds and taste the differences.  Olive oils vary
greatly in quality and flavor, some being quite bitter and pungent and others
being smooth and subtle.  Try one of the deep green "extra virgin" oils. 
Its expensive, but worth it if used properly.  Olive oils are often mixed
with vinegar and herbs to make a delicious light dressing (viniagrette) for 
greens or pasta or cooked vegetables.  Make sure you use a vinegar worthy
of the quality of the olive oil.  Vegatables (try eggplant) sauteed in olive
oil are delicious.  A good garlicky rattatoulle never fails. Any basic french
cookbook will tell you about this.  Julia Child's "Mastering the Art of 
French Cooking" is a good starter.  If you want to learn how amazing         
the French can be with their food look at Richard Olney's "Simple French food".
Olive oil is the backbone of Southern French and Italian cooking.  
Look at Marcella Hazan's "Classic Italian Cooking" for more about the use
olive oil in italian Cuisine.

   Oils made from other fruits and nuts (such as walnut oil) are often
used to make unique dressings or viniagrettes.  A delicious dressing for
a pasta salad can be made by mixing three parts walnut oil to one part 
rasberry vinegar, adding fresh basil and coarsly chopped or whole roasted
walnuts.  Yum yum.  Walnut oil is never used for frying.  Add it to any 
sauce or topping that needs oil and would benefit from a little walnutty
flavor.

   For everyday use, I suggest peanut oil.  It is lighter and more natural
tasting than other oils.  It adds to the flavor of a sauteed dish, while
not giving it a heavy greasy taste.

   Try putting a few drops of sesame oil on top of a finished vegetable dish.
It adds Chinese zing.  Mustard oil is in a similar class.  Julie Sahni's
"Classic Indian Cooking" is the bible here.

   The cardinal rules in using oils are simply to :
      1) experiment...don't be afraid to try some different things.
      2) Let your taste buds guide you.  Recipes are only general frameworks
         to work with.  The writer of a recipe doesn't know what ingredients
         you have.

You can find different oils and vinegars at any gourmet food store.  You might
look for a Williams-Sanoma shop in San Diego.  If you find any especially
interesting oils or things to do with them, please pass them along to me.
Enjoy.

				Don Stryker

seifert@ihuxl.UUCP (D.A. Seifert) (11/07/84)

One thing *not* to do is use olive oil to season pans, woks, etc.
Peanut oil is much safer. If you do use olive oil, have a
halon dispenser handy.

(of course if you *like* playing with fire...)
-- 
	_____		
       /_____\		"Our Germans are better than their Germans."
      /_______\
	|___|			    Snoopy
    ____|___|_____	       ihnp4!ihuxl!seifert

seifert@ihuxl.UUCP (D.A. Seifert) (11/09/84)

One point about cottonseed oil: Cotton is not grown as a food
crop, it's grown for clothing, thus stronger chemicals
(insecticides, etc) can be used than are allowed for food crops.

Seems like the FDA (or whoever) would have noticed this.
-- 
	_____		
       /_____\		"Our Germans are better than their Germans."
      /_______\
	|___|			    Snoopy
    ____|___|_____	       ihnp4!ihuxl!seifert