Richard's ~JA~ wrote:
Please, once again could you here please give me guidance as to what oil
is best used for cooking and/or preparing what particular foods? I grew
up with a mother who used only Crisco or butter, along with having
Hispanic family friends who used only lard or butter for everything.
Oils of any sort were quite uncommon in households then, rather like my
having lard here now only when I'm making tortillas.


Here's a rerun. Enjoy.

--Blair
"Neat! Leftovers!"

From blair Thu Mar 6 16:28:11 MST 2003
Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking
Subject: Another Olive Oil Question
References:

Kswck wrote:
And I wok with it, as well as flavored olive oils; even though you will
hear in this group NOT to fry with olive oil as it has a lower smoking
point.

You'll hear that, but that's because Sheldon is seldom right.

It's okay to fry with refined olive oil* but not with any
kind of "Virgin" olive oil.

Which is why the Bertolli label mentioned cooking with the
lighter oils and using the virgin ones in salads, where it
won't be cooked.

You can pan-fry with virgin oils, as long as you don't cook
so hot that they smoke. Most food gives off steam in hot
oil, making the oil "sizzle" and keeping its temperature
down, but once the sizzle stops, you're in trouble.
In deep-fat frying, you're likely to smoke part of the
oil-- even if you use wet food and work fast--so it's
deprecated.

You can use the refined ones in salads, but they'll add
less flavor.

Frying should be done with peanut oil.

Peanut oil is tasty for many things, but you can fry with
any oil that smokes at a higher temperature than your
fryer will reach between batches:

http://www.goodeatsfanpage.com/Colle...mokePoints.htm

The Extra Light or Extra Virgin olive oil also does well if I'm making
my own flavored oil.

"Extra Light" = refined and without any virgin oil added back
to restore the flavor. High smoke point, still adds olive-oil
flavor to frying.

"Extra Virgin" = a grade of virgin oil with many pleasing
qualities according to strict standards. Low smoke point,
but loaded with flavor, almost as variable as wine, although
oil goes bad with age, rather than improving. Air and light
and age are the things that make oil go bad, so keep it closed
and in the dark. Cans or opaque bottles are the best things
to buy, dark bottles are a little better than clear ones, but
if the store has good turnover, there won't be much effect
due to packaging.

--Blair