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Welcome to: Culinary Oils...Once upon a time Britain cooked exclusively with butter, lard, margarine, suet or solid animal fats. Butter was used because it added a rich flavour. Lard was a good all-purpose fat for  cooking and baking, producing tender and flaky pastry crusts. Suet was used for dumplings and steamed puddings, both sweet and savoury. Margarine was a cheap alternative to butter. Saturated fats are fats which are solid at room temperature. They are normally animal fats although both coconut and palm oils are saturated fats. All culinary oils are 100% fat, with a tablespoon containing about 120 calories. It is the structure of the oil which determines weather or not it is healthy. Olive and rapeseed oils are considered especially healthy. All animal and some plant fats are extracted by refining or rendering, a process which normally involves heat along with a clarification and filtering process. Quality plant oils are usually produced by cold pressing, a process which involves the pressing and grinding of fruits, seeds or stones. Cold pressing does produce some heat through friction. To qualify as cold pressed the temperature of the oil must not exceed 49°C/120°F. Cold pressing helps retain flavour and aroma. Another method used is expeller pressing, this process uses extreme physical pressure to produce pure oil, but the procedure results in high temperatures. Expeller pressing is sometimes used for a second pressing, after the source has first been cold pressed. The smoke point refers to the temperature at which the components of an oil or fat begin to deteriorate, causing them to smoke or burn. Food cooked at this point will take on an unpleasant taste. After the smoke point the flash point is reached, at this stage the oil or fat will spontaneously combust.Fruit Oils
Apricot Kernel Oil This is a very healthy mild flavoured fruit oil, produced from the dried kernels of the apricot tree. It is high in monounsaturated fat and contains no trans-fatty acids. A stable oil well suited to high heat cooking such as sautéing, as well as a good base oil for dressings. A cold or expeller pressed oil that may also sometimes be refined.
Avocado Oil A uniquely flavoured refined fruit oil that works well in dressings or as a seasoning. Produced using damaged avocado fruits it is rich in both monounsaturated fat and vitamin E. This oil has the highest smoke point of any plant oil.
Coconut Oil An increasingly popular fruit oil due to the expanding recognition of Southeast Asian cuisine. Produced from the dried white flesh of coconuts. A highly flavoured, thick sweet-smelling oil which is solid at room temperature and has a buttery texture. Contains high levels of saturated fat, some 92%. Contains no cholesterol, has high levels of antioxidants and omega oils. Coconut oil is commonly used in processed foods including cakes, confectionary, whipped toppings and coffee whiteners. Frequently use as a cooking fat in Asian and Indian cookery.
Grape Seed Oil This fruit oil is a by-product of wine production and is commonly found in France, Italy and Switzerland. A refined oil with a subtle, almost neutral flavour and a high smoke point. Commonly used as a base oil for dressings. Frequently blended with more expensive, flavoured, oils so making these oils more economical when used for sautéing or frying.
Olive Oil A common and popular fruit oil extracted from the fruit of the Mediterranean Olive tree, Latin name olea europaea. Greece, Italy and Spain produce 90% of the worlds olive oil. Greek oils a fresh, green, grassy and peppery, ideal for salads. Italian oils are assertive, peppery and aromatic, ideal for cooking and drizzling. Spanish oils are golden coloured, smooth, fruity and slightly bitter, ideal for marinades and fish dishes. Olive oil may be either refined or cold pressed, depending upon the quality of the oil. A distinctively flavoured and healthy oil which is high in monounsaturated fats. It can range in colour from a pale green through to a golden yellow and onto a rich bottle green. Fruity or flowery, nutty or spicy, delicate or rich. Versatile, it is used to enhance the flavour of may foods as either a seasoning, in dressings or during preparation and cooking. Used as a spread it is an excellent alternative to butter or margarine. The oil is more usually extracted from the unripe green olives. There are three basic varieties of olive oil. Extra virgin olive oil is obtained from the first cold pressing and has an acidity level no greater than 1%. It is full flavoured and has a rich pouring texture. An expensive oil best used as a condiment, in dressings, dips or as a spread. It does not heat well so is unsuitable as a cooking oil. Virgin olive oil has a maximum acidity of 2% and is obtained from the second cold or expeller pressing. A versatile oil with enough flavour to be used as a condiment, in dressings and dips, but it may also be used generously as a cooking oil. The more common olive oil or pure olive oil as it is sometimes referred to, is usually a blend of refined (85%) and virgin oils (15%). These cheaper oils have less flavour, aroma and colour when compared to the higher grade olive oils, but have much the same health benefits. These oils have a much higher smoke point and are excellent for cooking. British cookery writer Elizabeth David published her book ‘Mediterranean Food’ in 1950, it listed olive oil as an ingredient in several recipes. However the oil was considered to be exotic and was both unknown and unavailable at the time. During the 1970s the British oil of choice was vegetable. Olive oil was only available from chemist shops, sold in small bottles as a dissolver of ear wax.
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