Trader Joe's 100% Greek Kalamata Extra Virgin Olive Oil

The pros:  Trader Joe's 100% Greek Kalamata Extra Virgin Olive Oil is fruity and flavorful. While it's not as good as some very pricey olive oils, this is a reasonably priced alternative.

The cons: No date on the bottle to indicate when this was actually bottled.

The verdict:  We go through a lot of olive oil in my household. Between salads, dipping bread, and cooking, it is a regular purchase. I recently reviewed Trader Joe's California Extra Virgin Olive Oil and to be honest, this one is so much better if you use it in certain situations.

Now Rachel Ray perhaps popularize the term EVOO and probably popularized the product where more people were suddenly using it and cooking with it. But I want to caution against using just one type of olive oil. There are some which are perfectly acceptable to cook with, but there are others that are worth savoring.

This is worth savoring. If you are going to cook with olive oil, please make sure it doesn't taste like much. Once you start applying heat, it will start destroying the subtle flavors that make some of the EVOOs nuanced and special. There was a time where I believe olive oil was just another oil. Most the grocery store stuff I tried was practically neutral in taste.

It wasn't until a Groupon, where I went to a winery named Millbrook Winery. The wine we tasted was good. The olive oil was even better. I'm no big fan of olives, but that olive oil blew me out of the water. It was expensive olive oil, but worth every penny. After that my olive oil habits did a 180. I realized how special the "good stuff" can be. Their olive oil is $30 for a 500ml bottle. On the high end without a doubt. Plus it is a bit of a drive for my husband and I.

For $8.99 this is a solid get me through until we can get back there. It has some of the same nuances as our favorite olive oil. It's fruity and complex. Not nearly as complex as the Millbrook stuff, but not even close to the same price point. The Kalamata Olive oil has the fragrance of fresh olive oil. It's a deep green hue and has a pleasant bite of fresh olive oil. It's complex for the price point. This is great stuff to dip bread into. I wouldn't cook with it. But it would also make for a good dressing as well.

This is a regular item in my household. If you haven't tried this bottle, then give it a whirl. Just be sure to enjoy it in its natural and uncooked state. A good choice for dripping, drizzing, or any other application where the flavors present can be savored. If you need an olive oil to cook with, consider Trader Joe's Spanish Olive Oil Cooking Spray. That gets the job done without any propellants.

Here is the visual run down of what you get if you buy this product:

The bottle of Trader Joe's 100% Greek Kalamata Extra Virgin Olive Oil:

The nutritional information, the ingredients, and how Trader Joe's describes this product:

Would I buy this again?  Yes, I would buy Trader Joe's 100% Greek Kalamata Extra Virgin Olive Oil again. So far, this is my favorite for salads and dipping. I think this has become my reasonably priced go to bottle.

Want to see more items I've reviewed from Trader Joe's? Click on Thoughts & Reviews of Trader Joe's for a searchable list.

Did you try it? Let me know what you think in the comments section!