Fruit & Nut Oils

Most everyone is familiar with the plethora of health benefits from olive oil.  Olive oil is notorious for its culinary uses as it lends a distinct yet subtle buttery, peppery flavor to salads, soups, and pasta dishes.  Olive oil has been an ancient resource for food, cosmetics and many other purposes.  But olive oil is not the only benevolent fruit oil out there.  There exists so many more fruit and nut oils that provide a multitude of beneficial uses--avocado, hazelnut, walnut, raspberry seed, macadamia, grape seed, argan, apricot seed, and the list goes on and on.  The choices are many for those searching for alternatives to olive oil that are sustainable and local.  I hope to highlight the various oils available throughout the United States, because there are many noteworthy brands that deserve attention in todays fruit and nut oil markets.

I live in the region of Hill Country Texas, fortunately for me I have access to quality olive oils.  My favorite olive oil is First Texas Olive Oil produced by Bella Vista Ranch in Wimberley Texas:

It has a delightful, peppery bite to it, making it an ideal addition to just about any fresh salad, drizzled on bread or with soup.  I especially like to drizzle a little on my homemade Italian chicken kale soup. 

I toured Bella Vista Ranch back in July 2010 and met the owner of the olive orchard, Jack Daugherty.  I found Mr. Daugherty to be extremely knowledgeable about agricultural practices and passionate about his cultivating philosophies.  But what is most remarkable is the flavor of his olive oil, absolutely delicious.  Having lived and traveled around the world, I can taste that Daugherty's tenacity has paid off--First Texas Olive Oil rivals other established oliviers from California, Italy, and Greece.  Perhaps it does not have the same fruity flavor of the many olive oils that hale from Spain, but it has its own unique Hill Country flavor, exemplifying the "terroir" of this region.  First Texas Olive Oil can hold its own amongst many international olive oils.  I would describe it as grassy and finishing with a peppery bite on the back of the tongue.  You can learn more about First Texas Olive Oil here:
http://www.ksat.com/video/24374293/
http://www.texasoliveoil.com/Olives-OliveOil.htm

Bella Vista Ranch, Olive Orchard, July 2010: