The Mediterranean diet is here to stay, and with it, olive oil. Join us on olive oil tasting with an expert in California where we slurp through oils like the best of them. Along with sharing our favorite basic homemade dressing recipe and a life-changing Mediterranean rice bowl, we’ve got a visit from our favorite minimalist and a special giveaway.
How to make homemade salad dressing
Basic Vinaigrette (A Couple Cooks)
Balsamic Vinaigrette (The Faux Martha)
Italian Vinaigrette (The Faux Martha)
Mediterranean Rice Bowl recipe (A Couple Cooks)
Maia Hirschbein’s Challah with Olive Oil
California Olive Ranch
Want three bottles of California-made olive oil? Enter to win the giveaway in this widget:
41 Comments
Jessica K
April 27, 2016 at 9:33 amI don’t like coffee, so I would live without coffee! However I could never live without olive oil!!
Janice
April 27, 2016 at 11:18 amI’d give up olive oil.
Katharine Schwedhelm
April 27, 2016 at 11:20 amOh wow, that is a hard choice to make! Both are indispensable in their own way… But, I could live without coffee, while olive oil is essential for cooking and health.
Asa Martin
April 27, 2016 at 11:35 amWould love to try these olive oils. That is a tough choice between coffee or olive oil, but I don’t think I could give up coffee. I do LOVE cooking with olive oil though (I’ve been baking with it lately and it’s been awesome.)
Lauren
April 27, 2016 at 11:41 amI would be delighted to win and try these olive oils. Honestly, giving up coffee would be near impossible for me, though I definitely use olive oil almost daily!
Antoinette Overton
April 27, 2016 at 12:19 pmThis is my first time listening, I can’t wait to go back and listen to older episodes! I’d have to give up coffee, I literally couldn’t make it a week without olive oil.
Kristin Roberts
April 27, 2016 at 12:26 pmCalifornia olive oil is the best! I would love to try this life-changing olive oil magic!
Kristina N.
April 27, 2016 at 12:44 pmThanks for sharing and hosting a giveaway! I love both, but would definitely give up coffee. It’s something I’ve been meaning to cut down on anyway :)
Laura
April 27, 2016 at 3:59 pmTough choice, but I think I’d give up coffee. I’m not sure how I could cook with olive oil. Like Maia, I use it I everything!
Melissa
April 27, 2016 at 5:06 pmOlive oil I guess. That’s hard.
Heather
April 27, 2016 at 5:19 pmOh dear. Coffee? Other ways I can get my caffeine fix.
Rosie
April 27, 2016 at 5:49 pmthat is a hard choice, but I would fall apart asap without coffee, in fact, I tried to quit it once and I got in a car accident (minor fender bender) on my way home I was out of it. But I love olive oil, and this brand is my favorite, and I’m not surprised how highly rated it is in a recent Cooks Illustrated.
Tammy D
April 27, 2016 at 6:56 pmIf I had to live without coffee or olive oil, I would simply fade away. And I’ve nearly run out of olive oil. This is a problem
Lauren
April 28, 2016 at 9:28 amI would give up coffee, but I think I got out of this question easier than most since I don’t drink it to begin with! Regardless, I love a good olive oil. Takes me back to the amazing meals my Spanish host mother made.
Heidi Jackson
April 28, 2016 at 1:22 pmThis was my first episode to hear you guys and I loved it…and learned a lot! I’ve been pretty sensitive to the way oils go rancid so really appreciated the clarification on how to tell if an olive oil is too old to use. I’m also super jealous…I missed a chance to go to an olive oil tasting in CA a couple of years ago and I really wish I could have made it! Thanks for all the great info and recipes; you’ve definitely inspired me to ditch my salad dressing and make homemade stuff from here on out. Here’s hoping my toddlers like it. :)
Kaitlin
April 28, 2016 at 1:44 pmOoh, tough choice. I feel like the healthier decision would be to give up coffee, but realistically, I think I’d probably give up olive oil.
Jane
April 28, 2016 at 3:46 pmI love olive oil but honestly. … i couldnt give up coffee. ..just sayin’
Erika
April 28, 2016 at 5:21 pmI would be willing to give up coffee to keep olive oil in my kitchen. I sure felt silly last night trying to explain the olive oil tasting process to my husband, who hasn’t listened to your podcast! I learned so much. Thanks!
Meredy
April 29, 2016 at 12:53 amThis is a no-brainer for me, as I LOVE olive oil and use it every day! Salad dressings are always the best when made fresh (and easy, too!). I can see my 6 year old and I cooking together for friends and family.
Btw, I love listening to your podcast while I cook dinner for us!!
Andrea
April 29, 2016 at 11:01 amI would have to say i cant give up coffee. Thank you for the arro press podcast, i have used a pour over and now thinking of changing. That being said i am very interested in trying this olive oil. Its local and sounds like great quality. My italian grandma prided herself of good quality ingrediants. No prechopped garlic from a jar and definately no lemon juice from a plastic lemon. I think she would be so happy with this olive oil. Thank you for your podcast. I eagerly await each episode!!
Libby
April 29, 2016 at 11:04 amThis was so fascinating! I’m going to make that challa, today. This is my goal. :)
Jessica Anderson
April 30, 2016 at 12:33 pmLife without olive oil b/c butter is a good sub. But nothing can compare to coffee!
Monique
May 1, 2016 at 8:15 amOh boy….tough question!! I use both of them daily. I don’t know if there’s anything that compares to coffee, but there are other oil options. I would say life without olive oil. I have really enjoyed the podcasts on olive oil and coffee – so interesting! I eagerly look forward to each episode. Thanks!
Amanda Huntley
May 2, 2016 at 7:10 pmOh this is an easy one for me – Coffee! I couldn’t live without it.
Laura Tarney
May 4, 2016 at 10:55 amI couldn’t live without coffee for sure :) but did want to add that as I was listening to your podcast I realized I had bought olive oil the day before and was very anxious to get home and make sure it met the standards you discussed. It turned out it was California Olive Ranch brand which I have never bought before…a total coincidence! I am so excited to try it after listening to the podcast!
Alex
May 6, 2016 at 3:14 pmSo funny! Hope you’re enjoying it!
Kate H
May 4, 2016 at 12:38 pmI couldn’t live without olive oil! I use it nearly everyday in cooking! It has such a wonderful flavor!
Betsy Bryan
May 5, 2016 at 2:30 pmWow, this is a tough question. I love both olive oil and coffee, but if I have to choose, it has to be coffee. I am way too addicted to caffeine.
Christina
May 5, 2016 at 2:49 pmIf I had to choose, I think I would choose coffee. Unfortunately I love the taste and caffeine to much.
Maggie G
May 5, 2016 at 5:54 pmWhat a difficult choice! I think I’d have to keep the coffee. I love olive oil, though! Grateful to have access to both. May we never have to choose. And I so enjoy your podcast & blog– I live in Broad Ripple. :)
Alex
May 6, 2016 at 3:13 pmThank you! Glad to hear we have some neighbors listening :)
Kim C
May 5, 2016 at 9:49 pmLove both, but I don’t think I could be a functional (or kind) person without coffee!
Kate
May 5, 2016 at 10:06 pmI would happily “give up” coffee since I don’t drink it anyway (wait, does coffee ice cream count?!) but olive oil, never!
Brittany | Words Like Honeycomb
May 6, 2016 at 8:32 amI don’t think I understand the question, because life wouldn’t be possible without either… ;)
I loved hearing about the different tips and tricks of choosing a great olive oil! I live in GA and don’t have access to all the olive oil options, so it was great to discover the ways I can find the best olive oil in my area! SO hope to win those 3 bottles of olive oil…I would love the chance to SLURP California olive oil :D
Alex
May 6, 2016 at 3:13 pmSo glad you enjoyed the interview!
Elissa Carper
May 6, 2016 at 10:02 amHum….I guess vinaigrette is more important than morning coffee so I choose olive oil.
Lin
May 6, 2016 at 2:37 pmI would keep the olive oil, although coffee does smell better!
Alex
May 6, 2016 at 3:12 pmMaybe you aren’t smelling the right olive oil!
Jill Robertson
May 6, 2016 at 9:03 pmCoffee. No contest; if it were tea there would be a problem.
Birdiebee
May 6, 2016 at 11:45 pmI would live without coffee & drink my tea.
Colleen
May 12, 2016 at 9:21 amI enjoy listening to every one of your podcasts, I learn so much, and you two are fun to listen to. This olive oil podcast, was no exception.
After listening I thought, I need to order some, try it out. Life got busy, I forgot, then, I ran out of my regular olive oil. While shopping ay my local food co op I was happily surprised to find they carry California Olive Ranch olive oil. I picked up a bottle of the “Everyday” and went home to compare and try it out.
I never, ever thought I would become an oilve oil snob, but I think I just may have. The podcast taught me what to look for on the bottle and in the oilve oil, as well as what it should taste and smell like. I compared it to my, what I thought was good oilve oil, and I found the differences.
Thanks for all the hard work you do putting the podcasts together. Always informative and interesting and I love your sense of humor.