Artisan Oils

I have a post I am working on about why fat is good for us. One of the big ways we get fats in our diet is through oil. It has come to light in recent years that all of the plants oils are not so good for us when heated. But many of those plant oils, specifically olive oil and the nut oils, like hazelnut and walnut oils are very healthy if used unheated. Huilerie Emile Noël uses a time-tested artisanal production method. Its traditional presses – very old but carefully maintained – extract oil slowly and carefully. Unlike in modern presses, the seeds don’t get too hot and instead release their oil slowly – the ideal way to respect the seeds and their flavors.

I had an opportunity to test some of the artisan oils made by Emile Noel.  Specifically I tried out their robust olive oil, hazelnut oil, and walnut oil.  I did not heat any of these oils but used them in salad dressing and on already cooked pasta. I was very pleased with all flavors of oil. I have never used hazelnut oil or walnut oil before so was not quite sure what to expect. I found that of the 2 nut oils I liked hazelnut the best. The flavor of the nuts came through distinctly and it was delicious over pasta or quinoa salad. The hazelnuts are sourced from Turkey. They are ground, roasted, and then pressed in a hydraulic press to extract the oils. The walnut oil was good but just not my preferred taste. The walnuts are sourced for this oil from France.

The oils available for purchase include mild olive oil, robust olive oil, sesame oil, roasted sesame oil, sunflower oil, pumpkin seed oil, hazelnut oil, walnut oil, macadamia nut oil, and sweet almond oil. I found the quality of Emile Noel nuts oils to be good choices and I would use them again.

I am very used to olive oil and make a homemade salad dressing with it frequently. I usually buy my olive oil by the gallon from a local Middle Eastern store and the oil comes from Lebanon. As far as I am aware that olive oil is the real deal. I found Emile Noel’s olive oil to be of the same quality and I have no doubt that it is real olive oil that is not adulterated with other cheaper oils. It has that robust and strong taste that I am accustomed to with quality virgin olive oil.

I can heartily recommend all the Emile Noel oils based on my experience with these 3. The company was founded in 1920 and uses only non GMO and organic sources for their oil. It is a family owned and operated company that is now working in its 3rd and 4th generation of oil production. (Do you know how hard it is to keep a company going this long sucessfully?!!! Believe me it is an accomplishment.)  Their website is a useful place to check out, including details about their oils and company and some recipes. They also have an interesting blog.

The oils are sold at Whole Foods markets throughout the USA. They are also available through Amazon, which is the way I was able to get them. This is my affiliate link if you would like to try them out.

#EmileNolArtisanOils