Kokova Magazine

Are all oils the same? Do we really need a different oil for recipes or will a simple olive oil work across the board?

We taste tested a selection of the diverse oils available in the Cooks & Co range to see just how they compare to the vast array of oils available today.

The first thing that strikes us is that most of the bottles are PET bottles as opposed to glass. This has many advantages, including being good for their carbon footprint as they are lightweight and will take less effort to transport and the fact that all PET plastic bottles can be recycled.

With quite a few nut based oils we were sure to find that they would all be the same and wondered how one would differ from the other but we have to say that after taste-testing the following oils we have found some firm favourites.

COOKS&CO Virgin Sesame Oil

This is a high quality virgin oil, cold pressed from selected sesame seeds. Delicious in salad dressings and vinaigrettes as well as stir fry dishes.

Firstly, we tested all the oils as they were by dipping them with bread and getting a feel for the different flavours. With this Virgin Sesame Oil we found the aroma pleasant and used it in our everyday cooking and frying. It is a great oil - not too greasy or overpowering - and not too 'oily'. A definite thumbs up for this one.

COOKS&CO Roast Peanut Oil

This oil is made from selected roasted peanuts. Excellent in dressings as well as homemade mayonnaise and dips.

Roasted peanut oil - what can we say! Fantastic aroma, we served this with a splash of balsamic and dipped away - again and again and again...
If we had to recommend only one oil to test in this range then this would be the winner. Fantastic flavour - if you like peanut butter then this is a must! 10/10 for flavour, consistency and all round yummyness.

COOKS&CO Walnut Oil

Made using high quality walnuts this oil has a delicate nutty flavour. Excellent drizzled over salad and as an ingredient in cakes and cookies.

You really need to like walnuts to use this oil - luckily we do! It has a very distinctive taste making it ideal for use in brownies and cakes - as well as for a Waldorf salad. Not our favourite through choice as it felt a little heavier than the others.

COOKS&CO Hazelnut Oil

This is a great tasting oil made using high quality hazelnuts. It has a fantastic nutty aroma and is perfect for use in cakes, cookies and salads.

As with the walnut oil, this hazelnut oil is very distinguishable as being a hazelnut flavour, making it great for anything that requires a mild nutty taste. This is a little lighter than the walnut oil and perfect for use in cakes, cookies and, for us, as a salad dressing.

COOKS&CO Chilli Olive Oil

Hot chillies are added to olive oil to create this classic condiment for pizzas. Will also add a kick to pasta, dressings and grilled meat.

Another winner here! If you like it spicy then this is the oil for you. Another super oil for adding balsamic too and dipping - but equally great to use on meats and in a chilli con carne. So good that we sent it down to our local chef to try out.

COOKS&CO Grapeseed Oil

Grapeseed oil is very versatile due to its delicate flavour and is ideal for all types of cooking. Use in stir fries, fondues and for sauces.

For an all round oil this is the first choice to use. If you want to simply cook with a good quality oil then you can do a lot worse than choose a Cooks & Co oil to use. The whole range is pure quality - clean oils and fabulous flavours.

For more information on the whole Cooks & Co range visit www.cooksandco.co.uk