There must be about 25 different kinds of cooking oils on the market here in the U.S., sometimes it’s so hard to decide which one is right for your needs.
I must say that for general cooking(frying), I usually use either **pure vegetable, corn or canola oil**. These oils do a pretty good job when frying potatoes and such, but they do tend to burn at higher temperatures.
For higher temperature cooking, I would recommend using **peanut oil**. Peanut oil can stand much higher temperatures than the others, and it gives you food a bit more taste.
The oil I use to *add to foods being cooked* is usually an **extra, extra virgin olive oil**. It has a fine nutty taste, but is not overpowering, like other olive oils are.
Then there are the specialty oils. **Walnut oil, pecan oil and other oils derived from nuts** give foods a powerful nutty taste and are great for using in baking and casseroles.
I flavor corn oil with herbs, like tarragon, oregano, thyme, etc. to use on salads to add a little zest and flavor. I also love to add fresh garlic, chopped up into my oils for salads as well.
When I bake, I usually use a’solid’ type oil, or shortening to make really flaky pie crusts. The solid type comes in a butter flavor(and is a lot less expensive than using real butter)and it really gives baked goods a buttery taste.
Whichever oil you choose, make sure it is fresh! Don’t buy too many types or large quantities if you don’t plan on using them within 3 months. Especially olive oils, oils with herbs added or oil derived from nuts. Oil does spoil.
Have fun, experiment with different oils for different tastes.