The Cooking Staple I Buy Once a Year in January and Use Every Single Day (It Saves Me So Much Money)

I love to reset my pantry at the beginning of the year. After so much celebratory cooking, it’s a relief to return to the everyday. That means cleaning things out and restocking favorites to set myself up for success for whatever Tuesday night brings. 

Olive oil is one of those staples, and a gallon of Séka Hills arbequina olive oil is always my pick. The olive oil checks the box on multiple things I look for in my pantry staples: a good value, sustainable, local, and delicious. Don’t just take my word for it — it’s popular among many chefs and food enthusiasts like J. Kenji Alt-Lopez, Samin Nosrat, and Diaspora Co. founder Sana Javeri Kadri.

Séka Hills arbequina olive oil leans a bit milder than other varietals. The brand describes itself as having “pungency with a slight bitterness,” and a “long, satisfying finish.” It’s not super grassy or overtly piquant and bitter like many other popular options. While there is definitely a place for the latter, I really love the quiet complexity of this California-grown oil for everyday use. 

Owned by the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, Séka Hills grows and presses its arbequina olives on its historically inhabited land in the Capay Valley in northern California. Yocha Dehe lands are managed with sustainable practices, with an eye towards conservation. I’m fortunate enough to consider it to be a local product. But even if you live in the middle of the country, it’s still closer to home than olive oil shipped in from Europe.

Finally, many small and direct-to-consumer branded olive oils come in smaller bottles with high price tags. Séka Hills prices out at about $.50/ounce. Even better, you can buy it directly from Séka Hills’ website in large-format containers, which helps to eliminate extra packaging waste. Simply dispense it into the vessel of your choice, whether that’s a squeeze bottle, handmade ceramic dispenser, or refillable spray bottle.

I think the gallon-sized olive oil is a good way to go. It provides that sense of reassurance knowing I’m stocked without being overwhelmed with needing to store a huge bulk order. But if you really want to go for it, you can purchase a nine-liter bag-in-a-box dispenser (think: boxed wine). This format in particular is great for longer-term storage, as the bag prevents the oil from coming in contact with air, and the box keeps it away from sunlight. 

Fun story: I was eating a tuna salad at one of my favorite restaurants, and could not get over how beautifully the olive oil complemented the greens and the canned fish. I asked the server what they used. She checked with the kitchen and, sure enough, it was Séka Hills.

Séka Hills arbequina olive oil brings its own flavor while complementing what you’re eating. It doesn’t overwhelm, but enhances. It’s great for everyday sautés and marinades, but I really love it for dressings, aioli, dips, and sauces. It’s beautiful in an olive oil cake. 

Buy: Séka Hills Arbequina Extra Virgin Olive Oil, $69 for 1 gallon at Séka Hills 

What pantry staples do you stock up on in January? Tell us about it in the comments below.