For 40 years, Maison Orphée has been selecting, importing and manufacturing quality virgin oils. We know our oils! Our company has even become Canada's first producer of cold-pressed organic seed oils.
To celebrate our 40th anniversary and our love for specialty oils, we have The Perfect Oil TM, a blend of decades of expertise—and a whole lot of good ingredients too!
How the idea germinated
The idea for The Perfect Oil TM was started during an internal training event! Our senior technical advisor, Anthony, was teaching our new employees everything there is to know about "good fats" and "bad fats."
He patiently explained how a single fat cannot meet the various needs of the human body. A case in point? While olive oil is rich in omega-9, flaxseed oil contains omega-3. Even saturated fats have their place in the human diet; they are found in coconut oil, for example, but in limited quantities.
Anthony then presented a diagram showing the ideal fat composition for a balanced diet. The only problem? No single seed or fruit had the ideal balance! But our new employees had a great idea: why not create a blend that would provide the benefits of several seeds in one perfect combination?
Our criteria for perfection
We designed The Perfect Oil TM to offer consumers an innovative, all-in-one oil for many of their kitchen needs:
- A high-quality product that remains affordable
- A balanced composition, combining the nutritional benefits normally found in several distinct virgin oils
- A commitment to using the harvests of local producers
- A versatile taste profile, suitable for all styles of cuisine from around the world
- An optimal smoking point so that it can be used in vinaigrettes and hot recipes, such as stews, oven dishes and more.
Better understanding virgin oils
With these criteria in mind, we started testing several blends of various fruits and seeds!
Regardless of the variety of seeds or fruits used, virgin oils, i.e., extracted or cold-pressed, brim with great properties! A slow pressing method, without applying heat or refining the blend with solvents or other methods, allows us to preserve the nutrients, tastes, colours, aromas, and nutritional properties of the original seeds.
For this reason, all virgin oils are more intense than refined oils. They are more or less resistant to heat because it is precisely the particles that give them their properties that are susceptible to burning when heated.
Some oils, such as olive oil and virgin non-toasted sesame oil, still tolerate some heat, while others, such as flaxseed oil—a seed high in omega-3—much less so. Some oils, like canola, are very tasty and colourful and can be as surprising as olive oil was to consumers in the 80s and 90s.
The winning formula
Among all our tests, we had a big crush on our blend #6, which combines our 4 organic seed oils pressed in Quebec City and our extra olive oil delicate. More precisely, we find in The Perfect Oil TM.
- Our organic virgin sunflower oil, rich in omega-9
- Our organic unrefined sesame oil, more resistant to cooking
- Our organic virgin canola oil, which contains omega-3 and has a beautiful golden color and parsnip aroma
- Our extra virgin olive oil delicate, with its peppery bitterness and omega-9
- A small amount of our organic virgin flaxseed oil, the omega-3 superstar
The result? Our Perfect Oil TM, a wonderful bright golden yellow oil that stands out with its exquisite sweet and buttery flavour—without any greasy feel to it. Versatile and perfectly balanced, we believe it will quickly become your kitchen favourite. We have it in our kitchens and use it all the time!
To discover our recipes, including the perfect vinaigrette from our CEO Élisabeth Bélanger, click here!
Learn to love seed oils
Did you know that 40 years ago, olive oil was not very popular in Québec? Consumers found it either too pungent or too bitter—and sometimes both. Over the years, manufacturers have created milder profiles than those available in Europe. In addition, the eating habits of Quebecers have evolved, making olive oil the crown jewel of premium oils.
In addition to being celebrated for its gourmet properties, extra virgin olive oil is also rich in omega-9, which appeals to consumers who are looking to eat more healthily.
Meanwhile, virgin seed oils, which are just as amazing, have not enjoyed the same increase in popularity as olive oil…just yet. When cold-pressed with care, seed oils also feature some of the most impressive colours, aromas, tastes and properties! All it takes is a bit of gumption to try them!