Product Review: Dip & Scoop Argan Oil

Happy New Year!

I was not-that-recently approached by Dip&Scoop to try their culinary Argan oil. Not to be confused with Argon--a chemical element with 18 electrons–or Angora–wool made from a rabbit–Argan oil is extracted from the Argan trees in Morocco. It’s most commonly known for being a beauty product, as many people use it in their hair. It turns out it’s good for noshing, too! If you’ve ever tried walnut oil, you will find this quite similar in flavor.

Dip&Scoop was kind enough to send me a bottle of their Argan oil to sample. They actually shipped it to me back in October, and I failed them so hard. First the bottle sat at work (where I had them ship it to) because I was too lazy to carry the box home. Finally, I brought the bottle home and set it in my bedroom.

That ended up being a huge mistake because then I kept forgetting I had it. Every day when I wake up, I head straight to the kitchen and start cooking. My oatmeal consumes all my focus. Then later I go to my room and see the Argan oil and think, “Blerg, I was supposed to use that this morning!” This cycle continued for two months. I suppose the average person would have moved the oil to their kitchen at some point, but that just didn’t occur to me. I kept thinking, “Tomorrow! I’ll remember to do it tomorrow!”

Then, I was just consumed with guilt. This company was generous enough to share their product with me, and I just let it sit in my bedroom for two months. Well, I finally followed through, and I’m pleased to have my first post of 2015 wrap up some unfinished business from 2014. 🙂

Also, how cute is this bottle?

So how did I use my Argan oil, you ask? The bottle accurately describes the flavor as “nutty,” and after one whiff, I agreed that it was reminiscent of other nut oils (like walnut) I had experienced. I decided to try it in one of my favorite “nutty” oatmeals to see how it would complement the peanut butter (PB2, actually).

Since I happened to have berries on hand, I made Nutty ‘Nana Berry Oatmeal. This is a finishing oil, which means it has an intense flavor and a little goes a long way (think of extra virgin olive or coconut oil). When my oatmeal had reached the right consistency, I stirred in a mere 1/2 tsp of Argan oil–that’s all it needed! I’m sure you could use more (potentially even a full tsp?), but I minimize my added oils so I stayed on the modest end.

Although the basic flavors of the oatmeal remained the same, there was a new depth to it. In addition to the banana and cinnamon flavors in the oatmeal, there was a subtle nuttiness to it with the added Argan oil. It also made the earthiness of the cinnamon and oats more pronounced (but again, in a subtle way). The banana was still the star, but this time it had backup. 🙂

I will continue to experiment, and I will definitely share any future recipes for using Argan oil in oatmeal. Happy 2015!

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