Velvety with clear walnut flavor, Moulin de la Veyssière’s Virgin Walnut Oil was Milk Street’s winner in a taste test of high-quality walnut oils—it’s no wonder the French call it “yellow gold.” Grown in southwest France, prized Périgord walnuts have a designated AOP, or “protected designation of origin,” and the company has used them to make their oil since 1857. The process starts by crushing walnut kernels into a paste with a flint wheel, then heating the mixture to add flavor and pressing it, before adding it to barrels to decant for several weeks. Unlike many other versions on the market, this oil is not too tannic or bitter, tasting only of pure, buttery walnuts. Use it in baking to add a nutty flavor to loaf cakes and cookies, or, since it has a low smoke point, as a finishing oil in salad dressings or drizzled over risotto.