Giada De Laurentiis' go-to olive oil is just $20 and makes a fab Mother's Day gift

Can you name a cooking ingredient more versatile than olive oil? I'll wait ... Aside from salt, it's the one kitchen essential that can be used in just about anything; as a former professional baker, I've even added it to desserts. Of course, not all olive oils are created equal, and if there's one person we trust to recommend a winner, it's Italian cooking queen Giada De Laurentiis, who told Bon Appétit that her favorite pantry staple is Lucini Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Which got me thinking: A bottle of this would make a fabulous Mother's Day gift for a foodie, and it's just $20 at Amazon.

You might think that a celebrity chef like De Laurentiis would only use ultra-high-end extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) imported from Italy. Well, think again: Lucini is $20 for a 16.9-ounce bottle. Oh, and it's actually made in Argentina!

EVOO isn't your run-of-the-mill olive oil. It's made from the first cold-pressing of the olives — a time-consuming process — so it's unrefined and, to many, tastes better than its non-virgin counterpart. It's the only type that real-deal cooks would ever use for dipping and drizzling — and, in many cases, cooking.

Of course, that means EVOO is usually more expensive than other olive oils, but Lucini's price point is reasonable for something so frequently used in the kitchen.

De Laurentiis told Bon Appétit that she uses Lucini on "almost everything," including salads and even her morning oatmeal. "There's no such thing as too much olive oil," she says. And since De Laurentiis is Italian, you know she takes her olive oil seriously.

Some argue that EVOO shouldn't be used for cooking — only dressing and garnishing — but De Laurentiis proudly cooks with it, as does the (very opinionated) Gordon Ramsay. Even the Culinary Institute of America recommends cooking with EVOO.

And then there are all the little-known foods and dishes you can garnish with the stuff. Nope, it's not just pasta and vegetables — you can pour it on ice cream and even drizzle some on a fruit salad.

Amazon customers share Gianna's infatuation with Lucini.

"I went to Italy six years ago and stayed at a vineyard where they make their own organic olive oil. This Lucini olive oil tastes so much like that in Tuscany; it's the only kind I will use," reported one reviewer.

"Fantastic taste, low acidity, perfect for salads and to dip bread," gushed this gourmand. "It is worth every dollar."

"It was given as a hostess gift to an Italian cook," said a third. The verdict? "She loved it!"

"Lucini makes a great olive oil," raved this discerning shopper. "It has a strong peppery taste, slightly bitter; a good sign it's the real olive oil." That said, they noted, "If you are looking for a mellow olive taste, this is not it."

"This olive oil tastes wonderful, and we love to use it for finishing recipes or dipping," wrote a final fan. "It is worth the money ... except when my husband uses it to season his Blackstone grill. Use cheaper stuff for that."

Another Food Network star kitchen essential? Ina Garten's beloved Lodge Cast Iron Skillet, which I'm also a fan of.

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The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.