Walnut oil

Walnut oil is oil extracted from walnuts.

Culinary use

Walnut oil is used to a limited extent in cooking, though not as extensively as other oils due to the fact that it is still an expensive specialty product. It is light-colored and delicate in flavor and scent, with a slight nutty quality. Although sometimes used for pan frying, most chefs do not use walnut oil for high temperature cooking, as heating can remove some of the oil's flavor and produce a slight bitterness; instead it is used primarily as an ingredient in cold dishes such as salad dressings, where its flavor can more easily come through. Most walnut oil is produced in France, though there are also producers in Australia and New Zealand.

Artistic use

Walnut oil was one of the most important and vital oils used by Renaissance painters. Its quickness of drying and lack of yellow tint made and make this a good resource for thinning oil paint.

Walnut oil has a fickle nature. In recent years, walnut oil has left the main art market after being found to become rancid when stocked at shops for too long. Though one will still find the mention of it in older references and occasionally a place of business may still sell it, it should be noted that its market is dying. Instead of walnut oil many artists and stores sell linseed oil, poppyseed oil, and safflower oil as replacements.