oliva

  • The oil mill

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    The oil mill is the place where the transformation of the olive into oil takes place.

    History tells us that since ancient times olives were appreciated not only as a food, but also for oil extraction.  At the end of the seventh century before Christ, the Etruscans produced containers for the exportation of oil, which at the time was used for washing, perfuming and lighting. The Romans later understood its most valuable properties, classifying the oil into different categories based on the level of ripeness of the olives at the time of processing. They realized that freshly picked unripe olives gave excellent oil.

    The extraction systems have remained unchanged for centuries.  Today we have, without getting into boring technicalities, two extraction systems: the traditional or discontinuous one and the modern continuous cycle.

    The traditional system involves grinding by stone, pressing the substance thus obtained and the separating of the oil by centrifuge.

    The modern system replaces the stone with a continuous mechanical system, which without pressing leads directly to separation. This system is gradually replacing the traditional one, as it is possible to work constantly at a controlled temperature. The process is more hygienic because it is hermetically sealed and thus superior quality oils are obtained, which maintain their precious qualities longer.

    Among the enemies of oil we find above all oxygen, light and heat. In the modern extraction system, the oil is protected from all of this. When we bring our olives to the mill we need to know the type of mill and the product we want to obtain.

    Not all oil mills are the same, as not all oils are the same.

    Desirée Nieves
    Olivicoltore
    Sommelier dell’olio
    Assaggiatore professionale

     

  • From the plant to the mill

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    Harvesting plays a fundamental role in the process of obtaining a quality oil.  The olive grower chooses the harvesting method that best suits the needs of his olive grove and the ideal period is when the olive is ripe.

     Why do olive growers who want to obtain the highest quality oils prefer to anticipate the harvest as much as possible?  Because the still unripe olive contains the maximum quantity of polyphenols and therefore bitter and spicy in sufficient quantities to obtain that precious nectar that we can classify as a nutraceutical.

     But what happens when we harvest the olives?  The journey to the oil mill begins.  We must ensure that the fruit arrives healthy, because the smallest wound will initiate an oxidation process which will negatively affect the quality of the oil.  Precisely for this reason, before starting the harvest, nets are placed under the plants.  In this way the olives do not touch the ground, they are not injured, they do not come into contact with other elements that can be found on the ground.  Once the olives are on the nets, they are collected and placed in perforated boxes, so that they are always aired and do not suffer from heating.  Once the boxes have been filled, the journey to the mill begins, where the transformation of the olive into oil will take place.

    Desirée Nieves
    Olivicoltore
    Sommelier dell’olio
    Assaggiatore professionale

     

  • The harvest

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    The olive grower follows, throughout the year, each phase related to the maintenance of the plant, using the most tested agricultural practices. The pruning, the fertilization, the flowering, the fruit set and the development of the final product up to the long awaited moment of the harvest.

    Most people think that the harvest represents more than anything else a joyful celebration, as it was painted in the past.  In reality it is only partially so.  For the producer it represents one of the most delicate moments, because how and when it will take place will reflect heavily on the quality of the oil.

    Each olive grower decides the harvesting method according to the characteristics of his olive grove which can be multiple (altitude and type of soil, quantity of plants, varieties of olives, etc.) and therefore will make the best choice in his opinion: a manual harvest, with  mechanical means or both.

    Once the decision is made, the timing will be crucial.  To obtain quality oils, the perfect moment is when the fruit, that is the olive, has entered veraison, which represents the precise ripening period, that is when it starts to turn purple from green.

    Why not wait for the olive to be more ripe? Because it will inevitably be a lower quality oil. To obtain oils rich in polyphenols (with vegetable, bitter and spicy hints in balance) that leave a pleasant sensation of clean, fresh fruit in the mouth, harvesting must be carried out when the olive is perfectly ripe.

    Obviously, the quality of the oil does not arise only from harvesting, it depends on many other factors such as the storage of the olives, from transport to the mill, from the extraction method, from filtering.  I will talk about these topics in the next stories, follow me.

    Desirée Nieves
    Olivicoltore
    Sommelier dell’olio
    Assaggiatore professionale