OUR OLIVE HARVEST

ARCOLA, LA SPEZIA, ITALY

IT HAS BEEN A GREAT YEAR FOR OLIVES. THE FLOWERING WENT WELL. WHEN THE FLOWERS TURNED TO FRUIT THERE WAS PLENTY OF RAIN FOR THEM TO FORM. THEN THE SUMMER WAS HOT AND DRY SO THE OLIVES DIDN’T GET WATERY OR ROTTEN

GIAMPIERO KNOCKING THE OLIVES OFF THE TREES WITH ‘THE TWIZZLER’

WE GROW 2 TYPES OF OLIVES: LECCINO AND FRANTOIO. THE LECCINO ARE BLACK WHEN RIPE AND GIVE A COMPLEX TASTE. THE FRANTOIO ARE GREENER AND YIELD MORE

THE HANDY TWIZZLER! BETTER THAN THE OLD WAY OF HITTING THE TREES WITH STICKS

HOW OLIVE OIL IS MADE

THE OLIVES ARE KNOCKED FROM THE TREES ONTO NETS IN LATE OCTOBER / EARLY NOVEMBER. we HARVEST THEM BEFORE THEY ARE FULLY RIPE. THIS ENSURES, LESS ACIDITY AND BETTER QUALITY OF OIL. THOUGH YOU SACRIFICE SOME VOLUME

THE HARVEST IS KEPT DRY AND CLEAN ON CANVAS, LYING NO MORE THAN 7-8 CM DEEP. WE TURN THE OLIVES OCCAISONALLY TO STOP THEM ROTTING AND REMOVE DAMAGED ONES. THEY ARE TAKEN TO THE PRESS WITHIN 2-3 DAYS OF PICKING

AT THE OIL PRESS- AL FRANTOIO

THE OLIVES UNDERGO THE FOLLOWING STEPS

CLEANING- PULIZIA

AIR IS BLOWN OVER THE OLIVES TO REMOVE ANY TWIGS OR LEAVES. THEN THEY ARE WASHED IN WATER AND DRIED

CRUSHING- SPREMITURA

THE OLIVES ARE CRUSHED IN STAINLESS STEEL VATS. THIS PASTE IS THEN TURNED SO THAT OIL DROPS ARE FORMED. THESE PROCESSES OF ‘FRANGITURA’ (CRUSHING) AND ‘GRAMOLATURA’ (MALAXING) DETERMINE THE FLAVOR, QUALITY AND LONGEVITY OF THE OIL

EXTRACTING- ESTRAZIONE

THE OIL IS EXTRACTED FROM THE CRUSHED PASTE IN A HORIZONTAL CENTRIFUGE WHICH SEPARATES OIL FROM PULP AND WATER

THIS YEAR WE ACHIEVED A YIELD OF 18.2 KILOS OF OIL PER 100 KILOS OF OLIVES AND OF EXCELLENT QUALITY

THE SEPARATION OF THE OIL

THIS YEAR’S GREEN GOLD!

THEY SAY THAT THE TRUE TEST OF A YEAR’S OLIVE OIL IS AFTER EASTER WHEN THE FLAVORS WILL HAVE DEVELOPED

BUT WE CAN’T RESIST TRYING IT RIGHT-AWAY WITH POLENTA OR STOCCAFISSO! PEOPLE WHO DON’T WANT TO COOK JUST TRY IT WITH BREAD

WE WERE TEMPTED TO TRY OUR AMAZING OIL IN THE FORMULATION OF LARIA BUT MR CONTI SAID NO! IT IS ONLY FOR EATING. SO LET’S EAT!

THE LION OF THE FAMILY! MR CONTI, CREATOR OF THE OIL