Olive Oil - A Brief History
The history of olive oil reads like a Greek novel. Homer called it "liquid gold". Mythology reports that The Goddess Athena reportedly brought the olive to the Greeks as a gift. Her gift of the olive, useful for light, heat, food, medicine and perfume was touted as the best gift to the people of Attica. Athena planted the original olive tree on a rocky hill which we know today as the Acropolis and in her honor the people of Attica changed their city's name to Athens. The olive tree which grows there today is said to have come from the roots of the original tree.
In ancient Greece athletes ritually rubbed it all over their bodies before participating in their games. Drops of it seeped into the bones of dead saints through holes in their tombs. Olive oil has been more that mere food in the Mediterranean; it has been medicinal, magical and an endless source of great wealth and power. The olive tree, symbol of abundance, glory and peace gave its leafy branches to crown the victorious in games and war, plus the oil of its fruit has anointed the noblest of heads throughout history.
Olive tree culture has ancient roots. Fossilized remains in Italy have been dated from twenty million years ago, although actual cultivation probably did not occur in Italy until the fifth century BC. Beginning in 5000 BC olive cultivation spread from Crete to the entire Mediterranean. The Greek countryside became dominated, and still is, by these trees. In ancient Greece and Rome, olive oil was the hottest commodity; advanced ships were built for the sole purpose of transporting it to the trading posts around the Mediterranean.
People believed that olive oil gave strength and youth thus it was used widely in cosmetics and medicines; it was also transfused with spices and herbs. Olive trees are a vital force and survive even the worst of conditions, continuing to grow and thrive. Sun, stone, drought, silence and solitude; these are the five ingredients that, according to Italian folk traditions, create the ideal habitat for the olive tree.
Like the grape, Christian missionaries brought the olive tree with them to California for food but also for ceremonial use. Olive oil was used to anoint kings and as part of baptism rituals in the church. In the past several hundred years the olive has spread to North & South America, Japan, New Zealand and Australia.
As the Franciscans moved north in California they planted olive groves. Northern California still has many of these trees producing that were planted over 150 years ago. Many of the trees planted on Southern California did not survive the population build-up as the land became too expensive for farming.
Olives are harvested from October to March, six to eight months after their spring blossoms appear. The trees require warm average temperatures and cannot tolerate cold below 10 degrees F. The olive tree does well in a very dry climate and can tolerate droughts and high winds. The olives are harvested just as they begin to change color which indicates that almost all the oil has formed and that they are at peak flavor. Once collected they are immediately taken to the press because they will ferment if left to sit. The oil is separated from the olive meat by means of centrifugation, which simply means spinning at a high speed. This method produces olive oil known as first cold pressed olive oil. No heat or chemicals have been applied and the olive oil retains its flavor, color and nutritional value. A gentle filtration process is used to remove sediment and produce extra Virgin olive oil with an acidity level of less than 1%.
Any oil with acidity above this level receives an additional refining step to remove almost all traces of color, aroma, taste and acidity, resulting in extra light tasting olive oil. Various blending techniques results in a variety of olive oils. No two olive oils are alike - just like wine. Each is a unique product of soil, climate, variety, age and processing methods. There is an enormous range of tastes and flavors of olive oil. Today more than 750 million olive trees are cultivated worldwide; 95% of production is still in the Mediterranean region. There are over 50 different varieties of olives, each with its own distinct character. |
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