Olive Oil Production From Tree to Olive, regardless of the season, the olive oil you eat by dipping your bread brings you to the summer.
It brings the spirit of the Aegean and Mediterranean to life. It takes a person to a point that they can say ‘A person’s life is prolonged’. We wanted to make a list about the production of the olive oil which gives health and beauty to our kitchens for centuries. As one of our folk song says ‘we eat olive oil and wear print fabric dress’, we eat olive oil and we are aware that everybody should eat it. Let’s explain how this miraculous oil is being produced and served to our tables.
If we go to the origin we reach the tree, if we go a bit up we reach the olives, and if we look to the result we can reach the olive oil. The Olive tree is called as ‘immortal tree’ in the botanical world. It can live in dry lands by its long roots. It loves light and sun like all live being. A year that takes an average rain provides it enough water. Tree has the ability of self renew. Harvest starts in October (early harvest) and goes on till February.
Olives are harvested by using several methods. Producer decides the method according to the harvest’s conditions of the year. We can say hand picking is the most troublesome one. Shaking tree branches comes after hand picking. And at least possibility of picking by machine is available today, too.
After collecting olives they are divided into two for table and for oil. Olives for oil are being turned into different products according to its fruit. Natural olive oil is obtained by only physical processes after applying a heat that doesn’t deteriorate its natural form. It has a fruity aroma and its colour may differ depending on its fruit. Natural olive oil is divided into subcategories according to the production stories it has experienced.
Natural Extra Virgin Olive Oil is produced by carefully picked and undamaged olives. It’s in the category of the olive oil with the lowest acidity rate. It’s fruity aroma is in the highest degree. Olives are being cleaned by washing and turned into olive paste by breaking or crushing. Pressed olive paste provides oil. At least oil is mixed with water to get rid of foreign substances. And here is the purest form of the olive oil. The most valuable one obtained by applying the cold press method.
The water temperature must be max. 27 centigrade degrees in the cold press method. High temperature can affect the quality of the oil, that’s why the temperature of water is important in olive oil production. Oils that were produced by low temperature have the highest nutritive value and benefit. And also its taste gives the best aroma.
As you can use natural extra virgin olive oil in all kinds of foods, we also recommend that you can use it for drinking, dipping bread and using it to have a nice aroma in your salads.
Early harvest olive oil is located in the category of natural extra virgin olive oil. It’s the natural extra virgin olive oil which olives were harvested in October and November.
Natural First Olive Oil is obtained from slightly flawed and slightly more mature olives. According to this it’s acid ratio is a bit higher than extra virgin olive oil. It has the same production process with virgin olive oil and can be used in all dishes.
Refined (riviera) olive oil is obtained from olives that are mature and picked from the bottom of the tree. Refining is applied to the oil so that it reaches the edible acid level and taste. While applying those processes vitamin and mineral values of the oil decreases. Necessary amount of extra virgin olive oil is mixed into it so that it regains its nutritive properties. As it can be used in all dishes we recommend it to be used in frying and pot food.