THE GIFT OF OLIVE OIL
By Lucia Adams

"Olive oil is a gift from God." Giuliano Bugialli

My Grandmother Terrone was born in Puglia and brought her love of the ancient olive tree to Brooklyn, New York. If olives could have grown in Brooklyn she certainly would have planted olive trees, for olive oil was the center of her kitchen and her life. She revered it, using it on her face, her hair, her hands and all her cooking especially her spaghetti sauce. It was ceremoniously imported twice a year from Gioia delle Colle arriving in huge many gallon tin cans which were decanted into smaller tins and it appeared in everything in the kitchen from Christmas cookies to whatever cooked vegetables happen to appear on the menu to calzone, scungilli, braciole and meatballs and spaghetti.

In Nonna’s Kitchen Carol Field calls the oil of Apuglia smooth and fruity like that of Northern Italy and I believe the secret of Gram Terrone’s spaghetti sauce came from the olive groves planted in the world’s optimum olive-growing terrain, in the hills east of Bari where olives trees and the oldest variety of olive in the world the Ogiarola have grown for five thousand years. These olive trees some of which today are 1000 years old in Apuglia produce 70% of the olive oil in Italy, and it is dense, fruity, sweet and almondy with very low acidity.

The fruit of the olive tree and its fragrant oil is far older than Christianity, dating back to the 6th century BC with the branches of the tree a peace sign since the writing of the Book of Genesis. That Jesus Christ was crucified on the Mount of Olives on a cross made of olive wood is as resonant as any religious fact or myth and in this case go back to the deep Greek roots of Apuglia and the belief that the moon and sun were conceived under an olive tree. The olive tree is a subtropical perennial whose ancestor dates back millions of years; archeological records indicate olives have been eaten for 35,000 years and have been cultivated for 6000 years. Of the order Ligustratis in the Oleaceae family, which includes jasmine, lilac, privet and ash, the olive tree has a shallow root system and its trunk depends on local pruning techniques. It produces a large number of flowers but only 1 to 3 percent becomes harvestable fruit, which is called a drupe. When the fruit of this ancient tree is crushed under special conditions it produces one of the world’s greatest foods, olive oil.
Olive oil is synonymous with the Mediterranean, since over 97 per cent of the world's production located there. It originated in Asia Minor however, then spread from the Fertile Crescent (modern day Syria and Palestine) to Greece, then throughout the Mediterranean, to Tripoli, Tunis and Sicily, southern Italy, and upwards from Calabria and Puglia to Liguria. The Romans continued expansion of the olive tree to the countries bordering the Mediterranean, introducing it to Marseilles, whence to all Gaul. It was introduced to Spain early on, the Arabs bringing their varieties with them to the south of Spain. With the discovery of America olive farming spread to the West Indies in the 16th century with olive groves being cultivated in Mexico, Peru and later California, Chile and Argentia.Today in modern times it is cultivated in Africa, Australia, Japan and China.

The olive tree ranges in height from 10 to 40 foot and can live up to 2000 years old. Wherever the sun permits the ancient tree takes root, though it flourishes best, where it originated, in the Mediterranean basin, between the 30th and 45th parallels. The major varieties in the olive producing world range from the Manzanilla and Mission in the US to the Picholine in France, the Kalamata in Greece the Frantoio, Coratina and many Italian varieties. Morocco, Portugal, Turkey and many other countries have their own varieties. The hearty olive tree can grow under harsh, parched conditions where other plants will not grow, in a climate of little rainfall and long summers; when the soil has an abundant supply of potassium the olive is especially lavish.

Of a total production of 10 million tons of olives harvested per year, 9 million are used for olive oil production and 1 million for table olives. The bulk of the olive oil, over 98 %, is made up of glycerol and fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids with a preponderance of oleic acid. Virgin olive oil is obtained from the olive solely by mechanical means under special thermal conditions that do not lead to deterioration of the oil. The oily juice of the fruit when properly processed maintains the flavor, aroma and vitamins that the oil had in the olive. Quality olive oils are obtained when the olives are crushed as quickly as possible after harvest; in past times they were crushed with a stone in spherical stone basins driven by animal power but today hydraulic power and gasoline engines and electricity are used to power machines that accomplish this.

The olives are crushed whole without stoning in modern hammer crushers.To make sure the oil separates from the paste which is then run through an extractor that separates part of the oil; the oil separated is of the best quality. The quantity of virgin olive oil obtained in the process depends on the variety and moisture content of the fruit.The best virgins which are called extra, fine and ordinary are often blended with different oils to achieve the best results. Depending on its place of origin and the variety of olive used, olive oil has a wide range of flavors and colors.

The International Olive Oil Council has drawn up trade standards for olive oils and defines the term as oil obtained solely from the fruit of the olive tree with the exclusion of any additives. Climate, soil, olive tree variety and harvest time account for the different organoleptic properties, the term referring to the flavor, bouquet and color of the final product. The word derives from the Greek words for organon, fine, and leptos, tool, or literally the fine tool of all the senses which are used in a food’s assessment. Extra virgin olive oil has a minimum organoleptic rating of 6.5 out of 10 and a low acidity under 1 %. Fine virgin olive oil has an organoleptic rating of 5.5 and a maximum acidity of 1.5 % and ordinary olive oil has an organoleptic rating of 3.5 with maximum acidity of 3.3%.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil is the top grade of olive oil; it is cold pressed and must have an acidity level of not more than one per cent, the lower the acidity of the oil, the higher the quality, the more distinctive the flavors and aromas. Cold pressing and first pressing are interchangeable terms used in the past when initial pressure applied by hand powered presses produced only a limited amount of olive oil from the olive paste. To extract more oil, hot water was applied to the olive paste to improve the flow of oil - that's how the term cold pressing and first pressing came about. Extra virgin olive oil is more expensive than olive oil because it is produced in smaller quantities from select olives, and offers the widest range of tastes. As in wine, flavor and aroma depend on a number of variables: the variety of olive, growing conditions, the time and method of harvest, and finally the care with which the olives are turned into the finished product, bottled and stored.

Olive Oil is the product of blended oils which have been refined to balance acidity, aroma, and taste. Virgin olive oil is then added in small quantities (typically 5 to 25 per cent) to give the oil some character. Olive oil must have an acidity of less than 1.5 per cent. While less flavorful and aromatic than extra virgin olive oil, olive oil is high in monounsaturated fat and remains a healthy choice of cooking oil.

Olive oil, like wine, is produced by small estate producers and by large commercial companies. Smaller "estate" production is generally characterized by more ideal growing, harvesting and production conditions. While not better in terms of healthful qualities, these estate oils do offer consumers a wider choice of complex flavors and aromas. Larger producers enjoy economies of scale which permit them to offer an excellent product at a more affordable price. Not all olive oils taste the same. While we define extra virgin olive oil as having perfect aroma, flavor and color, there is an enormous range of tastes and flavors depending on the type of olive(s) in the oil, what region of the Mediterranean the olives were grown and the growing conditions. Styles vary from the very sweet fruity oils to very bitter and pungent oils with fiery pepper.

Olives picked early in the season will yield a fruity oil; those picked in the middle of the season a harmonic flavor and late a gentle olive oil. It should be stored in a closed container away from heat and light. It has a shelf life of 12 months and does not need to be stored in the fridge; the optimum storage temp is from 64 to 68 degrees. Containers must be tightly sealed to prevent outside moisture from entering. Expect the smaller "estate-produced" olive oils to be more expensive than oils from large commercial producers but let taste be your guide. In terms of storage of olive oil refrigeration isn't harmful to olive oil, but it will make it thick and cloudy. If this happens, just let the olive oil return to room temperature. The best way to store olive oil is in an airtight container in a dry cupboard, away from extremes of heat and light. Stored this way, olive oil will keep for up to two years. After that time, the oil will have passed its prime and should be used as quickly as possible. For everyday use, keep a small container of olive oil on the kitchen counter or dining table where it will be within easy reach.

To determine whether an olive oil is virgin, place a small quantity in a glass bowl in the refrigerator for a few days. If it becomes crystalline the chances are good that it is true extra virgin. If it forms a block it is chemically refined oil that has some first pressed added to it.

The following recipe makes a wonderful appetizer served with a glass of wine before dinner or serve with other finger foods with cocktails.

Crostini Alle Olive (toast with olives)

* 8 oz. Fresh mushrooms
* 2 tablespoons Lemon juice
* 6 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
* 1 clove of garlic, chopped
* 2 oz. Pitted olives (your choice)
* Salt and pepper to taste
* Italian bread (about 8 slices, toasted)

Chop mushrooms finely and sprinkle with lemon juice. Heat 4 tablespoons of oil in a frying pan and fry the mushrooms over high heat with the chopped garlic, until garlic is lightly browned. Chop the olives in an electric blender with the rest of the olive oil until creamed. Spread the olive paste on the toast and top with mushrooms.