LOCATION AND CLIMATE

 

As you might expect, olives grown in cooler areas where there is more moisture (rainfall and dew) exhibit leaner, more restrained characteristics.  This doesn’t however mean that great oil can now be made in Iceland – you need a minimum amount of sunshine to make your Extra Virgin Olive Oil taste remarkable, similarly to tomatoes or stone fruit.

Olive trees are sensitive to winter freeze (the Casaliva cultivar is more resistant to cold, hence being grown in the Garda region).  It is also easier to farm organically where the climate is more stable and less chemical sprays are required to keep the trees healthy.

OLIVE MATURITY

 

Here’s the thing – all olives are green.  When they become fully mature, they turn black.
Olive maturity at the time of harvest is a major factor in flavour and quality: olives harvested earlier (green olives) feature more bitter, grassy characteristics, with lower yields and with the highest anti-oxidant content.  The oil is a much more intense green colour and has a longer shelf-life.  In terms of production, milling can take longer with green olives (a longer malaxation - the action of slowly churning milled olives to release droplets of oil - is needed and can be more complicated) but the results are far superior!  Don’t choose olive oil from over mature fruit: it lacks all the potential goodness and flavour.

ATTENTION TO DETAIL IN GROVE AND MILL

 

People who care passionately about what they make and follow it personally every day have the capacity to create products with far higher quality, with integrity, and that taste of where they come from.  They are also able to do this by caring for the environment they inhabit.

FRANTOIO DI RIVA BOX

This box contains 6 bottles of extra virgin olive oil made exclusively by Frantoio di Riva from groves on the banks of lake Garda.

Frantoio di Riva, 46°PARALLELO green label x 3 bottles (50cl)
Frantoio di Riva, 46°PARALLELO organic white label x 1 bottle (50cl)
Frantoio di Riva, 46°PARALLELO blue label x 1 bottle (50cl)
Frantoio di Riva, ULIVA Garda Trentino DOP x 1 bottle (50cl)

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September 1, 2021 In Pasta, Recipes, Summer

Pesto alla Genovese

As the summer comes to a close, it’s a good moment to use the last of your basil to make a delicious pesto before the temperatures drop.

INGREDIENTS

65g toasted pine nuts (equivalent to 1/2 cup)
1 large clove garlic
5 tbsp Parmigiano Reggiano finely grated
5 tbsp Pecorino Cheese finely grated
2 bunches Basil, (equivalent to 2 cups)
6 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil (equivalent to 1/2 cup)
Maldon salt and black pepper to taste

METHOD

In a small amount of EVOO, lightly toast the pine nuts in a frying pan, which will take no more than a couple of minutes, so stay with them to ensure they don’t go over.

 

The traditional way is to make your pesto by combining all of the ingredients in a pestle and mortar.  It all depends how much time you have, you can always revert to a small blender if you are time poor.

 

Naturally, we favour a Ligurian olive oil to make our pesto.  The Taggiasca cultivar has a delicate sweetness to it and this works perfectly in contrast with the aromatic basil and the sharpness of the cheese.  S’Ciappau from Paolo Cassini would be our first choice.