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 12, 2022 In Recipes, Rice, Grains & Pulses, Summer, Vegetables

Spelt & Zucchini Salad with Lemon Yoghurt

Serves 6 as a side dish.

INGREDIENTS

300g Organic Spelt, it’s worth getting the best you can find
half an onion
3 yellow zucchini
a good bunch of dill, coriander, oregano, basil, parsley, mint – be generous with the herbs
extra virgin olive oil to cook and to finish – this salad needs something decisive so stick with central Italy. Frantoio Pennita works well or Lea from Frantoio Gregori.
2 tbsp natural yoghurt
1 lemon juiced
Maldon sea salt

METHOD

Sautée half an onion sliced finely with 3 chopped yellow zucchini in EVOO with some salt – low heat for about 15-20 mins until they are a bit soft. Then alongside boil the farro/spelt in salted water for around 20 mins leaving a slight bite to it.

 

When both are done, mix together with more EVOO and abundant herbs (ideally dill, coriander, oregano, basil, parsley, mint) and then for the yoghurt, just squeeze some lemon in to Greek yoghurt, a decent pinch of Maldon salt and one final drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.