Olive Oil and Spanish culture
Spain is the country with the largest production of olive oil in the world, it is a product that is present on every family table and in every Spanish restaurant. Olive Oil is known to be the most popular companion of all meals, breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner. Curiously, there is a correlation between the life expectancy of the Spanish and the consumption of Olive Oil.
Health Source
This noble and rich product is considered not only to improve and intensify the flavors of the different dishes, but it is also composed of many properties favorable to consumer health, with numerous studies confirming it. The traditional Spanish “wakes up with the oil and goes to bed with it”, in the morning he has breakfast with tomato bread and olive oil and at night he season a good fish and some vegetables drizzled with olive oil. Spain is fortunate to have at its disposal a large quantity of this valuable product.
National Production
Luckily, the Andalusian climate is perfect for the production of Olive Oil, thanks to its terrain made up of mountains and plains, and dry and sunny conditions during long periods of the year. Andalusia is the Autonomous Community that produces the most olive oil in all of Spain, where 75% of national production is concentrated. For the 2019-2020 season, a production of 983,000 tons was estimated from a collection of 4.8 million tons of olives for grinding, of which 15,600 tons belong to organic olive oil.
Gastronomy, Tourism and History
Spain, as the world’s leading producer of olive oil, has infinite different oils and varieties, with different nuances, an unlimited supply of quality product and is the perfect place to start learning how to recognize a good EVOO and its properties. The tasting of oils is an activity that increasingly gathers more followers, in the same way that it did at the time and continues to do the wine. In the same way that it is possible to visit a winery and taste its wines, it is now a trend to carry out oil tastings in an oil mill; “Understanding olive oil is a plus” which is understandable once we understand that the properties of this superfood are increasingly recognized in the international environment.
The keys when testing EVOO
Choosing the right place is key, in general terms the oil should be at an approximate temperature of 23º with a humidity of 65%, although this will depend on each type of oil.
It is usually recommended to carry out the test before having eaten, to appreciate the nuances with greater intensity; on the other hand, between tastings you should take a piece of bread or apple to neutralize the flavor and not mix the aromas of the different varieties. A maximum of six oils are usually tested in each oil tasting.
The suitable support to be able to retain the aromas of the oil should be an opaque type glass with the opening somewhat more closed. Color is not the most relevant at the time of tasting since it does not always provide information on the quality of the product, so the glass should not necessarily be transparent until it passes to the phase of analyzing the shades, at which time Yes you can assess color, appearance, filtering, clarity and cleanliness.
At the moment of recognizing the aromas, take the glass where 30 g of oil will have been deposited, and covering the upper opening with the other hand, shake the glass counterclockwise, at which point They can identify subtle aromas such as grass, leaves, tomato, nuts or apple, among others. Depending on the type of olive, its time of collection, and the maturity of the olive, the characteristics can range from sweet to spicy, to fruity and bitter.
Finally, there is a tasting where the sensations that the oil leaves inside our mouth are tested, taking a little product and distributing it inside where you can identify other more subtle aromatic nuances that can remind you of pine nuts, almonds, apples, figs or others.
Olive Oil Tasting
The Olive Oil Tasting is an unforgettable experience in which people of any age can participate, which is why it has become a popular activity, which invites families, friends, couples and work teams to share an exploration, learning experience. and tasting together.
At LA ORGANIC EXPERIENCE, the olive oil tasting takes place in a unique environment, where olive oil is the protagonist of a singular space at the foot of the Sierra de Grazalema, two kilometers from the center of Ronda. An experiential place where you are invited to make a visit through an itinerary through centuries-old olive groves, vineyards, a very special orchard and numerous surprises, all under the philosophy of ecological and sustainable. At LA ORGANIC EXPERIENCE you will find a space dedicated to art and culture, gastronomy and specifically to the world of extra virgin olive oil, provided by the renowned LA Organic brand.
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