Olive Production And Use – Living In The Costa Blanca
The climate we enjoy while living in the Costa Blanca allows for the region to produce a variety of crops and one of these is probably one of the best known and is the base ingredient an integral part of Mediterranean cuisine, the humble Olive. Olive trees have adorned the landscape of the Costa Blanca for many centuries and form a large part of the regions culture, economy and diet.
Rooted in History
Olives have been grown in the Costa Blanca since the Pheonicians and Greeks first introduced the trees to Spain. When the Romans arrived the developed cultivation techniques and the production of olive oil in the Costa Blanca was an established industry by the time the Moors conquered the coast. Nowadays we can still enjoy ancient olive groves that are centuries old and still majestically watch over the landscape.
Cultivation and Harvasting
With hot summers and mild winters the Costa Blanca provides olive trees with the ideal climate for cultivation, the regions soil is fertile and this combined with traditional farming helps to produce high-quality fruits. Several varieties of olive are grown in the Costa Blanca and they all have their own unique flavour, the most common ones you will find here are Blanqueta which is a native variety enjoyed for its fruity aroma and delicate flavour. Villalonga is a rubust olive known for producing a lot of oil with an intense flavour and Alfafarenca is a smaller olive with a slightly bitter taste used for snacking at when enjoying a drink.
The Olives are harevested between October and December and can become a social activity that involves whole villages of people living in the Costa Blanca. It is in these late Autumn and early Winter months that the fruits reach their optimal ripeness. Traditionally the fruits were harvested by hand an on smaller groves this is sometimes still the case. The trees are surrounded by nets to catch the olives while the branches are beaten with sticks to dislodge the fruit. Larger olive farming businesses however have adopted more modern technology with mechanical shakers to increase efficiency.
The Olive Grove – Oil Production in the Costa Blanca
One of the most important comodities deried from the olives grown in the Costa Blanca is high-quality extra virgin olive oil. The olives themselves are carefully selected and are then transported to mills to be processed. Historically the oil was extracted using stone mills and presses but, modern mills use more efficient methods including centrfugal extraction which ensures optimal quality and hygiend. The oil is then filtered and stored to preserve both its flavour and aroma.
Olive Oil Grading
The highest graded of oil, extra virgen, is known for its low acidity and rich flavour. Olive oil that is not given the title extra virgen is a more economical option that has been is a blend of refined oil which has been treated to remove impurities but is less expensive than extra virgin or virgin oil. Olive Pomace Oil is the lowest grade made for left over pulp and pits of the olives after their first pressing, this has a very mild flavour and is used both for cooking and for industrial purposes. The quality of olive oil is determind by assessing the variety of olive used, its ripeness at the time of harvest, the methods used to extract the oil and how they are stored. Extra virgin oil is made from the first press, virgin oil is also high-quality but, might have some subtle defects to its flavour and aroma. The lower grades are still perfectly edible and possibly better for cooking, leaving the richer oils for raw use in dressings and salads or for bread dipping. While the all grades of oil are produced in the Costa Blanca the region is proud to focus on high-quality olives and the focus is on the production of Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO).
The Mediterranean Table and Olives
Households in the Costa Blanca will use Olive oil for cooking, salad dressings and dipping bread but, they also enjoy olives in their own right serving black or green fruits stuffed as a tapas or a snack with a drink. Sometimes these table olives are marinated in herbs and spices to enhance the flavour and may also be added to local recipes and are used in salads, rice dishes, stews and casseroles as well as being used to make dips like Olive tapenade. Coca amb Tonyina is a flatbread from Valencia that includes a topping of olives with tuna, onions and tomatoes. Olive leaves can also be used to make herbal teas and are believed have health benefits. Additionally, olive wood is used for it durability and grain to make furniture, utensils and items of decoration.
Olives and your Health
Healthy fats and antioxidants are found in olives and these are very good for us. Monounsaturated fats help give protection from high cholestoral and heart disease and antioxidants protect us from chronic diseases and act as an anti-inflammatory. Olives may also help with bone desity and they are an excellent source of fibre ensuring a healthy digestive system. Olives are part of the healthy Mediterranean diet we hear about and hope to adopt when we move the Costa Blanca.
Costa Blanca Olive Producers
There are a number of companies in the Costa Blanca who produce olives and olive oil including Merina Gourmet in Benissa and AproGata in Gata de Gorgos, they all have their own unique products and services and some offer tours of their olive groves and factories followed by oil tasting.
Conclusion
Olive production in the Costa Blanca is more than just an agricultural activity, it is traditional, historical, part of the culture and cusine and provides well for the local economy.
