MONDAY MUSINGS: PRESSING NEWS YOU'VE COME A LONG WAY BABY..

 Monday Musings is about why the end product ends up so costly especially if you want it rated organic  So come with to see what happens with all those bins of picked olives. 

We actually had a morning field trip in between our lunch prep to  check out a local press in Chianciano. 

As we approached the building machine noise welcomed us as we witnessed leaves flying out of a PVC pipe into barrels.

Benvenuto a Frantoio where a sister and brother are now helping run their family's business... 

Electrical issues for this generation are not the same as those massive old wooden presses that greeted us before entering. (L)

Truthfully, we weren't sure if we would see the process as one of the new automated machines had broken down the day before. 

It seemed even if all weren't functioning, the noise level was nonetheless deafening 

Anyhoo, after the extra debris is detached ie: small branches/stems along with leaves, insects, etc...the olives are washed...

before heading to the main room where they are ground and kneaded...

water added, separated, husks discarded...

  

and the centrifuge goes to work separating the water and oil...

and one voila the finished product.

Isn't it beautiful?

We had a sampling of the newly produced extra virgen olive oil with baguette slices.

Delizioso.

We'll talk about organic and the different grades another day...