Greece’s olive oil producers face a bitter harvest
By Elena Becatoros,
ARTEMIDA, Greece – The smoldering trunks of olive trees stretch across mountain slopes and valleys, their precious fruit lying like pellets of charcoal on the blackened ground. As far as the eye can see, the groves that produce one of Greece’s best known exports have been devastated.
A week of forest fires have not only killed 64 people but have laid waste to at least 454,000 acres of land, most of it in the Peloponnese, the glove-shaped southern peninsula where about a third of Greece’s olive oil is produced. And the fires still burn.
The flames might not devastate the overall olive oil industry in Greece, the world’s third-largest producer: Initial estimates indicate about 4 percent of average annual production will be lost. But thousands of farmers face ruin, and villages already struggling to survive an exodus of young people have taken another big hit.
“This may not have a big effect on the macro scale, but on a micro scale, the impact is huge,” said Gregory Antoniadis, chairman of the Greek Association of Industries and Processors of Olive Oil.
The Finance Ministry reckons half the farm production of the fire-hit areas has been destroyed.
In a culture where olive oil is sometimes called liquid gold, the spectacle of gnarled old olive trees going up in flames is especially painful.
In this mountainous region 40 miles from ancient Sparta, olives provide 60 percent of farmers’ income. Newly planted trees need 7 to 10 years to bear fruit, and farmers “won’t have any income from olive cultivation during that time,” said Antoniadis.
Posted in Ecology | Environment, Europe | U.K, Olive Tree by: Olives101
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Belazu Gives Olive Oil a Hard Time
A UK first has been achieved by Mediterranean specialist Belazu with the introduction of two solid Extra Virgin Olive Oil products into the retail market.
‘Belazu Premier Choix Spreadable Oil’ is made from the brand’s liquid Premier Choix Extra Virgin Olive Oil and offers all the practical and culinary versatility of butter, but with all the health benefits associated with Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
‘Belazu Premier Choix Spreadable Oil’ comes in two varieties – Original and Basil flavoured and is a special blend of over 87% first cold pressed Extra Virgin Olive Oils, making it the best quality “spread” on the market.
Suitable for spreading on sandwiches and bruschetta, melting over cooked pasta and vegetables and frying off fish and steaks, this Spreadable Oil can also be used in baking and is perfect to take on picnics.
The new ranges launched exclusively in the chiller section at Sainsbury’s on 15th August, alongside speciality butters.
‘Belazu Premier Choix Spreadable Oil’ retails at GBP2.99 (100g) and will launch “on a GBP1 off” promotion for the first six weeks.
Notes:
Belazu is a range of authentic Mediterranean foods and ingredients sourced from local suppliers throughout Europe and North Africa and is available in Sainsbury’s with selected lines listed at Tesco and Waitrose.
[Source] Click here
Posted in Europe | U.K, Olive Oil by: Olives101
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Les incendies plongent dans la crise les producteurs d’huile d’olive grecs
Les incendies qui ont ravagé la Grèce pendant une semaine et réduit en cendres d’innombrables oliviers plongent dans la crise les producteurs d’huile d’olive, dont la Grèce est le troisième exportateur mondial.
Les flammes ont détruit au moins 184.000 hectares de terre, principalement dans le Péloponnèse, où sont produits 30% de l’huile d’olive du pays.
Selon les estimations préliminaires, environ 4% de la production annuelle risque d’être perdue. Mais au niveau local, des milliers de petits producteurs risquent la faillite, note Gregory Antoniadis, président de SEVITEL, l’Association grecque des industries et presseurs d’huile d’olive.
Selon le ministère de l’Economie, la moitié de la production agricole du Péloponnèse aurait été détruite.
Outre les arbres fruitiers et la vigne, également durement touchés, la récolte des olives représente 60% du revenu des agriculteurs locaux, ajoute-t-il. Et replanter les arbres perdus est une affaire de longue haleine: un olivier ne commence à produire que sept à dix ans après avoir été planté.
Posted in en Français, Europe, Huile d'Olive by: Olives101
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Caviar d’huile d’olive !
Par T.H,
Un restaurant madrilène très branché s’est forgé ces deux dernières années une renommée internationale et ses tables, qui affichent toujours complet, sont réservées quelques mois à l’avance, les tables de cette année ont toutes été déjà réservées.
Le patron de ce restaurant est en fait un cordon bleu attitré qui a versé dans les préparations culinaires très spéciales dont la plupart sont de sa propre création… Et il n’arrête pas de créer : la preuve : dernièrement, c’est tout récent, il vient de créer le caviar d’huile d’olive.
Le principe est simple : ce cuisinier s’est procuré une machine à capucino modifiée pour les besoins de la cause. Il y introduit de l’huile d’olive qu’il comprime et en distille des gouttes récupérées dans une solution aqueuse et qui se transforment, après stabilisation, en petites boulettes gélatineuses de la taille du caviar, d’où l’appellation de “caviar d’huile d’olive”.
C’est ensuite servi dans l’assiette du client avec un accompagnement très recherché… Et il paraît que c’est bon, en tout cas c’est très très convoité et très cher.
[Source] Cliquer ici
Posted in en Français, Huile d'Olive by: Olives101
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Hats off to a handful of olives
By Judy Schultz,
Photograph by : Chris Schwarz,
Olives are the queen of all pickles. Try mixing blanched and unblanched almonds with a selection of mixed olives. Put them all together in a flat container with a rim, heat briefly (40 seconds) in a microwave, and serve.
Here are 10 of the best olives available in good bulk sections.
- Amphissa: Tender, earthy and slightly tart, use this olive in tapenade spreads, meaty beef stews and red sauces. The best wine pairing is a pinot noir.
- Black Ripe: The American classic, plump, mild, a favourite on pizza.
- Cerignola: Big, green, buttery, this is a great olive to marinate and serve with appetizers, along with sauvignon blanc.
- Gaeta: Meaty, oily, intense, the ultimate Italian olive is well suited to slow-cooked stews, braised dishes, hearty zinfandels.
- Green Ripe: Slightly saltier than black ripe. Absorbs the flavours of other foods. A good addition to chicken or tuna salad. A natural snack if Caesars or gin and tonic are your favourite tipples.
- Kalamata: A Greek classic, dark and intense; completes a Greek salad.
- Niçoise: Nutty, fragrant and firm, goes well in fish dishes, with tuna in a salade niçoise, or as a simple nibbler for apéritifs. Goes well with pinot grigio.
- Picholine: Creamy, nutty and perfectly chewy, this is the ideal choice for savoury snacks and antipasto platters. Serve it with a dry white wine.
- Spanish: Sour, slightly lemony, ideal for casseroles like Moroccan chicken.
- Spanish stuffed: Essential for a martini, these are firm, juicy, equally at home on devilled eggs or (yes) crackers with cheese.
Two quick olive tricks:
- Toss sliced black olives with a fresh tomato sauce for spaghettini, or with crushed garlic, olive oil and a good dash of chopped parsley for pasta aglio olio.
- Tapenade: Whiz a cup of ripe olives in the blender with a teaspoon of capers, two cloves of garlic, the juice and grated rind of half a lemon, pepper to taste and a drizzle of good olive oil. Spread on crackers or bruschetta, or toss with hot pasta and freshly chopped parsley.
[Source] Click here
Posted in North America by: Olives101
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