How it is prepared
The origin
The fruit of the olive tree appears in May or June. In this season, white and green little flowers sprout in grapes on the top of the branches. Their pollination is carried out by wind currents. Once this phase is over, the first green fruits begin to sprout at the very first signs of summer.
The harvest of the olives for the extraction of olive oil begins in the first two weeks of November. At this time, the olives are slightly green (onset of ripening); therefore the first oil – which is particularly appreciated by the experts – is also of this colour (green), showing particular sensorial features.
The harvest of the olives affects the quality of the olive oil. The olives must be harvested at the right moment, but before the fruits fall off the tree by themselves. A hasty or late harvest might cause severe alterations in the oil quality.