The Olive

Olive

The fruit of the olive tree is one drupa fleshy with a single seed in the interior and is formed by three parts: the outer part or esocarpo or rind, the medium part or mesocarpo or pulp from which to oil 70% of and internal part or endocarpo remove or hazel from which rest 30% removes about from the oil.

Things to emphasize of the olive with destiny oil:

  • They make lack between 4 and 5 kg of olives to produce 1 l. of olive oil.
  • The age of the tree influences single the amount produced, not on the quality. An olive tree begins to produce from the 5 or 10 years and from the 100, its production begins to decline.
  • The color of the olive is not bound to the variety, but to its stage of maturation. The olives are green at the outset, becoming black when maturing.

Composition of the olive:

  • Water 50%
  • Oil or greasy matter 18-25%
  • Carbohydrates 20%
  • Cellulose 6%
  • Proteins 1.5%

Spain is a very rich country as far as cultivated varieties of olive tree (More than 250), reason why to make a list with the characteristics of all of them, would be a very complex work. For that reason as a example, single we gather the most known characteristics of.

  • ARBEQUINA: It is the olive par excellence of Catalonia, although also one is in Aragón. She is original of the locality of Arbeca, in the province of Lérida. Of small size, concentrated and it produces oils with a great aromatic intensity. Their flavors vary much depending on the type of ground and climate. Arbequín comes from the olive tree, that gives a small fruit but very appreciated by its precocious entrance in production. Its greasy yield is good (around 21%). This variety of olive tree is of so large means, leafy and of good aspect when it takes the fruit. It produces frutados oils, between greenish and yellow, with aromas to smooth and sweet apple and fresh almond. They make bitter and they itch very little, presenting/displaying a great smoothness. By their composition are quite delicate oils front to the oxidation, reason why once packaged it is necessary to protect them of the light and the heat.
  • CORNICABRA: It is the second cultivated variety more in which to number of hectares one talks about but third in production. Original of the toledano town of Moor, manchega is the great variety (Toledo and Real City). She is long and pointed, with form of horn, of there the origin of its name. In certain zones it is known him like Cornezuelo. The tree del that comes is very resistant to the droughts, frosts and colds. The greasy yield is located around 19%. The oil presents/displays a great stability due to its high monoinsaturados fatty acid content. Their oils are of greenish yellow color to gold. Fresh aromas and flavor between candy, bitter and something sharp.
  • EMPELTRE: It is cultivated mainly in the Low Aragón. It comes from a type of small, but very fruitful olive tree, of black olive jet that is apt as much for the consumption as olive of table like being crushed. The greasy yield of this variety is around 18%.De she obtain oils of color between yellow straw and old gold. It has aromas of fruits, mainly of apple and a smooth and sweet flavor that almost never present/display picor bitterness nor.
  • HOJIBLANCA: The zone of the Alpujarras takes place in the provinces of Malaga, Cordova, Cadiz and Granada, being the most important centers, the mountain range of Cadiz and the zone of Antequera. It can suppose 15% of the olive grove Andalusian. Also it is known him with the name of Lucentino, by the metalized reflections that have their leaves when giving him and sun. The name comes to him from the color of envés of the leaf that causes that the olive tree presents/displays an aspect silverplated in the distance. Its fruit is used so much for olive of black table, like for the oil production. The greasy yield of this variety is low, around 18%. The fatty acid composition very is balanced with saturated but relatively low acids that in oils of other varieties. They in front of do not have a great stability the oxidation reason why he is recommendable to maintain these protected oils of the light and without contact with the air. It gives oils of intense green color, with aromas of mature fruits and memories of avocado, presented/displayed an pleasant flavor with slight bitterness and picor.
  • LECHÍN OF SEVILLE: Characteristic of the provinces of Seville, Cordova, Cadiz, Malaga and Huelva. Its name is due to the off-white color of its pulp. Its tree is able to support to the droughts and the colds well adapting to limestone and poor lands. Its oil content (fatty acid) is located around the 18%, Produces a flowed oil of vegetal flavors, average bitterness that leaves essences of green almond in mouth. Usually one does not commercialize monovarietales oils of Lechín, reason why usually one is in coupages with hojiblanca and picual.
  • MANZANILLA CACEREÑA: It is cultivated in the Extremadura Discharge (Mountain range of Cat, the Hurdes, Valley of the Jerte and the Side), occupying a surface of 90% of the olive grove of this zone and is the variety protected of of the D.O. Cat. This variety is well-known in Portugal like “negrinha” and “azeitera”. So much to table as to oil mill is destined. It gives oils with enough body, vegetal and sharp aromas.
  • PICUAL: It constitutes the extended variety more not only in Spain, but also in the world, representing 20% of the world-wide olive grove. One calculates that in Spain it reaches 50% being the zone of Andalusia in where reaches a greater diffusion. Considered by many like the best variety of the world. She is majority in the province of Jaén and the denominations of origin “Mountain range of Safe”, “Baena”, “Priego of Cordova”, and “Sierra Magina”. A very important characteristic of the picuales olive trees is its high productivity. This has influenced in an intensification of its plantations. In addition the tree perfectly adapts to diverse conditions of climate and ground being tolerant to the frosts. The only factors detrimental for this variety are the very limestone droughts and lands. The Picual variety has a high greasy yield that can reach 25%, a high index of stability (by its high content in polifenoles) and a high oleic acid content. We will also emphasize its high resistance to the enranciamiento thanks to the amount of antirust of natural origin that contains. Its oil has a great force, afrutado flavor, an intense bitterness and clear sharp tones. The mountain oils usually are smoother than those of level and have a fresher and pleasant flavor.
  • PICUDO: The picudo or picuda, also is well-known like rough of Cordova since she is very characteristic of this province. In the town of Luque “Pajarero” is called to him because it says that its oil is so sweet that at the moment of the maturation the birds prick the fruits. The greasy yield is high, without arriving at the values of the picual, but with numbers near 20%. The olives picudo also are destined for table consumption. Balances with a great dulzura are oils very. By its fatty acid composition, the picudo is placed in the delicate oil range before the oxidation, reason why it is complemented with other varieties like the picual. This variety is protected by the D.O of Baena and Priego of Cordova.
  • VERDIAL OF BADAJOZ: Also denominated morisca it is quite common in the province of Badajoz, occupying something more of 50% of the olive grove of the pacense region of Land of Mud. In Portugal it occupies the zone of the Alentejo and the Algarve. Its tree emphasizes by its great resistance to the drought. This variety is used so much for olive of table as for oil mill, where very they are appreciated by his greasy high performance around 22%.
  • VERDIAL OF VELEZ - MALAGA: Typical of the region of the Axarquía, in the Southeastern of the province of Malaga. From her oils afrutados with very sweet and pleasant flavor are obtained. By his characteristics it is necessary to protect them of the heat, light and air for one better conservation. Although it is possible to find monovarietales of Verdial, is not most habitual reason why the mixture with hojiblanca is very frequent that generates a perfect oil from the organoléptico point of view.