Croatia Olive Oil

Category: General Info

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The quality of Croatian olive oil is unquestionable, primarily due to the terrain and favourable climate. As opposed to Italy, which had as much as 70 percent of 100 million olive trees in thick mud and 30 percent in rocky terrain, in Croatia the statistics are opposite, which is considerably more favourable.

OLIVE TREE - TREE OF ETERNITY
Olive tree (Olea europaea), is a Mediterranean evergreen tree with numerous

branches. It leaves are dark green, leathery and lance-shaped and regenerate every three years. The easily recognizable, low, knotted trunk is resistant to decay, therefore the olive tree is called "tree of eternity". The first seven years it does not yield any fruit, while the best results occur after 20 years. After 150 years the yield declines and after 200 years wild growing olive shoots appear in the place of the old tree.

OLIVE OIL
A light green, unripe fruit with pit has 15-35% oil and is the best for consumption,

while fully ripe, black olives are used for the production of olive oil. From 20 kg of olives (the average yield of an olive tree) we get 3-5 liters of oil - it is important that not more that 2 days pass from harvesting to pressing. Olives along with their pits are pressed and the best method is the so-called "cold pressing", meaning mechanical pressing without adding substances and heating. In this way, the natural characteristics remain unchanged. Olive oil produced by "cold pressing" is called "virgin oil", and the method of pressing must be declared on the packing label.

DID YOU KNOW?

that olive oil contains vitamins K, A, E, D, and antioxidants that prevent the clotting of veins
that it has less calories than butter and other oils
that it consists of 77% unsaturated fats containing "good cholesterol" as opposed to saturated fats (sunflower oil has only 31% unsaturated fats)
that 10 g of olive oil and 40 g of tomato juice reduce the risk of getting sun burns by at least 40%
that olive oil, by itself or as a supplement, is an essential ingredient for the production of hair and skin care products
that dermatologists have proven that olive oil, although not suitable for suntanning, has a natural UV factor of 20, and it is recommended to apply on the skin after suntanning

OLIVE OIL - FROM BEAUTY TO HEALTH
People of the Mediterranean used olive oil as a means of payment, while in the Middle Ages it was used instead of currency. It was used in medicine and cosmetics, and a cloth soaked in oil is useful when cleaning. It is used in cooking, and can be used to fix squeaky doors. Jewelers use it to polish diamonds, while the heads of many Kings were styled with it. Due to its characteristics it is a natural preservative for fish and cheese and they can remain unspoiled for years. Throughout Dalmatia, Istria and Kvarner, and particularly on the island of Solta, you will be served cheese preserved in olive oil as an hors-d'oeuvre. Welcome and bon appetit!

source: adriatica.net