Olive Oils from Italy

Mapping Puglia’s Ancient Olives

by Lucy Vivante

A project to map Puglia's ancient and monumental olive trees using satellite technology is under way. Each tree will be individually cataloged and form part of a regional database.

Posted on December 19 2011

September Heat Means Early Harvest, Less Olive Oil in Italy

by Lucy Vivante

While it is estimated that the high temperatures -- the second highest on record since 1800 -- will reduce olive oil production by about 10 percent, the quality of the oil is supposed to be good.

Posted on October 11 2011

Fratelli Aprile: The Art of Extra Virgin

by Luciana Squadrilli

With a great attention for local culture and contemporary art, Daniele and Roberto Aprile link tradition and innovation to produce a unique brand of extra virgin.

Posted on October 06 2011

Sperlonga

by Lucy Vivante

Lucy Vivante makes a day trip to Sperlonga in the Latina province and its famous grotto, or "spelunca," for which the seaside town is named.

Posted on October 05 2011

Girolio d’Italia at the Starting Line

by Luciana Squadrilli

Get ready for a two-month journey across Italy to discover the country’s different tastes and cultivars with the newly pressed extra virgin olive oil.

Posted on September 29 2011

Slow Food Dairy Event Explores Cheese and Olive Oil Pairings

by Luciana Squadrilli

At Slow Food's "Cheese" – the big event dedicated to the dairy world held every two years in Bra, Piedmont – olive oil and cheese became closer friends.

Posted on September 22 2011

Lungarotti: Preserving Olive Oil Heritage

by Luciana Squadrilli

A symbol of Umbrian wine since the ‘60s, when Giorgio Lungarotti founded Lungar Otti is still a family-run business, deeply linked to the land where it stands. Chiara Lungarotti and Teresa Severini lead the company today.

Posted on August 31 2011

Are Designations of Origin Working for Italian Olive Oil?

by Luciana Squadrilli

Are the designations of origins helping Italian olive oil producers? The Italian Olive Oil Council tried to provide answers through a report about the Italian olive oil PDO chain.

Posted on July 05 2011

Farther Afield on the Olive Riviera

by Laura Rose

The tiny island of Palmaria, just a hop from the Ligurian coast of Italy, is an escape from an escape, a getaway that seems to exist beyond the known world.

Posted on May 23 2011

An Escape to the Olive Riviera

by Laura Rose

Along the rich, agricultural coast of Liguria, wild and cultivated olive trees cover the scenery in a cool green, culminating in this awe-inspiring outpost of Riviera life.

Posted on May 03 2011

In Lucca, Biodynamic and Organic Farming Make a Bit of Magic

by Laura Rose

Giuseppe Ferrua hand-picks his olives at just the right day of the lunar cycle to maximize the amount of liquid they contain. “Some people say we’re witches.”

Posted on April 21 2011

La Tête dans Les Olives

by Guillaume Le Roux

"You hear about it, you collect data but the only pertinent information is the one that your mouth will give you when you try (the oil). It erases all the past and sets the scale of values" - Cedric Casanova

Posted on April 20 2011

What to Choose at Gastronomia Volpetti

by Lucy Vivante

One of Rome's best specialty food shops, Gastronomia Volpetti can be a little intimidating to the uninitiated. When it comes to olive oil, best to stick with the Umbrian.

Posted on April 18 2011

Women of the Olive Oil World Make Themselves Heard

by Laura Rose

One group of dedicated olive oil entrepreneurs, producers and experts are seeking solidarity and change in the male-dominated business culture of Italy.

Posted on April 10 2011

Italian Investigators Uncover “Falsified Foods”

by Lucy Vivante

"Because Italian foods are the most prized in the world, it's clear we also have primacy in falsified foods" - Cesare Patrone, head of the Corpo Forestale

Posted on March 31 2011