Extra Virgin Olive oil

The Extra Virgin Olive oil that A Taste of Rome Italian cooking holidays have specially selected is the Aprese . A fine Extra Virgin Olive oil produced by Franco and Paula at their wonderful Agriturismo , Gusto al Borgo in Casperia. A first class oil that gives a wonderful peppery taste , perfect for ALL Italian Cooking ,Pastas , Meats , Bruschettas , Patate al forno , but simply with a piece of Crusty bread, it is magnificent.

Gusto al Borgo is a small artizan producer with qaulity rather qauntity being their main focus . They even bottle and label the oil , they are so proud of it !



Olive trees have been cultivated for thousands of years in the Sabina . Traces of the use of olives have been found dating from the sixth and seventh centuries BC. The mild climate and southerly exposure of the region create the ideal conditions for Olive cultivation, however the hilly nature of the landscape makes modern intensive agriculture impractical. Because of this , most of the olive groves have remained small family owned producers and the Olive harvest is still for the most part carried out by hand around November

In recognition of the high quality of the Sabina Olive oil , it was the first in Italy to receive the 'D.O.P.' quality mark. As with fine wines, this means that the oil conforms to certain quality and taste standards typical of a particular area. 

There are four basic types of Olive oil, and the Italian government strictly controls every single bottle before allowing it to bear the "Extra-virgin" seal. The only oils which can qualify are those which have an acidity level lower than 0,2% at the time of bottling. This eliminates most oils, which are sold at lower prices and used industrially or in the making of packaged foods or in restaurants or and this is the important point , to dilute the very best oils.

There are basically two ways to get oil out of an olive. The first way - the way they've been doing it since the time of the ancient Greeks - is to take a bunch of olives, strip off the leaves and stems, quickly wash and rinse them, and then crush them, pit and all, between two large revolving stones. This process yields a pretty unpleasant looking mush, which is then gently centrifuged so that the water drains off, leaving only a pulp. In the traditional method, this pulp is then spread like chunky peanut butter on layers of cotton and subjected to pressure, which forces the oil to drip off. The pressure must be applied slowly and steadily so as not to cause any friction, which produces heat that seriously alters the properties of new oil. It was this crucial step in the process that gave rise to the term "cold-pressed," and also to the term, "first-run."

A Taste of Rome ~ Fine Italian cooking holidays